Latest News

Time to get walking again!

At this time of year we start to think about the mud drying up and getting out to walk in the beautiful English Countryside again, but where to find new and interesting walks?

The "Walking in Warwickshire" website: 
https://www.walkinginengland.co.uk/warwickshire 
has hundreds of walks to download and print, free, it also has books of walks, details of all the walking groups in the county and much more. Whether you want to walk on your own or with a group all the information is there in one place.

John Harris (the custodian of the website) said ‘There is so much walking information on the web but it is difficult to find. Walking in Warwickshire (part of the Walking in England website) has brought it together in one place so whether you are walking from home, or away on holiday, you will be able to find a walk suitable for you’.

With walks from half a mile to twelve miles plus long, and a note of suitability for pushchairs and wheelchairs, everyone can find a walk to enjoy.
​
So home or away, check out the websites and get walking!
John Harris
www.walkinginengland.co.uk
john@walkinginengland.co.uk

Dordon Parish Council's response to the proposed lorry park in the Straight Fields

Dordon Parish Council consultation responses to planning application PAP/2021/0663.

Dordon Parish Council fundamentally object to this application.

 1.         LP4 Strategic Gap – The application is in direct contravention of NWBC Local Development Plan planning policy LP4, and the Draft Dordon Neighbourhood Plan which prioritises the protection of the Strategic Gap. (Pg 26)

 2.        Adverse change from rural agricultural - The application site is a fundamentally important asset that sets the character of our community.  Any development of this site will permanently change the character of Dordon, Birchmoor, and Polesworth from predominantly rural North Warwickshire Communities that are separated from Tamworth by open agricultural fields that are part of our local agricultural economy.   While the application site is not within the Green Belt, this development site serves a critically important purpose in its current open rural landscape of preventing urban sprawl and the joining of Polesworth, Birchmoor and Dordon residential communities with Tamworth.    In addition, the Draft Dordon Neighbourhood Plan seeks to ensure that:
a. Developments reflect the distinctive and rural character of Dordon Parish  (Para 17. pg9)
b. That local wildlife sites within the Strategic Gap are protected (Pg 16)

 3.        Adverse visual impact of the development – While Dordon Parish Council recognise this is an outline planning application, we do not believe that there will be any visual mitigation that can be built that will prevent the adverse visual amenity impact of this development site to the residents of Dordon, Birchmoor, and Polesworth.  Dordon Parish Council do not accept that the creation of tree planted earth bunds will mitigate this adverse impact; rather they will only serve to restrict the visual ‘openness’ of the site and further negatively impact on visual amenity. In addition, Community Objective 7 set out in the Draft Dordon Neighbourhood Plan to ensure that development on the west of the parish is limited to that which keeps the sense of openness. (Pg 14)

4.         Road Access and Traffic Generation - Dordon Parish Council have significant concerns about the capacity of the A5 and of Junction 10 M42 roundabout, to cope with the additional volumes of vehicular traffic that this development will generate.  Our resident community already find it a significant challenge to negotiate junction 10 because of the speed of vehicles on the roundabout and particularly the rapid lane changing that HGVs do when positioning themselves on the roundabout.  These HGV dwarf resident car and motorcycles.  We are concerned that there is no additional capacity along the single carriageway section of the A5 from Dordon to Grendon which the parish council now consider dangerous.   Dordon Parish is also concerned that there is no safe provision for green commuting choices within the existing Birch Coppice and St Modwen development site.  We consider that Junction 10 and the A5 are already too dangerous for cyclists to use and consider that the proposed development site further exasperates this problem.  Dordon Parish council is aware that the A5 records more fatal and serious injury road accidents than any other roadway in North Warwickshire.
 
5.         Archaeology -   The development site encompasses the remains of Hall End Hall, a significant 16th Century structure which had an Elizabethan Garden.   Dordon Parish Council is aware that a recent topsoil survey identified two rectilinear features within the site.  Should planning permission be granted we request that a planning condition requiring a full archeologic survey be discussed with Dordon Parish Council.
 
6.         Dordon Neighbourhood Plan Policy 1 Sustainable Development – The application is in contravention of Dordon Neighbourhood Plan Policy 1 (Pg 16)  This outline proposal is not located so that it can make a positive contribution towards the achievement of sustainable development.   This application does not address the following policy matters:

1. Being of a scale, density, layout and design so that it integrates and is compatible with the character, appearance and amenity of that part of the Parish in which it is located as identified in Policy NPP4; and
2. Respecting the Strategic gap, identified Local Wildlife Sites and any other area designated for their nature conservation or priority habitat.
3. Conserving or enhancing biodiversity.
4. Incorporating into the scheme any natural or built features on the site that have heritage or nature conservation value where practicable.
5. Not increase the risk of flooding and reduces the risk where practicable.

 
7.         Dordon Neighbourhood Plan Policy 4 Landscape Character – The application is in contravention of Dordon Neighbourhood Plan Policy 4 (Pg 28)  This outline proposal does not make a positive contribution towards the landscape character.   This application does not address the following matters;

1. As appropriate to their scale, nature and location, development proposals should be designed and arranged to take account of the landscape and topographical setting of the neighbourhood area and its urban environment and take into account the Key Views and Strategic gap which contribute to the distinctive character of the Parish. Development proposals should respect these important designations. Development proposals which would have an unacceptable impact on the designations will not be supported. In particular, they should be sympathetic to the dominance of Dordon village and the way in which the village is built on rising ground to the east of the Strategic gap and to the west of the Anker Valley.
2. Proposed development within the Strategic gap should take account of the way in which the designation contributes to the wider character of the neighbourhood area the separation between Dordon village and the M42. The layout, scale and boundary treatment of the proposed development within the Strategic gap should retain a sense of openness and allow a soft transition from the open countryside area as appropriate.
3. Where appropriate, development proposals should demonstrate the way in which they have taken account of the actions of the landscape and built features recommended for the Landscape Character Area in the NWBC landscape Character Assessment (Area 3 the Anker Valley – Land east of Dordon village and Area 5 Tamworth Fringe Uplands - Land west of Dordon village).
4. Quality and accessibility of the natural environment in Dordon Parish is highly valued by local residents. As appropriate to the scale, nature and location, development proposals across the neighbourhood area should demonstrate they are sympathetic to the landscape setting as defined in the Dordon Parish Design Guide.

 
8.         Dordon Neighbourhood Plan Policy 6 Protecting and Enhancing Heritage Assets – The application is in contravention of Dordon Neighbourhood Plan Policy 6 (Pg 38) This outline proposal does not make a positive contribution towards the protection or enhancement of heritage assets.  
 

New Youth Group in the Village Hall!

 

 

We are trying to smarten up Brown’s Lane!

​At present, the Parish Council are bidding for a £15,000 grant to make this central point of our village more attractive! From our recent surveys we know that for a lot of residents Brown’s Lane is seen as the centre of our brilliant village with its Shops, Pub, Village Hall and “Stute”. We would like to make it look more welcoming with maybe a couple of benches, shrubs in pots maybe even a historic information board with photos of old Dordon. However, you probably have much better ideas and we would love to hear from you! Please contact us and tell us know your ideas!

 

Warwickshire Road Safety partnership

Click here to read about this new road safety initiative!

 

Do you want the chance to work for Dordon Parish Council?

Applications are still being accepted for this exciting opportunity to join Dordon's Parish Council team, and be in a position to make a real difference to our community!

Dordon Parish Council seeks to appoint a Parish Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer (RFO). The appointment is for an average of 10 hours per week and the salary will be as per the national recommended salary scale commensurate with experience for part time Clerks SCP LC1 7 - 12.

The Parish Clerk is responsible for organising all meetings of the Council, publishing agendas and minutes, dealing with correspondence, liaising with other organisations and overseeing certain projects. In addition, as RFO, the Clerk will be responsible for all aspects of financial administration of the Council.

The Clerk can work from home but an office is available at Dordon Village Hall.  The Clerk must be computer literate with experience of using Microsoft Excel, Word and Outlook.  The successful applicant ideally should be Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA) qualified or be prepared to undertake training to obtain the qualification. Attendance at the evening meetings of the Council is a requirement of the position. Normal meetings take place on the third Tuesday of every month.

For further details, a copy of the job description, person specification and application form please email donna.watts.dordonpc@gmail.com. For an informal chat about the role please contact David Reilly, Locum Parish Clerk on 07770704617

​To apply please send your current CV and a covering letter outlining why you would be a suitable candidate for the position to the above email address.

Good Luck!

 

The Launch of the Dordon Parish Council Community Grant Scheme!

The Dordon Parish Council Community Grant Scheme has been launched! Click here for details of this new scheme providing money for local community groups, and how to apply!