Bourne Diary - May 2011

Saturday 7th May 2011

Wednesday in the Austerby - "There are no cars here on
Saturdays", said a resident.

The squabble over schoolchildren parking their cars along streets in the vicinity of Bourne Grammar School, notably the Austerby, has been rumbling on for several months but the signs are that it is unlikely to be settled soon.

Many people and organisations are now involved including Lincolnshire County Council, the police, the town council, headteacher Jonathan Maddox and the school governors, Tesco plc, local residents and one of our county councillors, Sue Woolley (Bourne Abbey), yet nothing is likely to be decided before the autumn.

This has turned into an absurd, even farcical, situation because there can only be one solution which is that students stop parking their cars on public roads in large numbers and for prolonged periods when it causes annoyance and inconvenience for local residents. The difficulty is in finding a method of bringing this about yet the issue has been allowed to drag on amid increasing acrimony which is bad for both town and school.

During my boyhood seventy years ago, when car ownership was a rarity enjoyed by few parents let alone pupils, no one drove to school and only those who lived more than three miles away were allowed to cycle but many did this from their homes sometimes ten and twelve miles distant. Bus travel was also a luxury and certainly not a school service and so everyone else had to walk, whatever the weather. There was also a strict regime about the wearing of uniforms in school and on the street and we were not even allowed to take off our caps within the vicinity which illustrates the measure of discipline yet it was never questioned.

Moving on a generation, my own son attended Stamford School and so he either went in by bus on one of the scheduled daily services or was taken there and back by car every day with additional journeys for out of hours activities. The onus was therefore on the parents to ensure that their children got to and from their lessons because this was the price they paid for the privilege of them attending a school of their choice and there should be little or no departure from these procedures today such as giving them a car and telling them to get on with it.

In years past, schools were keenly aware of how their pupils behaved on and off the premises and although there is a more relaxed climate today, this does not mean that the rules and regulations imposed in past times were unfair. Firstly, they worked and secondly there were few cases of alienating the local populace because any infringement was quickly dealt with without a prolonged public debate and the involvement of our local authorities. It was quite firmly the business of the school and their methods were invariably effective.

The current case against all-day kerbside parking by schoolchildren has been well put by residents living in the Austerby who claim that they are being seriously inconvenienced with up to 40 cars left there some days, often blocking driveways which is in breach of the Highway Code (Waiting and parking, Section 243) as is parking opposite another parked vehicle if this would cause an obstruction which would seem to be the case because double parking reduces the road from two-way to single file traffic.

A visit on weekdays during term time will reveal rows of cars on either side of the Austerby which makes it difficult for other traffic to get through, especially if they encounter oncoming vehicles, and would be particularly problematic for a fire engine or ambulance on an emergency call. Visitors are unable to find a space when they call on friends, delivery vans struggle to get by and the parked cars are a continual headache for refuse collection lorries. “It is a complete and utter nightmare”, said one resident.

The intervention of Tesco plc, the supermarket chain, earlier this year to help settle the problem appears to have been rebuffed for although the company offered to provide 20 spaces for pupils in the car park of their new store in South Road, there have been few takers because they consider it too inconvenient and involves a longer walk.

Yet despite all that is being done for them, the youngsters are oblivious of the provocation they are causing. Indeed, two of them have written to The Local newspaper in an attempt to defend their actions but instead their letters, apparently for the attention of all adults living in the Austerby, have aggravated the situation because they demonstrated an arrogance bordering on the impertinent, concentrating entirely on their rights while ignoring their responsibilities as both drivers and citizens. We wonder, therefore, whether civic duties is still a subject on the school curriculum as it was in past years.

Headteacher Jonathan Maddox has voiced his sympathy for the home owners by telling the newspaper that he was contacting the county council asking if it was possible for residents’ parking signs to be installed (April 8th). “I do understand their concerns”, he said. “We want to have good relationships with our neighbours but the road outside their homes is unrestricted parking. Anyone legally able to drive can park there. The fact that I cannot provide a solution does not mean that I don’t care.”

Residents’ parking signs would provide an answer and if the school accepts this, surely pupils can be instructed to stop leaving their cars there now and so bring an end to this unseemly dispute. Although they may have a legal right to park, the consensus is that they are morally wrong in doing so and because they are under the jurisdiction of the school, then the school should find its own remedy instead of engaging the police and the local authorities whose time could be better spent elsewhere. An announcement by the headmaster at morning assembly, with the support of the governors, that pupils should not be allowed to drive a car to school, is seen by many as a necessary requirement. This is the way good behaviour was regulated in the past and there seems to be no reason why it should not be so now.

Others involved in this problem are thinking along the same lines because police office Nick Smith, who arranged the Tesco permit scheme earlier this year, told The Local (April 1st): “I don’t think that the kids are causing an obstruction but more of an inconvenience and I am hoping that the school can talk to them and get through to them about this parking issue.”

Unfortunately, teachers do not appear to command the respect or authority they once enjoyed and perhaps there is a reluctance to instil discipline in our schoolchildren as in the past while the misguided liberalism that has crept into society in recent years may well have infected the classroom. By discipline, we do not mean punishment but guidance from adults, both in the family and at school, for only then can young people find their moral compass which will stand them in good stead when they eventually go out into the world. To allow them follow their own desires irrespective of the consequences is unhealthy for them and injurious for society because it is through such actions that they are likely to develop a selfish and uncaring attitude towards others.

There is also a lack of urgency with the present issue because the county council has indicated that negotiations may well continue through the summer, thus allowing the situation to fester into the autumn term. Which raises the question as to what exactly can be decided then that cannot be settled now or whether this is merely another ploy to keep the issue on the back burner indefinitely.

Some have asked why pupils cannot park within the school grounds but, as with many educational establishments, perhaps there is a rule against this or there may be insufficient space. Yet the school is currently bidding for academy status and if successful, more pupils will be enrolling from even further afield and bringing with them more motor cars. It would therefore seem to be a prudent precaution before the application is taken any further that the governors should, as a matter of priority, take steps to facilitate parking on their own premises, either by utilising what space they have or through the acquisition of additional land.

Otherwise the prospect for home owners living nearby is one of even greater annoyance in the future and one that may well reflect on the value of their properties. Residents of the Austerby are already threatening to take direct action and a confrontation of that nature would mean a further deterioration in goodwill between the school and the town. If that is allowed to happen then those involved in trying to end the present impasse will have to shoulder the blame.

The local government elections on Thursday appeared to be low key with little interest by the public and a distinct reluctance by many candidates to engage directly with them. Few were seen on the doorstep and some did not even bother to send out the traditional election address.

Yet the contest for the three seats in the Bourne West ward of South Kesteven District Council had a good turnout and produced a most surprising result when the Independent candidate Helen Powell sailed into third place but not at the expense of the Conservative councillors, Linda Neal and John Smith, as some had expected. Both retained their seats with excellent personal and political support and Councillor Neal is now expected to continue as leader of the authority, a post she has held for the past ten years.

Instead, Helen Powell displaced Trevor Holmes, another independent candidate first elected in 2007, who she beat by more than 100 votes. She has been a member of the town council for the past four years and has already been returned unopposed for the coming term whilst her election to the district council proves her to be a formidable candidate and we expect to hear more from her in the future on many issues which she has already raised with some gusto.

Both the town and district elections were a particular triumph for Judy Smith, one of our most popular and hard-working councillors who rightly topped the poll for both the town and district elections in Bourne East. There was also success for newcomer Philip Knowles who won a town council seat for Bourne East after circulating a most detailed and promising election address and Brenda Johnson, who is likely to be the next Mayor of Bourne, also retained her seat in this ward.  Sitting councillor Sandra Wilson, however, lost hers while Guy Cudmore polled a valiant 588 votes in seeking to regain a place on the council after resigning in 2008.

The most disappointing aspect of the election campaign was the pitiable number of new candidates standing with the result that four councillors have been returned unopposed for the town council’s west ward and one of the first tasks facing the new authority will be to co-opt four more and so perhaps we will be seeing some new faces around the table after all.

Saturday 14th May 2011

The Red Hall is our finest secular building yet the isolated location it has enjoyed for much of the past 400 years may now be under threat from new houses springing up in the vicinity.

This unique property, which dates from 1605, has for most of its life enjoyed a sylvan setting and descriptions from as recently as the late 19th century clearly place it as one of the grand homes of England, frequently visited, often painted and today a magnet for photographers anxious to capture its old world charm.

There have been two attempts to pull it down and, prior to that, 100 years of vibrations from steam locomotives and rolling stock when it was used as the station booking office from 1860 until 1959, but still managed to retain its period appeal as platforms and other railway paraphernalia were built around it but when the line closed, all were demolished and the building returned to its original setting. That is now changing and the façade that once inspired artists is being marred by modern properties that are being built far too close for comfort and there are fears that this may only be the start.

The threat to the historic building’s appearance began when the nearby station buildings were sold for redevelopment in 2005. The platforms had been demolished soon after the railway closed but the remaining red brick station buildings became part of the central depot and offices of Wherry and Sons Ltd, the agricultural merchants, who have been associated with the town since the early 19th century, although they were far enough away not to have too drastic an effect on the appearance of the Red Hall. Then the company decided to relocate and the site was sold to Stamford Homes for residential development but this did not please everyone.

The new owners envisaged a housing estate but there was resistance at the planning stage and two applications to South Kesteven District Council were declined on the grounds of access and traffic dangers and the close proximity of the Red Hall, now a Grade II listed building. The main complaint concerned the visual impact such a large development would have on the 17th century hall which was likely to be overshadowed. English Heritage, the official government agency which looks after our historic buildings, was asked to report on the visual consequence of an estate and until then, the council delayed a decision but Guy Cudmore, then a member of Bourne Town Council, echoed the majority view when he said: “The effect on the Red Hall would be disastrous. The tranquillity and ambience of this spot would be destroyed by a block of flats which would overlook the building.”

Further talks followed with officials from Bourne Civic Society and in September 2007, an amended planning application for permission to build 60 semi and detached houses set in a cul de sac was submitted and finally granted and by the following spring building work was well underway. Many of these new houses are now complete and occupied but as work continues, the full impact of the development on the Red Hall can clearly be seen, especially as three more properties have since been added to the original scheme.

The building itself is safe because it is owned by Bourne United Charities on behalf of the community and since they took over the freehold in 1962 there has been a major restoration and a continuing programme of maintenance to ensure that it remains in good order. Outside is another matter. Only a grassy area separates it from the new houses, owned by South Kesteven District Council and leased to BUC who keep it in trim, but in the present financial climate, there are fears that this may not be a secure arrangement.

Across the road and near to the new residential development is the fire station and the public library, both dating from the mid-20th century and owned by Lincolnshire County Council, but speculation over their future is no secret. Negotiations are already underway to move the library to the town hall and there have been suggestions that the fire station could close and the service amalgamated with that in a nearby town, possibly Grantham. Other properties in the vicinity are also becoming available with the closure of the garage fronting South Road, and between them they make an attractive parcel of land immediately next to the new housing estate.

This situation is too obvious to be ignored but the Red Hall and its heritage status appears to have been forgotten. The listing schedule in 1977 detailed the importance of the ancient building and its inclusion in the Conservation Area at the same time should have been sufficient protection because designation is not only a means safeguarding the structure but also the surroundings which create such a splendid view. The intention of this survey is to avoid any erosion and despoliation of the locality in the future through unsympathetic development, so protecting both the outward and inward appearance which could be altered by any new property that is built too close.

Three decades later, the proposed estate was thought likely to breach all of these objectives and these were the matters addressed by English Heritage during the planning stage but their agreement appeared to satisfy everyone although now that work is well advanced, further doubts have arisen. A comparison of photographs taken before and after clearly show the intrusive nature of the new houses breaking the clear skyline, a background that attracted artists and cameramen in past times, and although the developers have agreed to erect a boundary fence in an attempt to reduce the impact on the historic building, the damage has been done and the Red Hall will never look the same again.

The secluded setting it once enjoyed has gone and the protection envisaged by Conservation Area status appears to have been ignored. Ironically, this report was issued by South Kesteven District Council, the very authority responsible for town planning and which approved the building of the housing estate in 2007. It was originally marketed as the Red Hall Gardens to reflect its close proximity to the historic building, despite objections from the charity trustees, but the developers (now Linden Homes) have acknowledged that this is not acceptable and the name of the cul de sac is therefore being changed to Great Northern Gardens to reflect an earlier connection with the railway age.

But there will be a benefit to the town from the development because the company is to include a landscaped footpath through the site which will provide a safer route for pedestrians currently using the pavement alongside the dangerous bends opposite Brooke Lodge in South Road which can be hazardous, especially when traffic is heavy and pupils are walking to and from Bourne Grammar School.

There is another related factor connected to this development because if the properties now being vacated in the immediate area are used for new homes, then the chance to improve the trunk road at this point will again be lost which will be unfortunate for the town where house building appears to take preference over all other considerations.

Any land that may become available at this point ought to be used to improve the A15 trunk road which has been a particular hazard for almost a century yet local authorities have repeatedly ignored opportunities to remove these notorious bends and make the carriageway safe. This stretch was first identified as being hazardous a century ago when the dangers created by motor cars were becoming apparent and the double bend in South Street began to cause some disquiet about the same time yet in 1910, the local authorities turned down a proposal to purchase land with a view to widening the roadway.

There were several mishaps on the corner and early in 1917, warning signs were erected after a complaint by a local resident who was involved in an accident not with his car, but with his horse and cart. There were more collisions in subsequent years and in 1928, Kesteven County Council, then the highways authority, was asked to improve the road as a matter of urgency but nothing was done. The problem was exacerbated by the railway that crossed the road a few yards further south and the traffic delays were compounded when the level crossing gates were shut to allow a train to pass. Although this inconvenience disappeared when the Bourne to Spalding line closed in 1959, the situation has become far worse in the intervening years because of the massive increase in through traffic.

The local authorities missed a second chance to improve the road when a thatched property attached to the smallholding at No 35 South Street, known as Mrs Gray’s cottage, was demolished over thirty years ago. The property stood on the west side and looked as though it was leaning forwards into the road at a most unsafe angle, creating a hazard for the increasing traffic flows of the previous decades, and although scheduled as a Grade II building, it was pulled down in January 1977. This was the perfect opportunity to improve the highway at this point and remove a highly dangerous black spot and yet again, nothing was done. Instead, permission was given to build two new houses on the land that had been made vacant by the demolition although they were sited well back from the road.

There have been many other accidents here since, one of the worst in 1989 when a Royal Mail lorry ploughed into one of the red brick cottages and there have also been fatalities, the most recent in October 1998 when a van driver was killed on the corner as he drove into Bourne. This spot, overlooked by the Abbey Church, was the scene of yet another incident in the summer of 2002 when a 38-tonne articulated refuse lorry crashed into the roadside cottage at No 31 South Street, demolishing part of the outside wall and sending rubble crashing down into the street below where schoolchildren had been walking past just moments earlier.

But the double bend remains, a nightmare for motorists during the rush hour periods, especially in the evenings, when queues of traffic tail back as far as the grammar school and even further, and each accident that occurs reminds us that another tragedy is lurking just around the corner. There is a need for improvement or replacement as a matter of urgency and yet the local authorities do nothing and a north-south bypass for the A15 through Bourne is not even on the agenda.

I have been taken to task for reporting last week that Guy Cudmore had no luck in the local government elections when seeking to regain his town council seat in Bourne's East Ward. His wife, Rosie, calls this “negativity” and appears to have taken exception to my suggestion that few candidates were seen on the doorstep and some did not even bother to send out an election address. She has emailed to say that Guy is not in the best of health yet polled 588 votes without leaving his armchair. “Not every candidate needs to do frantic door-stepping and campaigning with posters and leaflets”, she said.

It is a tradition of our democratic system that candidates must make themselves known to the electorate either by calling on them or sending details of themselves and why they are standing. Those who do not play by the rules will get less support on polling day.

We are sad to learn of Guy’s indisposition which made this impossible for him but elections are a harsh reality and with council seats at stake, not to be undertaken lightly. The people have a right to know who they are voting for and what they are about. Despite the political correctness that is creeping into our society where everyone must succeed in some measure and no one loses, only the winners count in elections and so the victors get the garlands while the defeated become the also ran. That is the way of the world.

Thought for the week: The desire to win is born in most of us. The will to win is a matter of training. The manner of winning is a matter of honour. - Margaret Thatcher (1925- ), former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom who served from 1979 to 1990.

Saturday 21^st May 2011

The old Bourne Institute in West Street - see What the
local newspapers are saying.

Solar farms are designed to harness energy, radiant light and heat from the sun for the benefit of the community. This source has been known since ancient times using ever evolving technologies but even now only a minute fraction of what is actually available is being collected and used.

The installations are efficient, environmentally friendly and reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. They are becoming a familiar part of the landscape in North America and mainland Europe and plans are afoot to establish them in many parts of England.

But as with all innovative schemes that replace traditional methods, they have their opponents and we only have to witness the recent arrival of wind turbines to understand the passion such subjects generate among those who disapprove. It is therefore the duty of our local authorities to ensure that planning permission is only given for the most suitable sites after taking into consideration all of the factors involved, notably the current needs of agriculture in the light of world food production.

A solar farm is now planned here in Bourne where 35 acres of farmland off the Spalding Road has been earmarked for the project which is likely to cost £12 million. Lark Energy, part of the Larkfleet Group which is based locally, plans to fill the site at Limes Farm with photovoltaic panels around 1.8 meters high, mounted on racks fixed to the ground and tilted towards the sun, and capable of generating up to 4.6 MW of energy to feed into the National Grid which is enough to provide power for 1,000 homes. Planning permission has been given for the installation which will be surrounded by a 2.2 metre high fence to protect against intruders and there are conditions to protect wildlife such as breeding birds while the land between the panels will be used to graze small sheep, goats or poultry or to grow grass and wildflowers. Once up and running, it is expected to be operational for thirty years and will therefore help conserve traditional sources of energy.

But the project has not pleased everyone and when South Kesteven District Council's planning committee met to consider the application on Tuesday 26th April, a neighbouring farmer lodged an objection on the grounds that the land was so valuable and highly productive that it was known as black gold and should therefore be retained for agriculture.

In the event, the committee decided that although a solar farm would result in the less intensive use of Grade II agricultural land, this would be outweighed by the benefits of encouraging renewable energy and the scheme was approved by 12 votes to four. Among those who voted in favour was Councillor David Higgs (Bourne East) who told the meeting: "Solar farms produce ten times the energy of oilseed rape. We will feel quite proud to have a site like this in Bourne."

We were not aware that Councillor Higgs was an expert on agriculture yet his remarks were given more credence by the committee than the experience of Neville Bish who owns Mason's Farm nearby and has spent his life in farming. He suggested that the chosen site showed a gross lack of planning for the future and accused those councillors who voted for the project of failing to see the bigger picture.

In a letter to The Local newspaper (May 13th), Mr Bish said that in voting for it they really did not know what they were doing. "Mr Higgs seems to have little understanding of the current state of food production", he wrote. "Russia has closed its doors to exporting wheat, China is sucking up everything it can buy, India is competing for what is left, with the result that wheat is 110 per cent up on last year. So what do we do? Take some of our best arable land out of production, increase our imports and use more fuel to get it back to Bourne where it could have been grown in the first place."

Mr Bish has also raised the question that every sensible person is also asking and that is why less valuable land cannot be utilised for this purpose. "We have thousands of acres of poor land, landfill sites, redundant airfields and poor grazing land", he wrote. "Develop these sites and we will all win. I pointed out to the council that this site is an inherent bog and frost pocket but this seemed to be discounted when Lark Energy replied that most of the power was produced in the summer, so let's hope we don't need to switch a light on in the winter.

"It is proposed that the site be grazed by sheep. As a farmer, I know that a few sheep will in no way equal the thousands of tons of grain, sugar beet, peas, rape, etc, that would have been produced on this site or the hundreds of jobs in the food chain from fields to shops and allied industries that it currently supports. Sadly, only myself and four members of the planning committee appeared to see the bigger picture."

The battle, however, has still not been completely won for despite getting planning permission, the solar farm is unlikely to be built just yet. The company is waiting to hear how it will be affected by the government's feed-in tariff scheme which provides subsidies to individuals and companies producing renewable energy. The indications are, however, that anyone producing up to five megawatts of electricity will qualify, with most installations being well under this limit. We will therefore be gaining a small contribution into the National Grid at the expense of 35 acres of the country’s most productive farmland which we can ill afford to lose, especially during dry spells such as the one we are currently experiencing when some farmers are likely to lose as much as 50% of their crops through lack of rain.

My Diary item two weeks ago about pupils from Bourne Grammar School parking their cars in the Austerby while attending lessons generated a major debate in the Forum and attracted more than 150 postings. This has been the longest and liveliest discussion since this feature began twelve years ago and although an emotive subject with some extremely robust contributions, most who took part managed to make valid and worthwhile points on which we can all ponder.

There was overall surprise at some of the experiences related by residents over the difficulties they had faced on those days when lines of vehicles had been left on either side of the road, particularly the sad tale of a funeral cortege that had to wait some distance away from the house, an ambulance delayed for several vital minutes while trying to pick up a dying man and the fire brigade held up for half an hour while answering an emergency call. These and other emotive messages illustrated the strength of feeling among residents of the Austerby and a frustration that nothing is being done to alleviate their distress.

There is an obvious injustice here yet no one appears to be willing to do anything about it, the pupils themselves, their parents, the school, the police or our local authorities. Talks and negotiations have been promised in the local newspapers but it all sounds rather vague and nothing definite appears to be happening but then the wheels of bureaucracy move exceedingly slow and with the summer holidays fast approaching, there is little likelihood of any further development before the autumn. The disappointing aspect about this discussion was that although we heard varying points of view from many quarters, there was not a word from Bourne Grammar School itself.

The entire situation appears to be one created by the liberal attitudes of our modern age when everyone claims their rights but no one accepts their responsibilities. The one thing that has emerged is that the school cannot turn its back on the situation because it is their pupils who are directly involved. These youngsters should not be allowed to create a divisive situation and then ignore the consequences. Their conduct is upsetting an entire neighbourhood and if, as they claim, they are acting within the rules, then the rules must be changed and it is up to those adults involved to ensure that this happens.

The county council has the power to impose parking restrictions along the Austerby but this would merely move the problem elsewhere, as has been proved in the past. The consensus therefore appears to be that the headteacher and the governors must grasp the nettle, certainly before academy status is granted and the number of senior car-driving students increases, otherwise more neighbouring streets will become involved and relations with the town will reach an even lower ebb.

What the local newspapers are saying: An article on snooker in the town which appeared in The Local last week (May 13th) gives quite the wrong impression of the old Bourne Institute in West Street and should not pass uncorrected. It stated, for instance, that it was founded by a gentlemen's society of local farmers and businessmen who went there to smoke, drink and play games, which is untrue.

The Institute was opened in 1896 as a social organisation for all classes to provide a means of intellectual advancement, mainly through reading, and so the amenities included a modest library, reading room, music room and regular debates and lectures on self-improving topics. Alcohol was not served in the early years and billiards, rather than snooker, was provided as a diversion and to attract new members who might then be persuaded to participate in "healthy education and recreation".

The article says that no women were allowed but by 1899 there were many lady members organising a wide variety of cultural and social activities, particularly theatrical events, concerts and fund-raising bazaars. It also states that the Institute became the Pyramid Club "around the turn of the 20th century" but it did not assume that title until as recently as 1975, a snooker term that signifies the predominant game now played there.

One of the first tasks for the new town council will be to co-opt four new members to fill the vacant seats in Bourne West where there were insufficient candidates for an election earlier this month (on May 5th). As a result, four of the sitting councillors who were seeking re-election were returned unopposed.

Co-option is regarded as an unsatisfactory method of selecting councillors because the choice is left to those who attend the meeting but under our present system there is no alternative. There can also be no complaints about the procedure because everyone has the opportunity to stand at election time if they so wish.

The search for possible candidates has been on for some weeks with an announcement in the local newspaper and on the town council's web site by the clerk, Mrs Nelly Jacobs. As a result, the meeting is to be held at the town hall on Tuesday 7th June when eight nominees will attend although there may be others as five more have made inquiries and could also be invited if their applications are pursued before the closing date of Wednesday 1st June at 3 pm.

This is a most encouraging development although it would have been better had they all come forward to stand for election earlier this month when voters would have been able to give their judgement. But new faces in the council chamber are always welcome, no matter which procedure is used.

During the meeting, each candidate will be asked to appear before the panel of sitting councillors to speak for a few minutes about who they are and why they wish to become a councillor and then a secret vote is taken on who should be elected. We have no knowledge who the nominees are but as four seats are to be filled and we already have one new councillor who was elected for Bourne East, the composition of the authority will be greatly enhanced by newcomers and, we hope, fresh ideas.

Thought for the week: They also serve who only stand and wait. - John Milton (1608-74), English poet, polemicist, and civil servant who is still regarded as a thinker of world importance.

Saturday 28^th May 2011

Work has started on a new housing development at The Croft in North Road after one of the longest planning wrangles in the history of Bourne. The house and surrounding meadowland are to be turned into an estate of retirement bungalows after almost twenty years of protest during which time the property has been allowed to become derelict and the site an eyesore.

The house occupies a prime site not far from the town centre and there were hopes that it might be acquired for public use but this was never really a possibility in the current financial climate. In the end, it was inevitable that planning permission should be given because there was really no alternative for South Kesteven District Council and although there was some sympathy with the many people who had objected, the decision, right or wrong, was accepted as a pragmatic solution to a long-running problem.

The Croft was built in 1922, standing in its own grounds and approached from the main road by a driveway with an attractive avenue of chestnut trees. It was built as a family home by Richard Boaler Gibson, a wealthy corn merchant, who lived there until his death in July 1958. It was subsequently sold in August 1960 for £8,000 (£130,000 at today's values) when it comprised an entrance hall, cloak room, lounge, dining room, two kitchens, five bedrooms, a dressing room and a large bathroom. There was also a detached garage for two cars and a tennis court. Grassland through which there were two rights of way from North Road, covered more than seven acres and there was also a sheltered orchard with a variety of mature fruit trees.

The last tenant was the late Andrew Cooke (1927-2007), a businessman and landowner, who considerably enhanced the property during his forty year tenure. But in 1993, he sought approval from South Kesteven District Council to use the site for new housing which was turned down and from then onwards there were a total of four unsuccessful attempts to obtain planning permission, the last being rejected in June 2004 after the authority received a protest petition signed by 45 people and 60 letters of objection.

There was an appeal the following year when the housing application was finally rejected after a three-day hearing. Opposition to the scheme from SKDC had been lukewarm until the final day when Mandy Braithwaite, a member of the planning authority team, told the inspector: “We contend that the proposal is contrary to the local plan which seeks to protect the quality of the environment. There is an abject lack of openness and nothing is being done to alleviate the cramped nature of the development. No longer will people be able to enjoy the unspoilt nature of The Croft as they will be faced with a sea of Tarmac when looking at the site. The quality of the environment should not be compromised in this way. Is this really a development that integrates with the community? The local planning authority says it is not. The scheme, as further amended, is still cramped, fails to create a sense of place and will result in the loss of one of the last open green spaces in Bourne."

Mr Cooke had vacated The Croft in 2004 and after that it took on the air of an abandoned property, the house empty and derelict and the surrounding parkland and driveway overgrown. Metal barriers were erected to keep out intruders and there were reports of vandalism and even fires being started around the grounds.

Then in the summer of 2008, Longhurst Group announced that it was interested in turning the site into a complex of retirement homes and began a public consultation to win public support by holding a presentation and planning permission was eventually granted in November 2009. The preliminary scheme provided for 68 bungalows to be built in the grounds with the house being restored, its main use being as a community lounge for residents with a manager's office, a small kitchen and possibly a suite for guests. The present driveway leading up to the house would remain unchanged and the surrounding area landscaped with trees and shrubs and possibly a bowling green.

Traffic congestion was one of the main concerns for local residents but the company said that the homes were intended for those aged over 55 with many residents over 70 and it was estimated that only 30 per cent would own a car. Longhurst Group’s experience on similar retirement developments in the Midlands being that less than one third of residents retained ownership of a car, the majority opting for electric scooters, taxis or car sharing.

This is an important property but one that has been standing empty and deteriorating badly during the planning tussle over its future and if this £8 million project did not go ahead then it would be left to moulder even further to the detriment of the neighbourhood and even the town. There was absolutely no possibility that the dreams of some for this valuable piece of real estate would ever come to fruition through its conversion into a hospice, theatre or community centre, because there was neither the money nor the will for such a venture in Bourne and even the idea of philanthropy to achieve this was a departure from reality.

The unfortunate aspect of the development is the loss of the green space around the house where the bungalows will be sited. The grassland has never been built on and indeed this entire stretch of North Road was open countryside until the late 19th century when it became a much sought after out of town location for prosperous traders and businessmen who bought plots and built new homes well away from the artisans' cottages inhabited by the hoi polloi.

The new use for this site was eventually approved by SKDC's development control committee on Tuesday 17th November 2009 by a 12-1 majority. It can only be hoped that our councillors will be equally determined when it comes to providing the necessary infrastructure, amenities and facilities to support an influx of 68 elderly singles and couples because it is almost certain that the majority will come from outside the area.

The Croft had become a relic from a bygone age, one that reflected wherewithal and privilege, and now the site is likely to be inhabited very soon by those of lesser importance but who have the cash to buy themselves a place of their own. Yet in the years to come, when this retirement village is up and running, public opinion will be different because the social climate will have changed. The very nature of progress usually augers well for the better and we can then ponder on what would have happened to this prime site but for the intervention of private enterprise.

On a brighter conservation note, the three Victorian cast iron lamp standards along the main drive to the house will not be lost. They were salvaged by Mr Cooke from the old Bourne railway station which was demolished in 1964 and converted from gas to electricity to light the way for visitors on dark evenings. But they will be preserved for the future because the developers have promised to incorporate them as a feature of the new estate.

The Robert Manning College in Bourne is on the verge of becoming an academy under the recent government initiative and although the announcement is welcomed by many, not everyone fully understands the implications although our local newspapers report that it will "raise standards and provide extra funding".

The main provisions of the Academies Act of 2010 is to enable all schools to become state funded and independent of local authority control. The conversion is part of the coalition government's plans for a reformed system of strong, autonomous schools, to promote innovation and flair by giving them more freedom to decide how best to meet the needs of their students, parents and the wider community and any school with an outstanding report from Ofsted can apply for the new status, a condition fulfilled by the Robert Manning College in October 2008.

The school's budget would continue to be based on funding formulas set by the Department for Education although a portion of this would still come from the local authority. An academy trust would be set up to own the school's assets, such as land and buildings, appoint governors, employ staff and agree their pay and conditions. The school would also be able to set its own admissions code to decide which pupils will be given places, and take other decisions regarding the curriculum, the length of term and school days and even the style of a new name.

"Given our strong links with the local community, the name of the town might again become the key part of the academy title", said the principal, Laurence Reilly in an interview with the The Local newspaper (May 20th). "The extra funding that would come with the change of status would enable us maintain current staffing levels while continuing our extensive programme of investing in further improvements to buildings and facilities. One key aspect that will continue is our commitment to achieving ever increasing educational standards is a modern friendly and supportive environment."

The Robert Manning College currently has 1,200 pupils aged from 11-18, a dramatic change from its humble beginnings as part of the Abbey Primary School. The premises in Abbey Road became too cramped to cope with the expanding number of pupils and in 1946 half of them moved to the site in Queen’s Road. The accommodation was a series of wooden huts until the main school opened in 1958 when it became independent as a secondary modern school but after several name changes and a modernisation of the premises it has been transformed into its present status specialising in technology and vocational training.

The school governors are due to meet on June 14th to make a final decision on proceeding with their application and as the process of conversion is expected to take three months, the school is likely to re-open for the autumn term in September as an academy.

The Abbey CE Primary School achieved academy status last December, the first in Lincolnshire. Bourne Grammar School is also making a bid although this is being opposed by Bourne United Charities which owns part of the South Road site, a situation that has existed since the school was opened in 1921 when financial aid was granted through the Harrington and Trollope Secondary School Foundation.

Whether the current euphoria among schools rushing to become academies will be justified remains to be seen but we should not forget the last major overhaul of the educational system half a century ago when the Labour government implemented a large scale expansion of comprehensives. In 1970, the Conservative Party re-entered government and ended the compulsion to convert but so many local authorities were well down the path that it would have been prohibitively expensive to reverse the process and so more were established.

Over that 10-year period, many secondary modern and grammar schools were amalgamated to form large neighbourhood comprehensives and by the mid-1970s the system had been almost fully implemented and many existing grammar and modern schools had been closed although a small number of local education authorities, including Lincolnshire, held out against the trend and so Bourne Grammar School survived.

The comprehensive system was not well received, notably by leading academics and prominent headteachers who attacked liberal theories in education and poor standards in the new schools, calling for a return to traditional teaching methods and an end to the comprehensive experiment yet these schools remain the most common type of state secondary school in England today. It is a warning that ought not be ignored nor should we throw caution to the wind in the face of sudden and speedy change that may not benefit either the town or the children of Bourne whose future is in our hands.

Thought for the week: Time as he grows old teaches many lessons. - Aeschylus (525-456 BC), the first of the three ancient Greek writers whose work has survived, the others being Sophocles and Euripides, and is often described as the father of tragedy.

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