Southam News

Southam News always blazes a trail which others then follow. In a recent article about Tesco we included an ‘artists’ impression of a sign that was to be erected on the Leamington Road.

The impression was exactly similar to the resulting signage.

Tesco decided to follow suit in their planning application for a new sign at the Northfield Road and Kineton Road junction and produce an impression of what is proposed..

However, in response, objector Harold Scott has done his own artists impression.

Harold’s impression reveals that the little sign on the Tesco application is in fact a big sign. This raises the issue: was the impression illustration or misrepresentation.

Harold says: “The picture included in the Tesco planning application is blatantly misleading. The application requests a 7.1m gantry sign. However, the picture represents a sign of less than 4.0m.
By using the height of the Northfield road sign [0.83m], also shown in the applicant's picture, I have been able to calculate and show the true height of the proposed sign. The  width is also incorrect  if you measure a similar G1 Gantry sign on the Tesco site it is 50% wider than the Northfield Road sign”.

Mr Scott has challenged Stratford District Council about the application, stating: “Can a correctly proportioned picture be requested? A true representation would reinforce the above objection. Is it in your remit to request a response to the inaccuracy? It must be very misleading to SDC Planning if applicants submit false application of this magnitude”.

Harold also makes clear his objections to the sign: “The sign dominates the proposed location. It detracts from the visual amenity of the entrance statement to Northfield Road and is out of keeping with the character of the area.  It obstructs the visibility of motorists wishing to turn out of Northfield Road and constitutes a road safety hazard”.

Stratford-on-Avon District Council would like to invite applicants to apply for small amounts of funding to support local events and festivals held within Stratford-on-Avon District, that support the local economy and specifically involving businesses from the local area.

Funding will be available to support Festivals and Events taking place before 1st October 2011 that:

•  Promote the vitality of the local economy
•  Promote local products and services
•  Engage, promote and involve local businesses
•  Increase visitor numbers to the local area
•  Develop the profile of local area as a premier visitor destination

Councillor Mike Brain, Community Services Portfolio Holder says: “Promoting economic vitality in the District by funding projects supporting economic growth and recovery is crucial in the current economic climate.  Last year we were able to provide financial support for 13 events across the District including food and beer festivals, business festivals and local producer’s fayres.  Local businesses help shape the character of our community especially in our more rural locations and the more support we can provide now, the better the prospects for businesses will be in the future.”

Closing date for applications is Monday 27 September 2010.

It should be noted that priority will be given to applications for ‘new’ festivals and events; however applications for existing events or festivals will also be considered.

Further information and an application form please call Stratford-on-Avon District Council on 01789 260803.

Tesco Stores have applied for a new sign to be erected at the junction of Northfield Road and Kineton Road.

Click here for the planning application for the illuminated sign.

Polo in the Park.

The Get A Head Charitable Trust is proud to announce a Polo in the Park event that will take place on Sunday 19th September 2010

Polo, one of the fastest growing sports in the UK, is one of the oldest and most exciting team games in the world.

The RLS Polo Club is set in 600 acres of stunning Warwickshire countryside at the Dallas Burston Polo Grounds, Stoneythorpe Estate, Southam, Royal Leamington Spa.

This young club is fast establishing itself as one of the best in Europe.

The Get A Head Polo in the Park event will be hosted in the luxurious Jubilee Marquee where you will be treated to a full afternoon of hospitality. The day will include a Champagne Reception, Three Course Lunch by Aubrey Allen with wine and will be hosted by Compere and Comedian, Mike Osman. Play will commence at 11.00am and can be watched from within the Marquee or on the adjacent private lawned terrace as well as around the grounds. Lunch will be served at 1.00pm. The private tranquil surroundings and superb facilities offer a wonderful setting for the final polo event of the season.

A pay bar stocked with Fine Wines, Champagne and Pimms will also be provided.

All proceeds from the day will go to The The Get A Head Charitable Trust - registered number 1118326

For more information, please contact Jenna on  0121 697 8371 or via Email:

 What's On Diary

 The Get A Head Charitable Trust

 RLS Polo Club

You can join a walk that follows the route of the proposed HS2 .

People will be walking the route from London to Birmingham over the weekend and the  Offchurch to Ufton Woods section of the route will be open and marked across the fields 9am – 6pm on Saturday the 11th September.

The aim of the walk is to:

• raise awareness about exactly where the proposed route will go and what impact that will have
• discuss concerns, ideas and information about the proposed high speed train
• support those who stand to lose their homes and businesses, mostly without compensation
• this may be your only chance to walk here before 400kph trains go by every 4 minutes between 5am and midnight

Local access points will include down the public footpaths from Cubbington and Weston towards Offchurch, crossing the river Leam (OS reference 361677); Hunningham Lane north-east of Offchurch (366666); Offchurch Greenway just west of the Fosse Way and east of Offchurch (368658); Welsh Road Farm on the Welsh Road (377645); and west along the Canal where the Welsh Road crosses it by Print Farm (385640). The parking and information point sites are available on www.offchurch.org.uk/high-speed-2
   
You are not restricted to this local stretch of the route – you will be able to walk large parts of over 100 miles  and this website will show you what sections are open on which days over the weekend 9th – 12th September: www.walkhs2.co.uk  

The farmers and landowners have combined to mark the route – red markers where you will be permitted to walk over private fields for the day, and green markers where an existing footpath will be used.

As featured in today's Daily Express [see below] Southam is in the headlines.

In the face of growing opposition to the High Speed Rail Link [HS2], the Department for Transport issued a bold new plan.

Announcing the plan at a press conference this morning a DFT spokesperson announced; "Some people have complained about the Link coming too close to Southam and Ladbroke so we have decided to move Southam and Ladbroke out of the way".

Pictured above is the official DFT map for the plan. On the left is the existing location of Southam: on the right is the new site. Click here for a closer look at the DFT map.

The plan has met with universal approval. A spokesman from Southam Council has said; "It's great. The new site should catch the sun nicely in the morning".

The move of the town will occur during the Summer when everyone is on holiday. The old site will become green belt land and will be known as 'The new field next to the railway'. A large sign will be erected pointing confused SatNav propelled drivers to the new Southam.

It's not all good news for the peace loving residents of the two locations as the new, multi-runway, Hellidon Golf Course International Airport is due for completion in 2012.

[HS2 Limited would not comment]

Those well known loons at Twitter have changed the way the entire service works!

Withour bothering to make their devious intentions widely known, as from September 1, api interfaces with Twitter will fail unless radically altered.

This means that many sites like Southam News will be unable to talk to Twitter.

The good news is that we've cracked the problem anyhoo and Southam News Twitter is back on line after a break of several hours.

The bad news is that the Twitter service is now under strain as other sites repeatedly try to access the service to no avail. This, in turn, affects sites that bring in Twitter content [eg the Twitter module in the left hand column]. And, if that's not enough, further changes to the way Twitter works are in the pipe-line.

Follow Us on Twitter.

In addition to the RSS news feed available from Southam News you can now subscribe via the FeedBurner Service.

 Southam News on FeedBurner

The old Stoneythorpe Hotel has now been transformed into a wedding venue.

Now Warwick House: Weddings of Distinction, it is having a grand opening on Saturday November 27.

 Warwick House

Stratford-on-Avon District Council will be carrying out some routine maintenance work to Council buildings starting on 6 September and, weather permitting, finishing on 20 November 2010.

Access will be provided by cradles, scaffolding and cherry pickers so that all works are carried out in a safe and professional manner.

The contract to carry out external re-painting and ancillary building works has been awarded to G I Sykes Ltd and involves painting and joinery repairs to:

• Elizabeth House
• Southam Grange
• Windsor Street and Bridgefoot Car Parks
• Public Conveniences: Southam, Stratford and Shipston Leisure Centres

All the District Council's buildings will remain fully operational and open during these works and full public access will remain.