Have Your Say - Environmental Issues

Brookmans Park Newsletter
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Have Your Say
Environmental Issues

Current 'Have Your Say' contributions 'Have Your Say' Form Front Page

I wonder if anybody has seen a Kingfisher in Gobions Wood? My children reported seeing one by the old bridge this morning and as I have never seen one anywhere I'd be interested to know if I might at last be in with a chance. Has a similar study to those on Fungi and Butterflies been carried out for birds?
Jeremy Ewen <Email address not supplied>
Brookmans Park, No county/state, No country - 20:46:40 Saturday 26 January 2002
Editor's Note: Yes Jeremy, there was a survey of birds carried out in 1999. The details are contained in a full report in this site's environment section and yes, according to the survey, Kingfishers (item number 35 in the list) are seen in Gobions Woodland.

The North Mymms Green Belt Society website is now up to date again. It could not be updated until now because the host site was updating its systems. Sorry about that.
Bob Horrocks
B. Park, Herts, UK - 12:28:36 Monday 07 January 2002

Re North Mymms District Green Belt Soc website. I am having a problem getting through to the server to update this website, so please bear with me. It is not my fault. Normal service a.s.a.p
Bob Horrocks
Brookmans Park, Herts , UK - 20:31:57 Thursday 03 January 2002

I have been reading your interesting website and wish I could help about the dog messes, fly tipping, & bonfires, but I'm sure I couldn't even if I were there. Our little town San Luis Obispo, CA(43K) is surrounded by farmland & rugged hills, beaches nearby, it is the cultural center of this county, thus we have lots of theatre, music, & arts activities, if you're ever nearby it is worth the drive from L.A. or S.F., (about 3 hrs), warm, mild weather overall & no smog nor suburbs. There are about 12 music clubs in our county, so I have been singing my SoulHiphopReggae songs about 5X/mo, soon I will put several songs on the internet. Best wishes to all of you in your lovely villages. I lived in Richmond upon Thames long ago, & can well understand why there have been so many nature composers, poets, & artists in your history. Roy Freesinger
Roy Freesinger
San Luis Obispo, California, USA - 20:58:48 Monday 24 December 2001

In response to Bill Moores, I read somewhere that Melanie Johnson has been in hospital recently. I'm pretty sure that she had treatment for some form of cancer.

Not 100% certain but it may explain the reason why.
Andy Kelly
No town/city, No county/state, No country - 22:18:55 Wednesday 19 December 2001

Bradmore Lane has yet again been the victim of fly tipping, with rubbish dumped at three different places. Not only that, but there is also an abandoned and vandalised car.
Given the cost to the council of continually removing dumped material, I would have thought that the use of hidden cameras would be cost-effective in the long-term.
P.S If you ring the council you may find that you get an Ansaphone message, and that you won't necessarily get a reply.
r.pyrah
Brookmans Park, Herts, UK - 18:54:25 Wednesday 19 December 2001

Thanks to John Fisher from the vet college for his posting about bonfires. I think there is a huge difference between the situation at the vet college and private individuals who light smoky and/or smouldering bonfires on a regular basis throughout the summer. I don't think anybody would think that an organisation which takes all possible measures before a presumably single major bonfire once a year in Autumn is being unreasonable. Still waiting for one of the summer burners to provide a rational explanation of their activities. I guess we'll be waiting forever for that though.
Mark Charlish
Brookmans Park, No county/state, No country - 17:42:11 Tuesday 20 November 2001

Yes we have sycamores over growing our property. They are on the side of a dyke but nobody wants to take responsibility. But that is the trouble with local councils. All they want to do is feather their own nests
ian newton
Kings lynn, norfolk, england - 15:29:00 Friday 16 November 2001

Please help. My neighbouring farmer has uprooted a 20-foot section of an established hedgerow (50 years old) that is the boundary of an agricultural field of 24 acres, and replaced the said section with a 6 foot high concrete fence. She is also planning on removing another section of again 20 foot, and replace this with a 6 foot high concrete wall. The wall serves no purpose what so ever, other than destroying the wildlife and changing the landscape of the area. It is not a boundary wall between our properties. I have been in touch with the local council who said it is the 'curtilage of a dwelling house', which I strongly disagree with. This is vandalism in its cruellest form. If she destroys the hedge further this will also affect the wildlife. I have asked her to reconsider her plans, but her answer is no, it is her hedge (which it is) and she can do as she pleases. In this day of Farmers suffering through Foot and mouth disease, my sympathies do lie with them. But what this retired farmer, who rents out her land to a tenant farmer, is aiming to do is to change our lovely rural area, what little there is remaining in our part of the country, and destroy it completely. As a teacher working in an inner city school, my pupils have more respect than this person for our environment. I would appreciate some advice on this matter. Can I protect the hedge in anyway? Can I stop this desecration from taking place? Please help before this vandalism goes ahead. I cannot replace what she has already destroyed, but I wish to protect what is left of a beautiful, well establish hedgerow. If you would like further information on this matter please do not hesitate to ask. Are there any pressure groups that would help? Please help me to protect our hedgerows.
Yours sincerely
Joan Gillon
Joan Gillon
Widnes, Cheshire, England - 19:06:09 Wednesday 14 November 2001

BURNINGS: having read past correspondence in these pages, we feel it only fair to remind you that we at RVC feel we have to have bonfires on occasions, and one such will be in the next week or so. We have a significant quantity of clearance-wood to get rid of - after: a) the younger growth has been chipped up for mulches etc; b) certain tree stem lengths are planked-up for drying off and then for future making-up in to furniture; c) releasing as much as we can as logs, wood-burning stove etc material; d) using stem sections as scour-barriers in ditches, as habitats, etc etc etc. We apologise for any nuisance, but overall this is the best way forward (and the ash subsequently will be used as a bio-feed too).
John Fisher
Royal Vet College - Hawkshead Campus, No county/state, No country - 09:05:29 Monday 12 November 2001

Regarding Bonfires, Strange how they have started again after a relatively clear October. There are two answers:-
If they are neighbours tell them. If they are good neighbours they will be reasonable. If they are bad neighbours and abusive contact Environmental Health they will send someone down to see them and record this with a letter. If they are threatening call the police as this is an offence. Be courteous at all times or you will end up being warned for threatening behaviour. Do not be frightened as there is nothing to loose. They may not know that the smell is damaging others enjoyment. The mess after a bonfire is worse than just bagging it up and taking it to the dump. Also its a pity that people cannot just enjoy fireworks on the fifth of November as used to be the case. This made it special. The current trend for overkill and extending displays over the whole week tends to spoil the occasion. Guess who was daft enough to polish his vehicles on Sunday thinking that after Friday and Saturdays efforts to recreate the Blitz that there couldn't have been any left!
It proves one thing though a lot of people in the area have a lot of money to burn. The ignorance of people setting the things off after say nine o'clock shows typical disregard for young children sleeping. On the whole what an anti social group of people now live in what used to be a village to be proud of. Two letters from me in one day, must be careful or I will set off a grumbling attack. Regards JET
JET <Email address not supplied>
Brookmans Park, Herts, England - 17:54:06 Wednesday 07 November 2001

Re fly tipping. Sadly it is now nearly a weekly occurrence in the car park at the North Mymms Community Centre. The management committee of the centre, all volunteers are at their wits end. Sadly, to allow access to the site for the bottle banks, the centre itself, emergency access and for the usual refuse trucks, they are powerless against this wanton act. The act must be witnessed and details recorded for the police to take action. So residents.. keep looking!!
Martin Ferdinando
Hatfield, No county/state, No country - 20:15:58 Thursday 01 November 2001

Regarding Bonfires, Strange how they have started again after a relatively clear October. There are two answers:-
If they are neighbours tell them. If they are good neighbours they will be reasonable. If they are bad neighbours and abusive contact Environmental Health they will send someone down to see them and record this with a letter. If they are threatening call the police as this is an offence. Be courteous at all times or you will end up being warned for threatening behaviour. Do not be frightened as there is nothing to loose. They may not know that the smell is damaging others enjoyment. The mess after a bonfire is worse than just bagging it up and taking it to the dump. Also it's a pity that people cannot just enjoy fireworks on the fifth of November as used to be the case. This made it special. The current trend for overkill and extending displays over the whole week tends to spoil the occasions. Guess who was daft enough to polish his vehicles on Sunday thinking that after Friday and Saturdays efforts to recreate the Blitz that there couldn't have been any left! It proves one thing though a lot of people in the area have a lot of money to burn. The ignorance of people setting the things off after say nine o'clock shows typical disregard for young children sleeping. On the whole what an anti social group of people now live in what used to be a village to be proud of. Two letters from me in one day, must be careful or I will set off a grumbling attack. Regards JET
JET <Email address not supplied>
Brookmans Park, Herts, England - 17:54:06 Wednesday 07 November 2001

BONFIRES. I may have the answer. They are compelling in a strange sort of way. If you are a latent pyromaniac why not come to St Mary's Churchyard where there is enough rubbish to start one each week. Please do not bring any more unless it is dry twigs to start it off! If there is a huge response I will draw up a rota!
Martin Soley
Br Pk, No county/state, No country - 08:22:06 Tuesday 06 November 2001

I see the bonfires are continuing. Or should I say I smell the bonfires are continuing? I would be the first to argue that this IS the time of year to have a bonfire if one is really needed. What is still amazing is that people feel it appropriate to light them in the middle of the day and/or on days when it is nice and sunny. A glorious clear sky......only spoiled ever so slightly by the acrid smokescreen between ground-level and 50ft up. It's noon on Monday and there's one alight now thanks to a real star living in Peplins Way and backing onto the railway line. The real icing on the cake is that today is the day that the Council came round collecting garden waste. Obviously the message isn't getting through. Just in case it isn't clear enough - could you please stop being inconsiderate and only a) light bonfires on cloudy evenings and b) try to avoid the need to light bonfires in the first place.
We are all still awaiting a reasoned reply from the bonfirees to my post here on August 21; the specific part being as follows : “Could one of the giant intellects behind this ongoing selfishness please respond with an explanation detailing why they think it is reasonable to i) light a bonfire between Apr-Oct ii) light bonfires regularly iii) choose particularly pleasant and clear evenings on which to light up iv) burn wet material v) leave bonfires smouldering away for ages vi) force their neighbours to close their windows etc on warm summer evenings.” Anyone?
Mark Charlish
Brookmans Park, No county/state, No country - 14:06:23 Monday 05 November 2001

Has Anne Hansford thought of getting in touch with a local farmer to show him/her/them exactly how to maintain (taking ALL factors in to account) say a few hundreds of metres of hedgerow as a pilot exercise ?
For North Mymms, records provide unappreciated insights. In 1804 (shortly after the landscape upheavals of the Enclosures) hedges were regarded as 'the collieries of the country' providing essential annual fuel for local resident workers (when they could consider having a hot meal). White thorn was the hedge-planting of choice. Hedges were regularly plashed by severe-cutting (by hand in bad weather on pittance wages)as close back to the ground as possible - & the recommendation was to renew hedges every 12 years.
john fisher
No town/city, No county/state, No country - 10:35:51 Tuesday 18 September 2001

Gypsies broke onto Charcoal Meadows, Dixons Hill Close, North Mymms last night with eleven vehicles. Mores caravans moved onto the site this morning. The land is owned by Agriprop Ltd , their solicitors are William Sturgess & Co tel no 0207 8731000. Potter Bar Police tel no 01707 661212. More gypsies are expected but the police state that the matter of moving the gypsies on is purely down to the landowners at this stage. Gypsies remained on the site last year for over two weeks, Agriprop Ltd did nothing to move them on, the only reason they left was due to the wet condidtions and the amount of rubbish they produced which left the field in an unlivable condition. Please, anyone concerned about this situation call the above numbers to try and get the gypsies moved on. Also, if anyone has any other ideas in dealing with this matter, please let me know, day tel 01920 46881, mob 07748 908 388
Thanks
Steve
steve
north mymms, herts, england - 11:45:39 Wednesday 12 September 2001

Re:hedgerows given extra protection. I have seen so many existing hedgerows almost completely destroyed by the mascerating blade of the farmer's cutting machine, why is there no protection for hedgerows from these monsters? I cannot see any need for this kind of destructive procedure other than to slowly kill the hedge off therefore gaining Mr Farmer a little more crop space and, more importantly, that little bit extra profit.
Not only do the hedgerows suffer but all the wildlife that live on and around it, especially when winter is approaching and these animals rely on the abundance of food that our hedgerows would normally provide for them. Instead what is left after the regular 'slashing' are bare branches with no leaf cover or fruit which also looks terrible. Is this kind of 'maintenance' really justified? Farmers need to be told how much they can cut off and when.
anne hansford
bedford, beds, england - 20:09:47 Monday 10 September 2001 *

If someone feels they need to post anonymously then they should email you the posting. You, as the editor can decide if the message should be posted with “Name and Address Supplied.” Exactly the same procedures as newspapers use. For almost all of the nameless messages so far I can not see why they do not wish to put their name to their views
John Fraser
Brookmans Park, No county/state, No country - 20:02:15 Sunday 09 September 2001

I don't see that it has to be “condemn all or accept all.” Barbecues can be annoying, but few people will object to the occasional one next door to them. Bonfires can also be annoying, but most people are willing to accept them if they are not done on almost every day with half decent weather. Bonfires get a worse press as each of them affect more people, but all of use – bonfire and barbecue haters – would be happy of the perpetrators showed a little more consideration to their neighbours. P.S. Can we ban anonymous posts on this site unless you at least know who the person is?
John Fraser
Brookmans Park, No county/state, No country - 22:00:03 Friday 07 September 2001
Note from the editor: We could do that John but some people may have valid reasons for choosing anonymity and may also have valid points to raise. A poll has been added to this site to try to find out what people think.

Surely the point is that there is a whole range of antisocial behaviour; the ones that you indulge in yourself you find acceptable, and the others aren't. So Mr X doesn't like bonfires but will have a barbecue on Sunday afternoon, while Mr Y thinks bonfires are OK but hates the smell of barbecues. Both Mr X and Mr Y need to understand that others may think that their own behaviour is unacceptable. It is not valid for someone to dismiss someone else's complaint just because they don't agree. In the end, all the things that people have mentioned (bonfires, barbecues, skips, parking on verges, noisy lawnmowers etc. etc.) are offensive to a certain degree. So, either be consistent and condemn them all, or live and let live.
H Janus <Email address not supplied>
Brookmans Park, No county/state, No country - 16:39:51 Friday 07 September 2001

I see the anonymous message poster has been at work again. I will gladly let you know my comments on the subject you have raised. Just re-post your message with your contact details.
Phil Holm
Brookmans Park, Herts., No country - 13:21:00 Friday 07 September 2001

What do people feel about the skips parked on the roads and the piles of building supplies littering the verges of Brookmans Park? This seems to be a never-ending saga which is making the village untidy and dangerous to drive through.
No name given <Email address not supplied>
No town/city, No county/state, No country - 13:48:40 Tuesday 04 September 2001

Great news about the Garden Waste collection trials. I will definitely use this service. It will save me time going to the local dump. The only concern I have is that the cost of this service may prove to be a dis-incentive to people who currently burn their garden waste. Does anyone have an email address for a contact at the council as I would like to suggest that they look at their pricing strategy. It seems to me, reading the transcript of the leaflet, that the council is being paid to collect garden waste, that they then sell. Sounds like a good business to me! I wonder what the uptake of this trial will be, and whether it would be different if the cost of the bags was say half, or even free of charge as they are in Epping where a colleague of mine lives and has his garden waste collected.
Phil Holm
Brookmans Park, Herts., UK - 12:48:43 Wednesday 29 August 2001

If the anonymous posting was an accident then please repost it with your name. It would be interesting to hear the other side. If it deliberate then I don't think we should waste our times dignifying it with a reply – although I tend to agree with Mark and Robert. On my last post, let me clear up a couple of points. I agree that there is no real need for fires and the basic problem here is laziness. I have a large pile of rubbish in my garden as the result of demolishing two sheds, but I will not burn it until at least mid October, when I feel people mind less. Yes I could take it down the dump, but it would take a lot of trips as it is about 429 cubic feet – I said it was a lot – and I am just about to buy a new car I don't want to ruined. I could hire a skip, and I may do, but that is hassle and it's a lot to transport abound the narrow ally by the side of my house. Other people have less rubbish, do not want to keep it all summer and feel (wrongly) that they have a right to burn it. As few people burn rubbish and few do it frequently, is it worth trying to get people to all burn at the same time i.e. have one bad night periodically. It only takes half the population burning rubbish once a summer to spoil every good evening. IMHO 8 fires do not ruin a night any more than 1 does
John Fraser
Brookmans Park, No county/state, No country - 19:14:44 Friday 24 August 2001

The vast majority of people have no option as to when they mow the lawn. After coming home from work ie:- evenings and weekends, also depending on the weather as wet grass is difficult to cut. I also thought that one was supposed to have an identity on this message board!
Robert Manners
Cuffley, No county/state, No country - 21:57:00 Thursday 23 August 2001

Would it be right to assume that the 'bonfires schmonfires' post provided by No Name Given originated from a supporter of regular rubbish burning? Whether yes or no a few points. 1) I still await a reasoned response to my questions of 21 August 2) deflecting attention to other issues is a feeble tactic and most people recognise it as such 3) I would agree BBQs could be just as annoying to some although personally I find the smell of cooking far more attractive than the smell of woodsmoke - plus BBQs are over much quicker 4) parking on verges and pavements is annoying but it is a passive problem that doesn't affect you in your on home whereas bonfire smoke does 5) it is slightly ridiculous to compare lawn mowing [an essential activity unfortunately] with bonfires [a non-essential activity] - maybe we should all go back to scythes....? 6)it is unfortunate that folks don't feel able to put their name to their remarks on this site. Re other recent posts, I like the idea of raising the profile of this issue but any less than completely simple scheme is likely to fail; furthermore there is probably an issue that some people just don't care who they annoy. I gather the Council can take action so perhaps targetted leaflet drops to offenders followed by Council action would be best? The basic problem here is laziness by people who can't be bothered to take their rubbish to the tip. There is never a 'need' for a bonfire. That said a rule that there are no bonfires April-October and that there are no bonfires when the sky is less than 50% cloudy would work for me as a compromise.
Mark Charlish
Brookmans Park, No county/state, No country - 10:29:44 Thursday 23 August 2001

Bonfires shmonfires. Here are the really irritating about living in Brookmans Park:
- barbecues
- parking on pavements
- parking on (and destroying) grass verges
- using noisy mowers at weekends and evenings.
No name given <Email address not supplied>
No town/city, No county/state, No country - 17:31:39 Wednesday 22 August 2001

Given that people feel they have a right to burn garden rubbish the fires will continue, no matter how much the rest of us object. Maybe the answer is to control them. As an idea why, not publish a voluntary code and timetable that allows burning between October and April, but between May and September has predefined dates every ten days or so where people could light fires after 8pm. People would know the “fire” days and, as they would know the next nine days would be clear, not find them so objectionable. The timetable could be published here, placed on the two village notice boards and a few of the people who have complained – including me – could leaflet every house in the village.
John Fraser
Brookmans Park, Herts, UK - 13:02:54 Wednesday 22 August 2001

Regarding bonfires and other issues raised here. The problem we face is that the 'offenders' probably don't visit the site so are blissfully unaware of the problems they may be causing. How do we get the issues raised here, off the web and into the village in general? Ideas?
Andrew Sherlock
Brookmans Park, Herts, UK - 10:43:06 Wednesday 22 August 2001

I see the bonfire morons are still working at full strength. A few nights ago there was another in Peplins Way from a house backing onto the railway line and then last night somebody thought it would be a good idea to leave 'something' smouldering gently all evening. We are now heading towards late summer with the evenings starting to draw in slightly but last night was lovely and clear although it turned cold a little later. However it was spoilt yet again by the pungent smell of burning vegetation. What are these people doing - making charcoal or something? I see the poll returned mixed results with 36% of votes supporting them and 64% against to some extent. How do those that light these bonfires feel about the fact that two thirds of the community finds them unacceptable to some degree? Could one of the giant intellects behind this ongoing selfishness please respond with an explanation detailing why they think it is reasonable to i) light a bonfire between Apr-Oct ii) light bonfires regularly iii) choose particularly pleasant and clear evenings on which to light up iv) burn wet material v) leave bonfires smouldering away for ages vi) force their neighbours to close their windows etc on warm summer evenings. Thanks so much.
Mark Charlish
Brookmans Park, No county/state, No country - 10:22:55 Tuesday 21 August 2001

Bradmore Lane is once again in an appalling state. There are two piles of fly-tipped rubbish which have been there for at least two weeks. The Council has been very slow in removing them. In addition the hedges look as though they have been hit by an artillery barrage. And why have they been savagely cut back in summer, when birds are still nesting.
Rupert Pyrah
Brookmans Park, Herts, UK - 19:59:09 Friday 10 August 2001

Dear JET - You can access your local Green Belt Society pages (link on main page of this site) to see what we do to preserve the character of this parish. The good thing about the Green Belt is that it stops houses etc being built on the surrounding fields. The converse is that new, or extended, dwellings have to go somewhere, which means within existing settlements like Brookmans Park and Welham Green. It is cheaper to build an extension than moving - stamp duty alone adds to the cost of moving. The trend is towards smaller dwellings, as witness the demolition of 148 Dixons Hill Road and replacement by 11 town houses. Many people, including us, sympathise with your view, and extensions can push property values beyond what locals can afford. This is not just a local problem. You may have read this week that in Wales they complain about English buyers pushing up demand, and therefore prices, beyond what locals can afford.
Regarding Mymms Drive, check back on previous 'Have your say' items under 'Village life - 8-6-01 by Andrew Sherlock and 4-6-01 by Jeremy Ewen.
Bob Horrocks, Hon Sec - North Mymms District Green Belt Society.
Bob Horrocks
Brookmans Park, Herts, England - 22:01:10 Thursday 09 August 2001

As the construction of the two new houses in calder avenue enters its eleventh month it made me think about the amount of building work being carried out generally in the village. When the writer moved here 16 years ago it was a quiet rural area. It has now been transformed into suburbia. Extensions tend to look out of place unless very well designed and have the effect of creating terraces which detract from the appearance of the village. Having built most owners tend to move on to realise their capital and ruin somewhere else. If you know of a nearby development and have a reasonable objection please write to the planning department as if no one objects the planners tend to pass anything. After all it is not in their backyard. As a bonus the builders vans constantly parked in Moffats adjacent to Gobions entrance have had the side effect of slowing down traffic. Does anyone know the purpose of the two illuminated brick piers at the end of Mymms drive, who built them and why? Best regards JET
No name given <Email address not supplied>
brokmans park, No county/state, No country - 21:57:24 Wednesday 08 August 2001

Last night some kind soul ???? in Cuffley decided that they would have a bonfire which then at midnight made it impossible to open your windows without the smell permeating the house. A bonfire affects a whole area for a considerable period of time while a barbecue only affects a very small area and would only be offensive if the cook is incompetent ( yes they do exist ).
If you do have to have a bonfire then please have some consideration for your neighbours and do it when it is dry and cold not when people have windows open, washing out or are trying to sit out in their gardens. ie, not in the summer.
Robert Manners
Cuffley, Herts, No country - 23:26:46 Monday 06 August 2001

Genealogy Have recently received a four page Will for Thomas Tollinton of Bell Bar (?) in the parish of North Mimms ...proved 19th October 1769. He died possessed of One Hundred Pounds! His wife Ann Tollinton, Sarah Bracksopp (wife of John), Mary Mills (wife of James) and Susanna Jones, spinster were Executrixes. Can anyone help me in finding further information please ? The Probate dated at Doctors Commons 19th October 1769. So many questions (once I've been able to fully read the Will .... but are there any records I can search whilst living here in Western Australia.
Your site looks terrific, but I am so anxious to get this request off that I haven't fully looked at the site. Suffice to say that during the war years I lived at Welwyn Garden City, my parents spent some time at North Mimms (where my mother died), and currently my only sister is living in W.G.C. having spent many years in Hatfield. So I know the area fairly well. Last visited four years ago.
Les & Lorraine Shephard
Mandurah, Western Australia 6210, Australia - 14:29:42 Thursday 02 August 2001

Never mind bonfires - the stench from barbecues is miles worse.
No name given <Email address not supplied>
No town/city, No county/state, No country - 18:20:42 Wednesday 01 August 2001

Regarding bonfires. Tonight there was a fire which lasted over an hour in the Mymms Drive area, which assisted by the East wind ruined the evening of the occupants of possibly fifty houses. As the smoke went away from the garden concerned it is obvious that these people are either completly ignorant of the nuisance they caused or they just do not care. Last year a complaint by the writer to the Environmental Health Department instigated a visit and a follow up letter to a similar property owner. They have not offended since and it can do no harm to make such a complaint. In time and with enough complaints the council will be forced to impliment a new by law. Best regards to all who try to make this area a pleasant place to live. JET.
No name given <Email address not supplied>
Brookmans Park, No county/state, No country - 22:00:37 Wednesday 25 July 2001

I think last night must have been the worst bonfire yet in our area. Don't these idiots realise (I tried knocking on the door to explain the problem but got no reply) that when the air is still, the smoke isn't going to blow away, just totally cover the whole area. I agree with the suggested name and shame policy, but would warn that some people can get very nasty when criticised. One neighbour got her son round to 'sort me out' after I complained about a particularly bad bonfire on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
Mike Leedham
No town/city, No county/state, No country - 13:40:19 Wednesday 25 July 2001

To the person who recently asked 'Is there anyone else who feels like me'. Answer - I might do sometimes. I'm curious about what area of BP you live in as it might be the same issue. If you want to let me know feel free to write to the eMail address shown. Mark
Mark Charlish
Brookmans Park, No county/state, No country - 08:41:43 Wednesday 25 July 2001

Well thanks for talking about all your troubles with the bonfire maniacs but you seem to have started them off in Cuffley now! More to the point do any local council officials read this site that can do anything to change the regulations to ban bonfires?
robert Manners <Email address not supplied>
Cuffley, No county/state, No country - 22:11:10 Tuesday 24 July 2001

The messages below have made me suspicious. I was beginning to wonder whether some farmers were being deliberately slow in opening up their footpaths and bridleways. For three weeks running I have tried to walk from North Mymms Church over the bridleway between Hawkshead and Redwell Wood to South Mimms. There seems no reason why this route should be closed. How do we challenge the farmers over their decisions to keep public rights of way closed?
John Downing
Colney Heath, Herts, UK - 11:48:47 Wednesday 30 May 2001
Editor's Note: Hertfordshire recently invited ramblers to tip them off if they thought paths should be opened. The authority's website has a contacts page where you can post a message.

Although I don’t fully agree with David Paley, it is true that a number of farmers do not appreciate the fact that walkers have a right to cross their land. Every year some landowners have try to illegally block footpaths. I can well imagine a number of these landowners hope that if footpaths are closed for long enough they will fall into disuse, in which case they can apply for them to be closed for good. When the footpaths reopen we must ensure they continue to be used. If not, there is a risk that a freedom to enjoy open space, which has existed for generations, will be lost.
John Fraser
Brookmans Park, Hertfordshire, UK - 21:25:47 Tuesday 29 May 2001

The foot and mouth epidemic is being encouraged by farmers their sloppy husbandry and illegal movements of animals has prolonged this outbreak Their is no evidence to suggest walkers have spread it. The Shire Counties and the farmers are colluding to keep foot paths closed for as long as they can.
david paley
Skipton, North Yorkshire, UK - 16:19:45 Tuesday 29 May 2001

Glad to see that Gobions Open Space is open again. In fact, we went for a walk this morning to the lower woods and noticed that the old green lane leading up to the swings was not taped off. If we had not been so tired we would have gone up there, but coffee seemed more important at the time! Well done Parish Council!
Jeremy Ewen <Email address not supplied>
Brookmans Park, No county/state, No country - 21:51:10 Saturday 19 May 2001

Bring on the petition! I don't think the council has necessarily over reacted - at the time of the closure if I remember rightly, there was an average of 40+ cases a day, there was a suspect case in North Herts, and there had been cases in Essex - not a million miles away. But now I think yes, the risk is surely so small as to be minimal.
Is it worth asking the individual councillors for their viewpoints? They are, after all, the ones who will vote for the reopening. I'm guessing nothing will happen until the next meeting anyway, which I believe is a couple of weeks away unfortunately...
James Bentall
Brookmans Park, Herts, UK - 21:35:46 Thursday 03 May 2001
Editor's Note: A quick vote poll on the issue has been added to the site for locals to express their feelings on this issue - please vote only once.

Re: Gobions open space. I have been in touch with North Mymms Parish Council who told me two weeks ago they were writing a letter to the farmer asking when it would be convenient to re open the space. I called today and was told the letter had not yet been sent. Have thought about writing to Chief Executive at Hertford Council as well as M.P James Clappison (apparently our local) asking for an appointment to meet representatives of Brookmans Park, at Gobions for a reasonable explanation why Gobions cannot be reopened. How about a petition? Many thanks for Gobions Woodland Trust.
melanie gotlieb
No town/city, No county/state, No country - 17:38:15 Thursday 03 May 2001

I realise this may not be the best way to get the information I want, but walking through the woods in Gobions today I noticed quite a few trees with yellow paint spots on them, presumably earmarked for felling at some point. Some of them were obviously in a bad way (the woodpeckers have been having a great time with that dead tree near the old bridge!) but some look to me to be in prime condition, including a magnificent pine and that rather splendid yew near the large bridge (known to my children as the Peter Rabbit tree). Surely these trees do not need to be felled in the name of 'authenticity' or good woodland management? One of the pleasures of walking through these woods is the diversity of tree types and conditions, and surely nothing could be more natural than a whole range of different species competing with each other. I would be pleased if a director of the Trust would put my mind at rest on this point. And I would like to repeat the thanks given by a previous correspondent for keeping the woods open.
Jeremy Ewen
Brookmans Park - 21:48:03 Friday 13 April 2001
Editor's Note: Jeremy, your comments have been forwarded to the trustees of Gobions Woodland Trust for their consideration. The response will be posted here when received.

Re Gobions open space
I'd like to know what meadow the council are talking about. The only fields nearby which are mown for animal feed are the ones which form part of the Gobions Trust land, and they still appear to be open to the public. So I fail to see what possible justification the council have for closing Gobions Open space.
Michael Leedham
No town/city, No county/state, No country - 13:54:16 Monday 09 April 2001

It hardly seems fair that the only open space where children can play, kick a football or ride bikes away from traffic has been closed for the sake of one farmer. The current 'expert' opinion appears to be that foot and mouth will peak over the next eight weeks, but the "tail off period" will be lengthy. Are we to be deprived of this open space for a large part of the summer? (But a thank you to the trust for keeping the woods open)
John Fraser
Brookmans Park, Hertfordshire, UK - 19:50:13 Sunday 08 April 2001

I contacted the local council about Gobions, as we normally use the area during the summer for Cub and Scout Meetings. They said that they had closed the open space at the request of the farmer who wished to use the meadow as feed for his cattle, and - understandably - did not want people walking over it, as this could lead to a spread of infection.
James Bentall
Brookmans Park, Herts, UK - 22:05:49 Sunday 01 April 2001

In reply to the invitation, yes, I think that Gobions Wood should stay open and I'm really pleased that the trustees have made their decision in this way. I was going to wander down there today but decided that the garden took first priority. I've had a job to understand the apparent hysteria about closing footpaths, etc recently. I can understand that people should not walk through fields with animals in them, but if a field is empty (and in the current circumstances it will be a long time before they're full again) it surely cannot do any harm just walking over it? In particular it seems a little daft to close Gobions Open Space and car park when there are no farmed fields anywhere near it, let alone any full of stock.
Jeremy Ewen
Brookmans Park, No county/state, No country - 21:39:11 Sunday 01 April 2001

FOOT & MOUTH DISEASE PRECAUTIONS: we would like to urge everyone to support the current national advice - notably for people not to visit countryside areas for the time being: in particular for RVC we would be very grateful if people would not use public footpaths across our and adjoining land, not walk on our land with or without dogs, etc etc. Your help and support would be much appreciated. John Fisher
R Vet College, No county/state, No country - 10:59:12 Friday 23 February 2001

Another mobile phone mast is planned for a site next to Welham Green station application no NGR 523699E 205675N. If no comments are received on this it will certainly go ahead with other planning applications easier to push through. I suggested a site in Travellers Lane Industrial Estate as an alternative. Please write to Chris Conway if you object.
Julia Guerra
Welham Green, Herts, UK - 09:50:54 Wednesday 07 March 2001

Re new house on Bluebridge Rd, rear of 2 & 4 Moffats Lane. This Soc is run by volunteers and has a very good success rate. We successfully opposed the original plans for this house. We contacted and supported neighbours in Bluebridge Ave, opposing the twice-revised new plans for a smaller house which the Council eventually approved. We are finding out why the Council approved the addition of a conservatory which we also opposed. Check our website linked to the front page of this site, and on www.greenbeltsociety.org.uk . Our Actions 1999 & 2000 pages show we do sometimes ask for and get support from neighbours - see Welham Manor and Swan Yard, Bell Lane. We managed to get a letter of comfort re satellite dishes at the BBC which we copied to 100 local houses, asking if there was anything more they would like us to do about the dishes. We have had no replies and can only assume satisfaction. Why not 'bookmark' our website and check the weekly update of planning applications, if nothing else. One of them may affect you. The Council only has a legal duty to notify adjoining property owners. We notify the world! We think the owners of 2 & 4 Moffats Lane, or the developer, should have contacted their neighbours including Mr Fraser when they proposed this use of the back gardens. Who did they speak to, we wonder? Check our website (sundries page) for tips on 'How to get planning permission'.
Bob Horrocks. Hon sec. NM District Green Belt Society
21:08:10 Sunday 24 September 2000

Moffats Lane which is "approved but for a smaller house." I was a member of the society and live virtually opposite this house’s exit on Bluebridge road. The Society never bothered to contact me, or as far as I know, any other resident about this house. Instead a resident of Bluebridge Avenue informed us. The house is indeed smaller, but not by much, and a conservatory has already been approved. Much of the blame for this must rest on the Green Belt Society for not organising a strong "No" campaign. What is the point of this society if it does not use its most valuable resource, its members?
John Fraser
Brookmans Park - 20:45:28 Saturday 23 September 2000

Firstly, it may be helpful to draw your attention to a verbatim copy of an item in the August 2000 issue of "Period Living & Traditional Homes". However, I must point out that the article comes from a page headed "OWN A GRADE 1 HOME” so that it may not be relevant to a Grade 2* property.

Neglect of listed building: If you allow your listed property to fall into disrepair, the local council can serve an Urgent Works Notice, which covers emergency repair to keep the building wind and weatherproof. Or, it can serve a Full Repairs Notice, requiring the owner to carry out a full scheme of repairs. If the owner can't or won't repair his property, he can be served with a formal notice requiring him to do the specified work within a realistic period of time. The council can appoint a contractor and invoice the owner. If he doesn't pay, a charge can be placed upon the property, to be recouped when it's sold. But the owner can't be evicted.

If this procedure is available in this case, it would seem to have the merit that no permanent expenditure, apart from administrative costs, would fall upon the council.

Secondly, a careful inspection of the latest website picture of the arch seems to show a third crack, starting in the top left corner of the picture and moving diagonally downwards to the right.

Thirdly, I have heard it rumoured that a grant has been paid towards the cost of repairing the Arch. If this is true, what is the legal position of a person who receives the money - and then does not put it to its intended use?

Colin Bladon
Herts, UK - 08:10:45 Sunday 09 July 2000

I read a little of the comment on the demise of the Folly arch and I noted the indignant tone of the letters, headlines etc. I think that the crux of the matter is finance. It is admirable that English Heritage has been good enough to offer a grant towards the repair of the arch but in my experience, as an architect who has made a number of grant applications to English Heritage over a number of years, it has to be remembered that they are presently unable to give more than about 40 to 50% of the cost towards grade II* projects. I am surprised that they made an offer at all as the latest three year grant scheme, started in 1999 after a year when no grants were forthcoming due to a backlog from 1997, was over subscribed in excess of five times the available funds they had to offer. Thus many good causes were not supported and those that were received offers much lower than in the past.

This all boils down to the owner stumping up the cash for much of the work to be done. You are probably saying that he should not have bought the place without the cash to maintain it but then we all see things differently and perhaps when he bought it he did not expect to have to deal with a large crack developing.

I suspect that the funds available for the repair of the arch from the Local Council are also pretty slim so a grant from them may be impossible.

As may be expected the Council can serve a notice on the owner to make the arch safe but if he has inadequate funds to repair it the best he can do is to take steps to make it safe and nothing else. This he appears to have done.

Can pressure be brought to bear on those who just do not have the funds to carry out the required work? Is the Green Belt Society offering a donation towards the upkeep of this worthy cause?

I am sorry to be so negative about the subject but much of the funds available are going to grade I listed buildings. Perhaps the Council could apply to have the arch listing upgraded?

Peter Dalling.

Peter Dalling
Brookamans Park, Herts, UK - 21:00:57 Tuesday 27 June 2000

THIS WEEK'S SCORES IN THE 'LET'S TRASH THE COUNTRYSIDE' LOCAL CHAMPIONSHIPS include:
The person who dumped the rubbish after renovating their bathroom in our newly tidied ditch in Bradmore Lane.
The people who filled up the Hawkshead Lane gateway (within three days of the last lot being removed).
The people who've: taken wire cutters to the calf fencing, damaged the fence posts, etc by Station Road; chucked their garden rubbish off Station Road, etc etc etc ...
John Fisher
Royal Vet College, No county/state, No country - 11:15:24 Friday 12 May 2000

Re. Fly Tipping and your picture of the three piece suite plus ... by Hawkshead Lane railway bridge (just the latest in this Spring's long list of dumping by some 'neighbours') As you may imagine RVC and Railtrack are already on to this case together: for example, looking at moving the gate forward to the hedgeline, so there's no small 'run-off' where people can quickly back-in their cars, vans or lorries. Still interested in getting some details about last month's 'clean-up-Sunday' (eg how many people turned up, where, how many tons collected ... etc). Can anyone help please ?
Thanks
John Fisher
RVC (Hawkshead), No county/state, No country - 08:50:40 Monday 08 May 2000

RE. 'Litter Blitz': is there someone who could very kindly give me a bit more information about this ? For example, how many people turned out (how many were under 21 or over 21 ...), where did they come from, where was the work done, how much rubbish was collected (any particular 'oddities' ?), etc etc ? It'd help support my various efforts to get greater awareness of these issues elsewhere, the implications of the Landfill Tax, etc etc. Thanks very much indeed in anticipation.
John Fisher
RVetCollege, No county/state, No country - 08:57:24 Tuesday 11 April 2000

As the evenings lighten, the weather warms ... our thoughts here turn to the NEXT lot of fly-tipping that we'll be finding in the neighbourhood's lanes, ditches, gateways, etc (or thrown over our fences and hedges). Please join us in keeping eyes peeled - in general, and for tell-tale identification amongst the rubbish, number plates of suspiciously-acting vehicles (cars, vans AND lorries !), .... etc and report it to the police straightaway.

John Fisher
RVC HAWKSHEAD, No county/state, No country - 08:50:30 Tuesday 14 March 2000

Support wanted at Luton COUNTY Court, 2nd floor, Cresta House, Alma, St, Luton on 3 & 4 Feb. starting at 10 a.m. We alerted Welwyn Hatfield Council in 1998 about gypsies living in caravans at Swan Yard, Bell Lane, Bell Bar, near Brookmans Park, even though it is not an authorised gypsy site. An Injunction Hearing is to take place on these dates to stop this use of the land. The presence of residents in the public gallery will add weight to the case. We would appreciate your support.
North Mymms District Green Belt Soc
Brookmans Park, Herts, No country - 20:09:58 Friday 28 January 2000

We agree with Jane Bailey about the rubbish in this area which is a common countryside problem wherever you go. The Residents Assoc have an annual clean-up just before the Best Village competition inspection. Presumably Welwyn Hatfield Council are still strapped for cash from the Slough Estates mess, and cannot afford a better service?
Bob Horrocks, Hon Sec - North Mymms District Green Belt Soc
North Mymms District Green Belt Society
Brookmans Park, Herts, UK - 15:13:58 Friday 24 December 1999

FLY-TIPPING IN BRADMORE LANE: please may I assure Ms Bailey that RVC too is sick and tired of all the rubbish-dumping in Bradmore Lane (and elsewhere !): plus the trespass, vandalism and all the other urban-fringe problems that seem to afflict the area these days. We'd rather spend money on animal-care etc ... than tidying-up after what seems to be a minority of relatively local residents. New Year, New Resolutions ... PLEASE !!
John Fisher
ROYAL VET COLLEGE, No county/state, No country - 14:19:03 Thursday 23 December 1999

First of all Id like to say what a great idea this is. Especially the newsletter updates from the school. These are always being 'mislaid'or given to me when the dates have passed!
I would just like to mention about the rubbish that is dumped continually in Bradmore Lane (the lane from Brookmans Park to Water End) We are fortunate to live in such a lovely setting, but why when I take my children for walks I have to explain piles of rubbish just dupmed at any opening available. Potters Bar dump is clean & available, & only 2 miles away!. We are forever blaming children for litter but its time the adults started setting a good example.
jane bailey
Water End, herts, england - 11:19:03 Thursday 23 December 1999

Re Steve Heliczer's query about radiation from the BBC transmitter site. The jury is still out on this one, and I think it's safe to say that no-one really knows what the long-term effects on health such radiation might have. But one of the MF transmitters at Bell Bar is second only to Droitwich in being the most powerful BBC transmitter in the British Isles, so who knows? In the ten years I lived in Brookmans Avenue I don't think I suffered any physical or mental ill-effects, but perhaps my friends were too polite to tell me!
What you will find, Steve, is that if you are moving to Upland Drive, Pine Grove, Georges Wood or the Avenue, you will have problems with patterning on your TV. Peter Stokes at Harwin's can make up a little aerial filter which works wonders - I had three from him and also an isolating transformer to prevent the signal getting through the mains supply.

It's interesting that in the deeds of my house there was a restriction dating from 1928 which said I was not to do anything which interfered with the transmissions from the station - nothing about the station interfering with me or my entertainment - but then TV wasn't invented then!
Geoff Hunt
ex-Brookmans Park, - 00:04:42 Wednesday 24 February 1999

My family are just about to move into Brookmans Park. This may sound a little strange(!), but one thing that has been on my mind is the possible health risks from high intensity radiation and microwaves from the transmitting station (we will be about half a mile from it). I am also a pilot and have used used the Brookmans Park VOR beacon for navigation. With the increased air traffic that this causes, has there been any history of any air incidents above Brookmans Park?? Am I completely ridiculous in raising this? Has anyone else in the area raised this issue?

Thanks, and we are looking forward to moving into what seems a beautiful environment for our family!

Steve Heliczer
Brookmans Park, Herts, England - 12:53:38 Wednesday 03 February 1999

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