Our campaign caught the attention of the BBC who dispatched senior reporter Nick Robinson to Knebworth to meet our chair, Jules Pomerance. Please have a look at the video below.
02
Mar 10
Media coverage, and a big thank you.
Our campaign is on the front of the Guardian education supplement today!
On Thursday 4th March we will be on BBC1 news, nationwide, at 6 and 10 o’clock. (Possibly repeated on BBC News 24 on Freeview and Satellite)
We have worked so hard the past year and covered such ground.
We could never have got this here without such a committed team, and all the extra help from our villages’ residents, with individuals and companies volunteering their precious time, skills and showing their passion and dedication to both our cause and our community.
I am truly grateful, and thank each and every one of you.
All the best,
Yours, Jules
18
Feb 10
listening and gathering information
We have been listening to all the feedback we have been receiving, and working out the most beneficial ways to build our community area and school.
We are now looking at all the possibilities and collecting as much information as possible so we can use the input we have had from residents of the villages to, wherever possible, provide the most popular facilities that are being suggested.
Please feel free to let us know what you would like and any idea’s you have.
We are keen to hear from you.
We are also looking for visible homes in East Herts to place our Putterils sponsored “We Need A School” boards. If you would like one outside your home, or if you know someone who may, please get in touch.
In North Herts we are looking to get more posters up in front windows of homes. If you would like us to drop a poster through your door please contact us.
Jules
05
Jan 10
A brand new exciting year ahead.
I hope you all got a relaxing break and wish everyone a wonderful 2010.
We are working hard researching other campaigns and gathering information to make sure we are taking everyones opinions and suggestions on board. Please keep your ideas coming in, we appreciate all input and have had some really positive and interesting suggestions made.
The biggest concern seems to be the LDF and the East of England plans for Knebworth South.
This is the same site as the school, but because of the extreme housing shortage, there is the threat of a huge development being situated there instead of a school. With our plan for the school we would have to build an estimated 200 houses, although we would prefer no houses, we need these to fund the building of the school and help restore Knebworth House.
The authorities are also considering building houses on the site, possibly without the school – this could be 2,000 homes if the East Of England Regional Authority decide housing gets the priority.
We believe this would be disastrous for our villages, as all the problems we are trying to find solutions for would be exasperated. It would also leave our children with a huge educational disadvantage, and could even end with them having to build a massive secondary school for all these children – not the traditional style village one we are aiming for.
A school and limited housing on this site would help us show we have shown willing for some housing in the ongoing housing shortage. A school would ensure a choice for the parents, similar to the situation when many local parents were schoolchildren themselves, and competition for our closest secondaries was not fierce. These days many of our families make their choice of which state school to appeal for knowing they will not get in by any other means. Months of stress for these families that can be avoided.
Let us know what you think!
All the best for the New Year,
Jules
09
Nov 09
Consultations all around!
There are currently a few ways to put your views on the secondary school situation and campaign forward and make yourself heard for your community.
Barbera Follett has included some details in her Community Newsletter covering her constituency and is asking for feedback on what her constituents think. She can be reached at barbara@barbarafollett.org.uk
Although Grant Shapps isn’t asking for feedback at the moment, he is very interested in our plans and supportive of our vision. If you would like to send any thoughts to him he can be contacted at grant@shapps.com
The East of England Regional Assembly is also consulting until 24th November as I mentioned in the last blog entry. They are looking at possibly building 2000 houses on the same site as we want a school! They are only considering sites that can accommodate a minimum of 2000 dwellings. A school would be so much more preferable, and think of the school that would be necessary for all those children if they build all those in Knebworth and Woolmer Green! If you haven’t yet commented the address is to view the details,
http://www.eera.gov.uk/What-we-do/developing-regional-strategies/east-of-england-plan/east-of-england-plan-review-to-2031/east-of-england-plan-review-to-2031-strategic-advice/hertfordshire/
or for a quick reply http://www.speakuphertfordshire.org.uk/
There is also an anonymous and inaccurate letter going through letterboxes in Knebworth asking for feedback on the secondary school campaign and the LDF consultations and the EERA consultation. It is amusing as it states that only replies that including senders details will be considered, although they purposely neglected to identify themselves!
The anonymous person(s) are also asking for feedback to be sent to the Parish Council and District Councilors. Whomever represents you, why not let them know how you feel, that is what we elect them for.
Please try to let them know your thoughts, and feel free to send me a copy too!
All the best until next time,
Jules
22
Oct 09
Big plans afoot for our villages – we need to unite & take action
The East Of England Regional Authority are now looking at where they can develop housing as there are so many more houses needed all over the region. Because we have some greenfield sites around Knebworth and Woolmer Green it seems obvious that we are going to be under great pressure from them, on top of the LDF looking where they can build in our area. (We’re not sure what the plans are yet for Datchworth, Oaklands, etc)
They are currently looking at and consulting on 7 sites around Knebworth for up to 2000 homes. Yes, 2000! That would literally double the size of Knebworth! This is separate to the recent LDF consultation. It seems to me to be only a matter of time before this really happens, so we should look at how to limit damage rather than deny that there will be any development in and around our villages.
One site identified is the one that we want to build our school on. But wouldn’t minimal housing, leisure facilities and a wonderful secondary school be more preferable than covering that field with 2000 houses and flats? At 92 acres in size it has a theoretical capacity for 9000 dwellings based on the 2006 national average density of 101 new dwellings built per acre.
Click here to download the EERA proposed sites map for Knebworth.
This is a 500KB PDF and may take a minute or so to download.
The idea that still makes perfect sense to me is to use the biggest site they are looking at (site 5 on the map) to build our own secondary school and that will only need the very minimum of residential development. All profits from that will be donated to local charities endowing us as a community at a time when we need it so desperately. (See funding page on weneedaschool.org for more details).
This way we achieve our schooling objective, show willing to have a very small percentage of new housing, and use the space that will help us all with its wide range of community green space, woodland and nature areas and facilities instead of filling it with houses.
It is very important to comment on their proposals – we should all do this at www.speakuphertfordshire.org.uk
If they continue to see how we feel they will carry on working with us, and our opinions can really make a difference. We have until November 25th, but if you can, take two minutes now!
Feel free to send us a copy of your e-mail for our files.
All the best, for us all,
Jules
11
Oct 09
feedback request- let us know what you would like
We are really trying to listen and see what our community feels it most needs and wants.
We have a unique opportunity currently to utilise any development around Knebworth, and have the profits donated totally back to the community. This is an offer in accordance with the current North Herts LDF, and is on the table right now.
We are researching, and really want feedback into which facilities we feel would benefit us all most. Let me know what you would like – a new playground, wetland nature area, more facilities for the more senior residents, a swimming pool…
It is an unusual chance for a community to enable itself. What would you most like here, if it was all up to you… we are waiting to hear from you.
Have a great week,
Jules
27
Sep 09
Fact Finding
This weeks homework!
In order to get an accurate idea of what we can create as a community, it is necessary to get some accurate quotes and that is what we are working on currently.
We need to work out what it may cost to build an underpass below the railway if necessary, plus the build costs of houses, both affordable and not as planning policy guides us on what percentages are necessary. There is also the amenities to supply to the site and local infrastructure to factor in. A huge amount of information to collaborate.
If we could get a feasibility study commissioned we would be very excited, as that would be an independent study examining the funding requirements in detail. It would also investigate the hurdles that need to be crossed and how to best overcome them to the benefit of the community.
It may not be the most exciting part of the vision for our school and villages, but an important part of making it happen!
Enjoy your day!
Jules
14
Sep 09
An educational week!
Well this has been quite a week for a busy mum of three who used to be a child-minder! Firstly we had the Woolmer Green open evening for anyone to come along, meet us and find out about the campaign. We had said we would be there from 8 to 10pm but we were full by 7.40! It was great, although very busy evening, with lots of questions asked and some great options and points raised. A very positive evening with plenty of encouraging feedback!
Then Wednesday we had the Parish council Meeting in Knebworth – where I have lived for the past ten years. The meeting’s agenda was for the LDF to be discussed, and then the We Need a School Campaign was invited to present and the chairman would host a short question and answer session.
Things got somewhat out of hand as residents local to the proposed site had justifiably come to air their views. I was quite shocked as I would much prefer to discuss how we can adapt our plans to work together as a community to get the community benefits we all want.
Hopefully in the future there will be a more suitable forum for everyone to come together as a community and decide what they would like. If the location of the the school isn’t a problem but the location of the proposed houses is then lets look how we can change it. If some people feel we need to include other community facilities then lets see how we can make it happen.
We just need positive dialogue, so we can work it out. It must be better than just letting houses outside of our control be built and the community not benefitting!
Some very interesting points were raised at the meeting, we realise we need to check the funds required, and make sure our idea is viable and we need to look what happened in Wheathampsted. When the residents were given a new secondary school it closed 20 years later – where has that left the residents now? What really happened? We will research and the results will be published on the site!
There were also other questions: effects on public transport, the current local primary schools and more… Keep checking our website as we research these necessary points.
We know there are hurdles, but as a community, if we can discuss this project with an open, positive dialogue then maybe we can find a way to usilise the funds on offer to improve the quality of life for all of us.
I have not heard a similar opportunity to enable our society by using village profits and I hope we decide to work together and enrich our lives!
29
Aug 09
Come and meet us, and then support your community
The campaign is flowing forward beautifully, so are having we an open evening on September 7th, 8-10pm, at Woolmer Village Hall, so you can come and meet us, and ask any questions you may have.
I am then going to be doing a nerve racking but short presentation at Knebworth Village Hall to the community, so the Knebworth Parish can gage support- that will be somewhere between 8 and 10 pm, on the 9th September, (according to the agenda, as they are also going to be discussing other development issues).
The more people there to hear the presentation the better- you can learn about the campaign, and show your support.
Please come, join us, and play a positive part in the future of our villages, facilities and education.
It is amazing how many people have come forwards to support us and help- everything is appreciated- from giving out leaflets to your neighbours- to designing a flyer, many thanks to you all.
I hope to see you on the 7th at Woolmer Green, or if you have no unanswered questions, on the 9th at Knebworth Village Hall.
The community thanks you for your support,
Jules