Chairman's Miscellany - TrustNews June 09
The last three months have been exceptionally busy for the Trust. Two topics which have engaged us for some time - Barton Farm and Bushfield Down - have caused major concern. The driving force for this was the inclusion of both sites in the draft Local Development Framework which Winchester City Council is obliged to prepare for central government and which operates to a strict timetable. You will read more of this elsewhere in this issue but I cannot stress too strongly the extent of the work of the Policy Group on these topics and that it continues.
As with all the activities which the Trust undertakes, that work depends on volunteers. It was pleasing therefore that a reception for new members in March brought a number of offers of help which are being taken up. The more hands we have available, the more can be done. So please, if you have some time available, do tell our Secretary, Vicky Feldwick. As an example, the recently revived Landscape Group is to undertake revision of a tree survey which was done some years ago. It is slow work but already some members have offered to help. More would enable the task to be completed more quickly.
In the last issue, it was suggested that publication of “Winchester; the Heart of a City” would fall in June. That has proved optimistic for the labour of final editing has fallen heavily on a small group, led by Keith Leaman, and it continues. Again, I can only praise their dedication. The end result will be worth it. It is now expected that publication - by P and G Wells Ltd - will take place in the Autumn.
Finally, I commend to you the new Trust website. Much hard work by members, especially Barrie Brinkman, has transformed it. The site now makes available most of the Trust’s publications and it is now much more topical. Its a source of information for us all.
http://www.cityofwinchestertrust.co.uk