Page 6 - Town & Around - May 2025
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6 Town & Around May 2025 Tel: 01485 540620 email: editor@townandaround.net
Borough Council news
Cllr Terry Parish, Heacham Ward which includes Sedgeford and Fring
n even leaner month. I still This may already be happening hedgerows uprooted. It is a piece
have no knowledge of the as older properties up for sale of land which maintains some
Atree removals that have seem to be on the market for a separation between Heacham and
taken place close to Heacham nor long time, sometimes a very long Hunstanton which both the
any idea of the work going on just time. The new flats in Southend existing Neighbourhood Plans
past Lidl’s towards Snettisham. I Road, Hunstanton, have taken an have as policy. The last thing the
must say that whatever it is, the age to build and I have been told A149 needs is more traffic
layout is very tidy. New trees have that there is difficulty in selling flowing onto it.
also been planted and I hope some them. They were controversial A couple of details in the available for visitors. Car park
native hedging might be when they came to planning Borough’s budget have raised ire. fees are a major revenue earner
considered – if you are the owner committee some years ago as they Parish Councils don’t like the very but I believe reasonable limits to
please get in touch. are built on what was a major car significant rise in fees for their cost have now been reached,
The Cheney Hill development park. Locals did not want to lose removing dog bin contents as they perhaps surpassed.
site is like an episode of Dr Who that facility for a load of holiday had set their precepts before I now cast my mind back 6
or a version of Groundhog Day. I apartments. It took several knowing of the increases which years when the Independent
expect we will wake up one attempts to get it through doubled costs. Some Heacham Group was the principal
morning to find houses have committee and I was instrumental residents don’t like the huge rise opposition. One of my members
appeared only to see them blow in ensuring that they would be in annual beach car park permits – was Cllr Bob Lawton, a man of
away in the morning mist. I walk sold to locals and maintain their from £58 p/a to £121.60 p/a. There varied and wide experience a little
around that field and the adjacent local connection. However, it has is an online petition about this older than many of us, who
one every day as do many others. been whispered that the Borough organised by Ms Nicky Bailey: brought simple common sense to
The development will be a sad will put them on the open market https:www.facebook.com/share/p/ many of the airy fairy debates
loss though it will provide some and, so, they will likely become 1BtBSsvJ3G/ politicians enjoy. Like me, he was
houses that locals may be holiday flats. They would not have I have to put my hands up to not a politician and I enjoyed his
interested in. However, given that got planning permission on that missing this item when the budget blunt responses in planning
the number allocated is twice that basis. details were revealed. I assumed committee debates. Bob was a
the Local Plan determined as Land nestling between the car park charge increases were of valued member of the group
necessary and given the ever- Hopkins Estate and the A149 has the order of 10%. Years ago, I tried which I led and, learning of his
growing number of new houses been acquired by developers. This to get car park passes for residents recent death, I offer my sincere
popping up in Hunstanton, I think land was ‘trashed’ to an extent which covered both Heacham and condolences to his family and
there will be an excess over during Covid when no-one in Hunstanton but it was refused friends. He will be remembered by
demand. charge was looking with trees and despite such passes then being all who knew him at the Borough.
King’s Lynn Ferry Campaign
Norfolk County Councillor Alexandra Kemp,Clenchwarton and King’s Lynn South
01553 630 329 07920 286636
here is good team working between responsible for the Rennie Jetty.
Norfolk County Council and the I sent the County Council Team back to the
TBorough Council to put the King’s Borough Council Team, to push for a solution.
Lynn Ferry back on the river. I brought in The Harbour Master met with the
technical assistance from the County to help Borough’s Health and Safety, a week after.
the Borough Council, as a result of my Both agreed that a new guard fence, above
meeting in February, with the County Council the new handrail on the West Lynn Side
Chief Executive, Tom McCabe. would be acceptable to allow the Ferry to re-
In March, I requested more help. The open.
County Council has now provided financial Now the work goes out to tender for all the
assistance to the Borough for essential repairs. repairs to the Landing Stages and associated
The campaigning and support across the works.
Borough, shows how important the Ferry is But the continued delay in the re-opening
and the importance of listening to residents. of the key Public Transport facility and
I paid for a course that the Borough wants transport route into Lynn from the west, raises
the Ferryman to take. I would like to thank concerns about routine attention to critical
Chris Starkie and Ian Parkes at County, infrastructure and emergency response. Safety
Martin Chisholm, Kate Blakemore, Louise is an operational matter and should be
Gayton, Michael de Whalley at the Borough embedded in inspection regimes.
for their hard work focussed on bringing the A blast to the past. In the 1800’s, the
Ferry back into operation as quickly as Borough Council (then called the
possible, Corporation) set up a special Ferry Committee
Everything now centres on the Rennie Jetty, from time to time, to repair the West Lynn
the two-hundred-year-old structure, that Landing Stage. This local oversight enabled brought three Budget Amendments to the
protects the Ferry berth from strong tidal the Ferry to run for 700 years. In fact, there Councils, and four safety and feasibility
currents on the Ouse. used to be two ferries. One for passengers, reports followed, paid for by the County and
The Environment Agency met the Harbour one for animals and carriages. Borough Councils. But when contractors
Master in April. The Environment Agency Residents and I were raising powerful moved in to repair the landing stages on 14
went home to deliberate whether it was concerns about the Ferry steps for 6 years. I continued on page 8