Cold Ashby Commentator
Welcome to Ashby Rambler's comments on news and issues affecting life in Cold Ashby!
His previous Views and Comments Page, on which you will find a record of past problems (with public transport, planning applications and decisions, traffic and highways etc.) has been archived and is now available HERE.
Comments and views on any of the following or previous items are invited and can now be expressed on the Open Forum.
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Save Our Village Pub Campaign:The Black Horse, Cold Ashby
Visitors to Cold Ashby will notice posters throughout the village displaying the above message.
The present owner has submitted a planning application for change of use of the ground floor pub area to temporary residential accommodation (for 3 years) in order to host a Ukrainian family (see this report and picture from The Northampton Chronicle and Echo).
There are, not unreasonably, objections to this in Cold Ashby.
Although this is, on the face of it, a worthy humanitarian gesture, the motives of the owner are being questioned by The Cold Ashby Community Group, many parishioners and the Parish Council.
The Cold Ashby Community Group have registered the Black Horse as an 'Asset of Community Value' which should, theoretically, be an obstacle to any change of use.
Details of the last few months ongoing discussions can be read from the Parish Council Minutes if you click on the Parish Council link(visible in the right hand column of this website) and go to the library page.
Details of the planning application can be examined and commented on at https://www.daventrydc.gov.uk/living/planning-and-building-control/search-comment-planning/
The reference is WND/2022/0437.
Read submissions to the planning committee from the Parish Council and from The Rambler.
UPDATE October 2022
The above application was refused on 24th October 2022.
There were 37 letters of objection and no letters supporting this application.
UPDATE NOVEMBER 2022
From the (draft) minutes of the Parish Council's November meeting:
Planning update: WND/2022/0437: The Chairman updated that this application has been refused. The clerk will chase WNC for an update on the previously logged enforcement case.
UPDATE JANUARY 2023
Black Horse now offered for Rent/Sale.
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Proposed Additional War Memorial
The Parish Council have passed the following resolution:
to include a sum of £3,500 in the special projects budget for 2023-24 (in case of an unsuccessful grant bid) for the purchase and erection of a suitably designed war memorial on the ‘village green’ or other suitable location. The memorial design and location are to be approved by the PC in consultation with local residents. The form of the consultation will be reported to the PC.
The Rambler has several objections to this which he has put to the Council.
His principal objection is that we already have two fine, registered war memorials:
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The Memorial Village Hall ( in its entirety).
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The Rolls of Honour in St. Denys Church.
Additionally, the suggested design (squat obelisk) and the mixed materials from which it is made are aesthetically unsuitable for any location in the village. The actual ownership of the area known as 'the village green' is uncertain.This area also has electricity, water, telephone and broadband services, tree roots and an old well - all lurking beneath the suggested site of this unnecessary memorial. Added to all these contra-indications is the frequent noise from passing heavy traffic.
This money, however sourced, would be better spent on the Memorial Hall itself, particularly as the new trustees wish to display their own new memorial on the outside of the building and have to meet many expenses while updating and thoroughly improving the hall for our community use.
The council are now planning a consultation with residents at the next Parish Meeting (probably May 2023).
Hopefully, any remaining enthusiasm for this project will have dissipated somewhat by then!
UPDATE NOVEMBER 2022
From the (draft) minutes of the Parish Council's November meeting:
Councillor Peel and the Chairman agreed to review the War Memorial funding previously agreed in May 2022 at the next Parish Council Meeting (December 2022).
UPDATE DECEMBER 2022
At the above meeting councillors agreed, in view of budgetary demands, to drop this resolution and possibly reconsider in 2024.
UPDATE January 2023
From Draft Minutes of December Parish Council Meeting:
22.12.7 – War memorial: Councillor Peel proposed the £3,500 previously agreed for purchase and erection of a war memorial from the special projects budget (23-24) is removed from the 23-24 budget. Councillor Roper requested the War memorial is added to the agenda of the April 2024 Parish Council Meeting. It was resolved that £3,500 would be removed from the 2023-2024 budget.
Proposer: Cllr Peel
Seconder: Cllr Bailey
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The Ongoing Traffic Problem in Cold Ashby
At the Cold Ashby Parish Assembly on 11th May 2022 Councillor Richard Williams gave a comprehensive explanatory outline of how the decision to perform a traffic survey had been reached through the continued lobbying by the Parish Council and villagers.
The following is from the minutes of the meeting:
This expensive survey, paid for by National Highways despite its being outside their remit, indicated that decision-makers were finally listening and becoming more convinced of the case made by the PC over many years. The expensive changes to signage on the A14, indicating a route to DIRFT along the A14 and not through the village, was a small but very significant victory. In summary, this issue is no longer about whether or not a traffic problem exists in Cold Ashby. The authorities acknowledge that it does. The focus is now on the causes and the subsequent solutions. The support of the local MP (Chris Heaton-Harris) had been very helpful.
Having been involved in this campaign now for decades, the Rambler welcomes this breakthrough and thanks our PC and Councillors Richard Williams, Alan Peel and Rod Bailey for their efforts and this achievement.
The Rambler sincerely hopes that the eventually published results of the survey will not be affected by the fact that National Highways have funded the project!
