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The Bradworthy Wind Turbines
Councillor
Christie's Weblog
From your Torridge District Councillor Peter Christie
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6th July '08
I expect most people have heard of the Blue Flag awarded to those beaches that reach a high standard of cleanliness but how many have heard of the Green Flag which is awarded to public parks that reach similar standards? I mention this as there is a move to enter Bideford’s much loved Victoria Park for this prestigious designation. One problem that will have to be addressed is that of people, especially but not entirely youths, drinking alcohol in the park. Where carried out to excess these drinkers can be seen as ‘threatening’ by some – and they usually leave their empties behind as an eyesore and a danger to others. At the last town council meeting the police representative suggested the possibility of making the Park a completely non-drinking area or introducing a time limit on drinking – 9 pm to 9 am was suggested. In advancing these ideas the police didn’t want to prevent families and the generally well behaved – the Folk Festival springs to mind here – but I wonder what the public feel about this? For my own part I would like to see a more proactive approach to this problem by both Torridge, who own the park, and the police. On a similar tack councillor Pauline Davies asked if something could be done about some East the Water parents who allowed their underage children to sit in their driveways drinking alcohol until 2-3 in the morning? The policeman did point out that as this drinking was occurring on private property it left little scope for them to act – but he promised to look into the possibility of action over the anti-social aspects of this behaviour.
I don’t know how many of you saw the report from Capital Economics, a ‘forecasting and consultancy’ group? They have been studying property prices and reckon that up to 25% of second home owners in England will be selling their other property over the next two years – with the South West being the major area for sales. All these extra homes on the market will only serve to push down prices even further. In case this seems far fetched they back it up by pointing to similar movements in the last property crash in the early 1990s. Considering there are some 240,000 second homes in England these changes could well be very significant in the Bideford and Northam district – both ‘hotspots’ for second homes - even on new estates. One’s first response would be to welcome this as it offers a glimmer of hope to young people who want to get on the property ladder. The problem is, of course, that wages in this area are still so low that most youngsters (and many middle aged people) will carry on finding themselves excluded and will face two alternatives – move away or stay in rented accommodation. Torridge is trying to address the issue but by itself cannot force up wages or push down prices. If the predictions are correct, however, it will be fascinating to see if lower prices do see more of our young people deciding to stake their future in this area – or, if not, continue the traditional ‘brain drain’ that has damaged our long term prospects as a community for so many years.
I have been sent the latest edition of the North Devon Rail Users Group Magazine which has, as its motto, ‘Representing Users of the Barnstaple-Exeter Line’. You may wonder why I would refer to this in a column ostensibly about Bideford – well there are two reasons. Firstly the old Barnstaple Station House is currently being refurbished as a café/museum which will cover the history of all of North Devon’s railways – and I trust the Bideford link will be well covered. Secondly there is an article titled ‘The Future of the Tarka Line?’ which looks a few years ahead ‘to see what is possible if the powers that be are brave and take a trail blazing approach.’ Amongst other possibilities the writer sees the reconstruction of the Barnstaple-Bideford line at a cost of some £30 million the money being raised from a levy on the 6000+ new houses that could be built as a ‘New Town’ between the two towns! Additionally a ‘parkway’ is envisaged on the Westleigh straight ‘with easy access from the Westleigh junction of the link road, all buses call here from all over Torridge with one arriving or departing every few minutes.’ Fascinating dreams yes – but how possible is such a scenario? Given the on-going rise in petrol prices clearly railways are becoming more and more competitive – and passenger numbers on the Tarka Line have risen from some 240,000 in 2004 to 300,000+ in 2007. Add this to their much lower environmental impact and this scenario becomes even more attractive. The sticking point I suspect will be the possible loss of the Tarka Trail which has become a hugely popular and well-loved feature with both locals and tourists – how a relaid train line could squeeze through the tunnels at Instow and Weare Giffard alongside a bike/walking path is a poser! If you wish to read the article in the magazine membership of the group is available at £5 p.a. from Tony Hill, Langridge, Ingleigh Green, Winkleigh EX19 8AT or tony@hillglobal.wanadoo.co.uk.
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