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Solar Farm Update - May 2024
Link to Scottish Power Renewables website for Ranksborough Solar Farm
Issue 38 – March 2024
Highlights from the most recent meeting of Langham Parish Council,
Tuesday March 26th 2024 at Langham Village Hall
LPC meetings are held at Langham Village Hall. Langham residents are welcome to speak before the start of a Parish Council meeting about any items on the agenda and to observe the full meeting. For meeting dates and agendas, see our Village Notice Boards and the Langham Parish Council website, https://www.langham-pc.gov.uk.
■ New trees and a new gate for the Community Park: three handsome new trees are now planted in the Park, backing onto the allotments. Councillors thanked Shirley Myatt for proposing, organising and co-ordinating this project. The Park also has a very smart new gate onto Burley Road where once there was an unsightly gap in the hedge – and Councillors expressed their gratitude to Pete Burdett for installing it.
■ Manor Lane drain – an on-going problem: Rutland County Council have inspected and cleaned the drain and gullies, but tree roots are preventing a full solution to the problem. Further investigations in March have been scheduled so that remedial action can be agreed. Councillor Hemsley is monitoring progress.
■ Flooding on Ashwell Road: Councillor Long is to report this area – where the stream flows under (and when it rains over), the road to FixmyStreet
■ Brook maintenance: The Clerk is making enquiries with both RCC and the Environment agency about responsibilities for brook maintenance – and our request for a meeting is on-going.
■ Overflowing dog bins: a new, larger floor-standing bin to replace the current, frequently over-full bin, is to be installed shortly at the corner of Manor Lane and Ashwell Road.>/p>
■ Burial Ground Guidelines: because of the difficulty of ensuring on-going maintenance, the Guidelines are to be amended to specifically state that any plants must be pot-contained and not planted directly into the ground. The owners of graves and cremations spaces will be contacted to advise.
■ Munday’s Close: a new pond – and a new wildlife camera: Councillors agreed to the installation, by the Munday’s Close Working Group, of a ‘dead hedge’ round the pond as an acceptable safety barrier. They also have agreed to purchase for the MCWG a trail cam to be used to record wildlife activity – badgers have been reported as recent visitors.
■ Capital Plans and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) projects – do you have ideas for the use of some unexpected unspent funds?
- A new Village sign: the creation and installation is to be progressed
- Banks of daffodil on verges in and out of Langham: cost and permissions required are being explored.
- Layby on Burley Road for allotment and Community Park users: the installation of a layby on the A606 for allotment holders has had to be put on hold because of lack of assistance with the project from RCC.
This means that CIL money allocated to this project which must be used this year (around £8,000) has not been spent – so if you have ideas for suitable capital projects, please let us know:
CIL monies can only be spent on certain things and a copy of the guidelines is attached
■ Progress on major local developments: There is no progress currently reported on either the proposed Solar Farm, or the Langton Home sites off Cold Overton Road. Councillor Viner is to seek updates.
■ Date of next meeting: 7.30pm on Tuesday 30th April 2024.
A summary of Planning Applications and LPC Planning Committee recommendations since the February 2024 LPC meeting – (https://publicaccess.rutland.gov.uk for full details )
New Planning Applications
2024/0248/FUL 2024/0249/LBA
Ivey House and Flats 1 and 2, 16 Bridge Street - Provision of on-site turning head, additional car parking space, increased amenity space to flats and reconfiguration of fencing and landscaping:
The proposals seem a sensible use of under-used space so as to provide extra off-road parking and turning area – and improved sight line out of Bridge Street for drivers – whilst also improving the amenity space for the flats.
Recommend Approval
2024/0288/CAT
The Coach House, 9 Melton Road - Conifer (T1 & T2) – Reduce in height by 3-5 metres and trim: Appropriate action for conifers which will otherwise rapidly outgrow their location.
Recommend Approval
2024/0295/CAT
Kites, 3 Sharrads Way - Crown reduction of 3 no. Birch trees to the front of the property. Removal of 1 no. tree in the driveway: The 3 Birch trees to the front of the property are handsome trees and contribute positively to the appearance of Sharrads Way, but they have grown very large for their site. Therefore, the proposed crown reduction seems a sensible solution. The tree in the driveway is also a Birch, again very tall, with a pronounced lean. Its position impedes the use of the driveway, and it shades the solar panels on the adjoining house. Therefore, whilst we would not usually recommend the removal of an apparently healthy tree, in this instance its removal seems appropriate.
Recommend Approval
2024/0294/FUL
7 Jubilee Drive - Single storey rear extension to dwelling, including conversion of former external store: The proposed extension makes appropriate use of available space, the materials to be used are in keeping with the rest of the building and visual impact from the road will be minimal.
Recommend Approval
2024/0258/FUL
Land adjacent to Ranksborough Farm, Melton Road - Change of use of agricultural land to B8 (storage) for the siting of 10 no. shipping storage containers (re-submission): We find this application confusing: from the RCC website there are two previous applications relevant to 2024/0258/FUL – an earlier application 2023/0809/FUL was withdrawn, and an application for agricultural access FUL/2003/1197 was approved. It is not clear whether the current re-submission, 2024/0258/FUL, which is for change of use of agricultural land to B8 (storage) for the siting of 10 no. shipping containers, relates to the storage unit containers that have already been put on the site, as shown in the drawing enclosed with the application titled ‘Existing farmyard showing position of shipping containers’. The same drawing also shows another 10 shipping containers on a different piece of land. The application also contains a sheet listing 15 containers and their intended use, and it would appear that only two are for the applicant’s own use. So, is it in fact permission for change of use for this land to site 10 more containers for commercial purposes that is being sought? The other drawings submitted with 2024/0258/FUL seem to be primarily concerned with road access matters; the impact in terms of traffic for 20 containers, as opposed to 10, would clearly be different.
On the assumption that the application is for the change of use only for the siting of the 10 containers previously applied for, and with the proviso that it concerns a maximum of 10 containers, we could recommend approval, subject to the recognition of our main concern, which as previously stated, is that any containers sited on the land for which change of use is sought, should not be placed on top of each other.
Recommend approval subject to the provisos above.
Planning Decisions:
2024/0056/CAT Whitecroft, 44 Well Street. Remove 1 no. Laburnum tree. Granted 05/03/24.
2024/0078/FUL Court Cottage, Manor Lane. Construction of single storey rear extension. Granted 07/03/24.
2024/0119/CAT Well House, 29 Well Street. Fell 1 no. Sycamore (T1). Granted 11/03/24.
2024/0115/FUL 11 Orchard Road. Proposed single storey front extension to dwelling plus a front boundary wall. Granted 19/04/24.
Langham Allotments
The Langham Allotments are located between Burley Road, Langham Community Park and Munday's Close wildlife area. They are owned by Langham Parish Council but leased to Langham Gardeners Association (LGA) for a peppercorn rent. The day to day management of the allotments is conducted by LGA. If you have any queries about the allotments please contact LGA
Burial Ground Guidelines
- All Grave space to be left without kerbstones.
- Maintenance of the memorial is the responsibility of the grave owner. Langham Parish Council (LPC) contractors will maintain the lawn area and fencing.
- Single headstones can be erected but not to exceed 122cms (4 ft.) in height, a wooden cross may be placed at the head of grave as a temporary measure only.
- Headstone to be either black, white or natural stone.
- Text must be approved by Langham Parish Council.
- Pots only on headstones.
- Plants and shrubs should be potted only and not planted in the ground.
- Seasonal or anniversary memorabilia may be placed at the head of the grave plot or secured to the headstone with natural materials.
- The owner of the Exclusive Right of Burial (purchaser of the plot) is responsible for removing any memorabilia after a reasonable time. Langham Parish Council will remove items after two months as part of our routine maintenance works.
- Cremation plaques are not to exceed 46cms (18 inches) square and only in black, white or natural stone.
Please Note
Due to the rural location rabbits will graze flowers and grass, this is something that LPC have no control over.
Langham Burial Ground
Langham Burial Ground is located off Mickley Lane between Munday's Close wildlife and nature area and the Community Park. There is limited burial space available. We have looked at extending the existing Burial Ground and for a new plot of land around the village but have not found any suitable sites.
Langham Burial Ground has been provided by Langham Parish Council since 2001. Plots for burial or the internment of ashes can be reserved by Langham residents. For information on current fees, please contact the