It’s planning madness. The West Northamptonshire Joint Planning Unit (WNJPU) has published a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) that identifies six potential sites in Helmdon with a supposed potential for 203 housing units.

The trouble is that SHLAA doesn’t take in to account whether or not the land is actually available, what the environmental status of the land is, or whether the village can support such growth.

Essentially a SHLAA is an audit of land that may, or could be, developed up to 2026. Every local authority must have a SHLAA so that the Government can see the potential for new housing.

Helmdon Parish Council’s Planning Committee met on Wednesday 20 January 2010 to consider the SHLAA consultation, responses for which have to be returned by mid February. The Planning Committee discovered inaccuracies in the site identification and discrepancies between the site information and the maps. Consequently they decided to return the plans and ask WNJPU to resubmit.

The SHLAA could simply be a paper-exercise audit of land in the area, or it could be the thin end of the wedge. If a site is identified in the SHLAA and is subsequently chosen as a preferred site then the development pressure could be immense.

Members of the public are able to view the proposed site and leave comments on the WNJPU site. It could be a case of speak now or forever hold your peace.

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9th January 2010
Big Freeze To Continue

Helmdon in the grip of the snow and ice (8 Jan 2010)

Temperatures as low as -9 degrees were recorded in Helmdon on Friday night as the big freeze continues to grip the village.

The snow, most of which fell on Tuesday 5th January, has not melted at all as temperatures have been at or below freezing all week.

Station Road and Wappenham Road have been gritted and are passable with care but Church Street is an ice rink and the sides roads are all thick with ice and snow. Cars have been unable to get all the way up Church Street or Shortlands Close since Tuesday.

Even the kids turned down a fifth day of tobogganing, preferring to stay indoors to keep warm and dry.

The freezing weather is set to continue well in to next week with more snow forecast for Saturday night and Sunday. Temperatures are not predicted to climb above freezing until Wednesday.

Helmdon should be getting to used to this though – it’s less than a year since we had similar conditions!

If you have any snow pictures or stories to share please send them to webmaster@helmdon.com.

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8th January 2010
School Open Today

Helmdon Primary School is open to children today, Friday 8th January 2010.

However, road conditions in the village remain treacherous so parents travelling to school by car, especially from outside the village, are advised to consider whether or not they feel they can get their children to school safely.

The school was closed to children on Wednesday and Thursday this week as it was not possible for most staff to get there safely. The weather hasn’t changed much but Station Road is now passable with care.

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6th January 2010
A Chance To Get Involved

The Reading Room Management Committee is looking for someone to take over the position of secretary.

This is a very important job, as the Reading Room cannot function without someone to fill this position. The position is purely voluntary but any expenses incurred will of course be paid in full.

It would be ideal if anyone would like to take over this role, to start as soon as possible, so as to work alongside the present secretary (Caroline) and take over full duties in May 2010.

This is a very crucial time for the Reading Room, as many of you know, especially with the refurb. and money raising, but with Caroline and the committee’s guidance I’m sure the transition will run smoothly.

If anyone is interested could you please contact Bill England [phone number removed] / [email address removed] or Caroline King [phone number removed].

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1st January 2010
Happy New Year!

STOLEN – Ten years from 2000 to 2010. If anyone knows what happened to those ten years please contact the Webmaster!

Yes, it’s 2010 and the dawn of a new decade. It seems like only yesterday that we were all in a tizz over the millennium bug and wondering what the Noughties would bring us – now it’s all history.

So what can we expect in 2010? Well there will definitely be a general election and a new government. For sports fans there’s the Winter Olympics in Canada and a smorgasbord of football at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Closer to home the Village Diary for 2010 is already filling up fast, so if you are planning an event you better secure a date quick! 2010 also marks the 10th Anniversary of the Helmdon Web Site (launched on 1st November 2000). We will mark this achievement with several special features throughout the year.

Whatever 2010 brings you I hope it is a happy and safe year for us all.

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Researched and written by Helmdon Local History Group volunteers. We do our best, but we can sometimes get things wrong. Corrections and additions are welcome.