Page 8 - Phonebox Magazine February 2008

M J King
PLUMBING ~ HEATING ~ BATHROOMS
J.I.B. Registered Plumber
Bathrooms a Speciality Including Floor and Wall Tiling
Mark King
Sherington 01908 612320 ~ 07887 643912
National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting
APPROVEDCONTRACTOR
Dave Boddy
Electrical Contractor
All types of Electrical Installations undertaken PART P REGISTERED
Domestic a Commercial a Industrial Mobile 07836 223121 Tel: 01234 711116
DJ Atkinson
C.J. McClelland
ROOFING AND PROPERTY MAINTENANCE
Complete re-roofing and repairs Flat roofing
Guttering, UPVC facias and soffits Property maintenance & improvements Extensions & Alterations
8 Phonebox Magazine
27 years experience
PLUMBER
If you are looking for a Plumber who has worked in a local community for more than 40 years – THEN I AM YOUR MAN
All Work Guaranteed – No Call Out Charge FREE ESTIMATES – NO JOB TOO SMALL Special Rates for Pensioners
01933 356036 ~ 07710 900047
For free estimates and friendly advice
Call Chris on
Olney (01234) 713315 or 07798 650762 E-mail christopher@cmcclelland4.wanadoo.co.uk
OLNEY PLUMBING SERVICES
(Serving Olney for 23 years) Registered Plumber
Plumbing fitted Kitchens & Bathrooms Wall & Floor Tiling
Ring Derek 01234 711650/07831 625885
Roy Mason and members of his family
Dear Residents, Sportsmen and women of Olney District
DOFF’S FIELD
Doff’s Field, an area of 10.6 acres of land in the heart of Olney adjacent to the Rec, was purchased by my family for the benefit of all of the Sports Associations of the town. This was our aim four years ago when the decision was taken to purchase the field. We were in competition with developers whose motives were not in line with our aspirations. The purchase price was £250,000.
We were aware that the area was scheduled in the Town Plan for use as a sports ground but considered that it was so important to be used for that purpose that a minimum of development would be allowed to cover the cost of the acquisition. We considered that Olney Town Council (OTC) would support our aims, as they didn’t have the necessary finance at their disposal to purchase it.
Our first consideration was to place four building plots, situated to run in line with the public footpath and adjacent to the entrance off Austen Avenue. This would easily return our investment and would have allowed a considerable sum of finance to be placed in a fund set up to further support the sports clubs in the Town by way of a Trust Fund. No profit to be realised by my family.
A person of the highest principles was appointed to be a Trustee to ensure that every penny was accounted for and placed at the disposal of the local Sports Associations. He informed the Council by letter of his appointment and brief. This scheme was rejected by OTC. We then went into consultation with OTC to attempt to rescue the scheme.
A compromise was eventually reached after months and years of negotiations. This was possibly to allow two building plots, with OTC to purchase the land at a vastly reduced sum but only allow one rugby pitch to be placed on the remaining 10.2 acres, with various other restrictions placed on the remaining areas. This was found unacceptable and eventually another scheme was put forward with a substantial border being left around the field which would restrict the area available for sport.
By the time this was all agreed the environment agency increased the future anticipated flood levels of the next 150 years by 0.4 of a metre which brought the area of the two building plots into the revised flood plane. This was apparent during 2007 three years after the purchase. This set-back was disappointing and upsetting to all concerned.
However a meeting was arranged by Mr John Sharp, Mrs Patricia Slaney, Olney Town Councillor and Clerk, for us to meet and consult with the Planning Officer Mr Peter Joel (with Duncan and I present). It was agreed that Mr Joel would consult with a senior officer in the environment agency to seek a satisfactory outcome. This he did and a solution was formed.
To allow the plots it would require the levels to be raised by the calculated volume of approximately 500 cubic metres of mass. To facilitate this, equivalent mass would be required to be lowered into the flood plane from a location upstream of the plots. This area then being bought into the flood plane to compensate.
Approaches were made and to our delight Mr Andrew Finn-Kelcey assured us that if he gained permission from DEFRA he would allow us to lower an area of one of his meadows into the flood plane. I know he won’t thank me for publishing his name but our thanks go
out for his kind and public spirited gesture.
At this juncture I thank Sally Rogers (nee Faulkner) former Mayor of Olney for her unstinted efforts
Olney Building & Maintenance Services
RAY WHITING
Tel 01234 712007 Mobile 07831 337940