CAMPAIGNERS against plans to develop two crematoria on Catfoot Lane in Lambley will deliver pro-forma letters to every address in the village, in order to have as many letters of objection as possible sent to the planning committee.
Signs of opposition are appearing throughout Lambley
A meeting of the Catfoot Crematorium-Cemetery Opposition Group (CCOG) this week decided that the letters should cover the major points of objection to the plans, announced independently by Westerleigh and AW Lymn. Residents who are unable to create their own letters of objection may use these proforma letters by adding their own names and addresses and sending them to Gedling Borough Council.
CCOG is also in the process of launching a fighting fund to help cover the costs of printing, stationery, and publicity while it fights the two planning applications. Details of ways to contribute to the fund will be listed on dumbles.co.uk when they are available.
In a separate move, several children in the village are organising a walk to demonstrate their opposition to the crematorium and cemetery proposals. Using Facebook to send invitations and coordinate actions, the children plan their walk for Sunday 15 July 2012. The Facebook event page is https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/422540151123749/
Lymns confirms application
Responding to an enquiry from dumbles.co.uk, funeral director AW Lymn has provided some details of its application. Managing director Nigel Lymn Rose told us: “I would confirm that our family company has indeed submitted a planning application on the land it owns on Catfoot Lane.
“The documents were only very recently delivered to Gedling Borough Council and until they are formally validated it would unfortunately be inappropriate to comment in detail.
“However I would confirm that:
- The application we have submitted is for a Crematorium and not for a Cemetery and Crematorium.
- We would wish to engage with the local people but this would unfortunately have to be after GBC have validated the application.
- I will be happy to explain our timing for this application and our reasoning behind it when I am able to go into detail in a few days time.
- Our family company has a genuine concern for all families and will seek to allay any misunderstandings that people in the area may have in regard to this planning application. It is not our intention to hide anything”.
Westerleigh have an article in the Topper, stating 75% of Gedling residents are FOR the crematorium. Unfortunately, once again they have based their figures on cynical manipulation of facts! If those FOR the plan took a step back, they would realise that having a crematorium on Catfoot Lane, would seriously damage some of the best countryside in Nottinghamshire. Is it worth it, just because you find it convenient for the odd funeral you might attend? Surely anyone would be willing to travel 25 minutes to attend the funeral of a loved one, to save this historical area of green belt for future generations (this time has been done over the last couple of weeks to both Bramcote and Wilford at 30 mph) . Even if you have approximately 12 funerals to attend in a lifetime (some more, some less), not all will be in Nottinghamshire – some will be in other counties, where you would have a considerably longer journey, possibly including an overnight stay. Please think again and weigh up convenience versus rape of the countryside, which will be lost forever!
This is another case of NIMBYism, which I am sick of, extremes. Any new development or idea is shot down in flames by the vocal minority who are really only concerned about the smallist possibility of their property value decreasing. All of the existing crematoriums are bursting at the seems in Nottingham (we had to wait weeks for one of my aunties to get a slot), so something needs to be done sooner than later. If you look at the map of the area, Nottingham is slowly, but surely heading Lambley & Woodborough’s way. So, a development like this would surely act as a buffer zone as it would guarantee that the area around the crem would remain as a lovely landscaped area. Also, surely slow moving funeral processions would be an added bonus to try and slow down the racetrack that is Mapperley Top around the entrance to Catfoot Lane! You NIMBYs need to reel your heads back in & take a step back yourselves to see the bigger picture.
Westerleigh are attending the Parish Council meeting tonight at 7-30 in the Village Hall. May be interesting to see what they have to say
Nothing to do with NIMBYism Mr Broderick! Everything to do with ‘Profit and Greed’ and not ‘Actual Need’. Whereas you may have suffered delays with your aunt’s funeral and with which I sympathise, this is not the norm. Generally, Nottingham’s four crematoria have no problems scheduling (operating at less than 50% capacity – see later note). Inevitably, there are peaks and troughs throughout the year. Local residents have had several meetings and not once were house prices mentioned. The impetus is to protect the greenbelt for everyone!
Fundamentally, the Westerleigh Group are a profit making company intent on building a lucrative crematorium with an accompanying cemetery in the Green Belt. This is an area of outstanding historical beauty encompassing the famous Lambley Dumbles, frequently used by walkers, bird watchers, horse riders and those wishing to appreciate this enchanting and beautiful countryside.
The area under consideration does not have an adequate road system to support such a venture. Catfoot Lane is a narrow, unmarked country lane with several potentially dangerous bends. It does not lend itself to an increase, as it already suffers heavy vehicle traffic in transit. Waste disposal vehicles use the lane as a rat run to Lowdham and the A612. This significantly damages the road surface and erodes the dyke/verges. Several serious accidents have occurred and farmers continually repair fences and re-instate hedges. Cyclists and horse riders regularly use this lane where several fields are given over to paddocks.
A minimum of five funerals per day together with an abundance of attendant vehicles, both official and relative, would impact greatly on Lambley Village, Catfoot Lane, Spring Lane, Green Lane, Ton Lane (itself a very dangerous road) and Main Street. An estimated minimum extra of 500 vehicles per week, 26,000 per year (25 funerals, 20 vehicles per funeral) would become intolerable. Woodborough, Lowdham and other villages South and East of Lambley would all be affected. In addition, heavy traffic on Plains Road would increase the likelihood of a serious accident at the T junction where a blind hill prevents good visibility, where excess speeds are common.
It should be noted that Westerleigh’s consultation questionnaire was designed to convince the unsuspecting, inquisitive enquirer to commit to answering questions that are biased to the building of such an enterprise.
The consultation document is no more than a propaganda pamphlet designed to manipulate, e.g.
Q2 With only two crematoria serving a population in the region of 715,000 do you agree that a new crematorium is needed in the county?
Q4 Would you like to have the choice of a funeral service in a rural location in quiet surroundings as opposed to those offered at urban locations in built-up areas?
Question two is entirely misleading, in that the figure quoted does not bear any relevance to the amount of funerals being conducted and the fact that there are four crematoria operating in the area with considerable spare capacity. Usage is less than 50% (n.b. figures obtained from crematoria tables)
All questions are extremely divisive, as the emphasis on each encompasses everyone’s ’emotional’ desire for a dignified exit and advertises a spurious need. This, in the opinion of many, is cynical in the extreme and conveys the real motive behind the project, namely profit and continued profit (i.e. the remuneration from administering a crematorium and cemetery).
When interviewed at a parish council meeting yesterday evening (16th July), the Managing Director for Westerleigh stated ‘it was inevitable that Green Belt would be built on’ – This indicates and determines Westerleigh’s arrogance to build a crematorium at any cost, after all, they have to appease their shareholders at RBS, Lloyds and Santander who have provided £75 million of support.
All other Westerleigh’s crematoriums around the country are sited on ‘A’ or ‘B’ roads, not on an unmarked country lane like Catfoot, where a proposed entrance/exit would be located. They do build on land, including ‘Brown Field Sites’, e.g. close to an industrial site in Forest Park, Essex, so why choose Green Belt near to Lambley village? This is totally inappropriate and anathema to the majority of the local population. 97% objected in an exit pole conducted on 26th April. NB Westerleigh chose not to inform residents of Catfoot Lane, Spring Lane and Lambley village of the public consultation meeting, but despite this, over 150 people attended, informed by the few people who did receive a letter. Are Westerleigh afraid of the repercussions by coming clean or do they expect to gain momentum by subterfuge?
This proposal will seriously affect the future generations of many local villages. Therefore, Gedling Borough Council should give both Westerleigh and Lymn’s planning applications short shrift and throw them out as being totally unsuitable in this location.
If caring about one’s neighbourhood and wishing to preserve part of the heritage for future generations is deserving of a label then I, for one, am definitely a Nimby. I would much rather be that than apethetic and then complain when there is no countryside left to walk in.
I think Mr Broderick was trying to be rude, however I feel quite comforted and as for extreme – I feel his comments are far from middle of the road!
Ooops meant apathetic – as well as being a Nimby I am also a poor typist!
Where does Mr Broderick live? Would he like one next door to him???
I am also VERY HAPPY to be a NIMBY!!!!
instead of spending £4.5million at cat foot lane,we suggest spending it on wilford crem.which badly needs an upgrade and expantion to the furnaces.
keep it where it has been for decades in WILFORD !
THEY ARE USED TO IT AFTER ALL
I’ve heard nowadays that the logical extension of NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) is BANANA (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anyone)!!!!
I read with great professional interest of the journey of thoughts from local residents as well as Lymns, who I deal with regularily, and Westerleigh too. As a Professional dealing with the tragic circumstances of a death I can fully understand the need for a more convienient location for Cremations. It is both frustrating and distressing to the family to have to journey to either; Ollerton, Mansfield, Wilford or Bramcote. When this is coupled to a ‘committal only’ following a church service it can bring an hour and a half wait to mourners. This is mentioned time and time again to me with sadness. Add to this that none of these journeys are straightforward and delays and resultant stress happen on occasion and the matter at point here is not about statistics or entirely about profit, but about pastoral care. I do not wish to comment on the specific location, that is for other professionals to decide, but could I ask that these discussions remember please that the care of the bereaved is the most important factor. We have wonderfully supportive and caring communities and it is a a joy to serve you as Vicar, I pray that in this the care of others remains our focus and if it possible to alleviate in some small way the stress of ‘funeral day’ then we must support this.
I’m proud to be a NIMBY too!! Build it somewhere else!! I moved to Lambley for the countryside and views and I don’t want to be sitting under the chimneys of a crematorium thanks very much!! Yes it will decrease the value of our properties, it will steal the countryside, it will be a blot on the landscape and despite assurances that minimal waste leaves the chimneys, the very thought of what they are burning sickens me and I’d never want to be outside in my garden or in the area again. For those who do not object, sell your gardens and let them build the crem there.