Important Sherborne Briefing from the NT

The NT are holding two information sessions, as per the notice below.

14 months ago, the NT committed to a consultative approach with the community for their Big Nature, Better Access Plan for Sherborne through a Working Group. Nothing has happened in that regard. Over two years ago they committed to sharing their Conservation Management Plan and we are still waiting for that constantly delayed document. So it’s regrettable that once again we are being “told” about the details of a major project that may affect the very heart of our village landscape rather than “consulted”.

The last time this very thing happened we pointed out that their plan for a series of baffles across the lakes had been tried before in the 1970s and failed due to a lack of sufficient flow - something the NT were forced to admit to eventually - they could have avoided that delay of several years had they consulted, so I’m surprised they seem not to have learned that lesson. Ah well.

The planning permission request for this project in the Sherborne Conservation Area will be submitted to the Cotswold District Council, come what may, in coming days, it seems. At least that process is technically consultative and if necessary we, the community, can input there. But it would have been better, I suggest, to do this hand in hand with the community earlier.

I genuinely hope that this project will be something we can all support, and I urge you to attend with an open mind. I will be. The Brook Group has always been clear that we aspire to maintain the historic open water along the Broadwater and the Narrowater lakes at the bottom of the valley that runs through the village. I hope this project will lead us towards that direction. It might, it might not.

I will refrain from commenting here on the plans until both sessions have been completed and where I can I will support it and where I can’t I will be candid. I urge you all to attend one or other of the meetings and ask whatever questions you see fit - It is rare the NT put themselves in front of us formally and we should welcome any instance of that even if it is “informational” rather than “consultative” as we would prefer. Listen calmly, ask calm questions politely, seek evidence and data for decisions and be respectful of others, both at the NT and in the community. We live in a village community and it’s unlikely we will all agree. It should be possible to do that respectfully and even with good humour. Angry exchanges help no-one.

But remember too, this is OUR heritage. Others may own the land, but the heritage belongs to the community that live within it. Possession of that is priceless and we need to keep that in our hands. If someone pats us on the head and tells us what our heritage is and sends us on our way, we should object. I’ll see you there on Saturday. If you don’t attend either of these briefings, anything you say has less value. A strong turnout demonstrates that as a community we have in interest in the decisions the NT are taking which affect us here. But the opposite is true too.

Finally, as a follow up to my two recent posts about peculiar and exciting historic alignments in the village, I can tell you that the Gloucestershire County Archaeologist has responded to the discoveries with great interest.