Ivan Bell's right of reply

Hawk-eyed readers may have noticed that we had some comments from one of our subjects of ridicule over the past 12 months. Yes, Ivan Bell seems to have discovered this blog on New Year's day, and set about leaving comments on this post about SCC, and also on our 2007 round-up post.

On the SCC post, Bell is charitable enough to afford the (now quiet) protestors over Rossington Park some degree of success. He thinks that if they had not been active, even more sheds would now be present. And let's face it, he should know being a Councillor. We will discuss more about High Peak Borough Council's continuing environmental onslaught on this part of the High Peak in future posts, but for now, we'll agree with that statement.

The other comment is a mix of compliments, insults and absurd statements. The compliments are aimed at us for our 'interesting' views. Clearly, Bell didn't read our posts about him earlier in the year. The insult is where he says we should stand for election: if he'd read the blog closely enough, he'll know that our politics leave us with nothing but contempt for politicians of all kinds, along with the whole political and economic system of capitalism.

Absurd statements come in the form of his views of what should happen now about Rossington Park:

"our only chance is to try and get it more environmentally friendly"

We'd agree, but we're from the Jack Mansfield* school of views regarding eyesores: a stick of dynamite will do the job.

What Bell means - and it's the drum he's been banging for a long time - is that Rossington Park should be painted a different colour. He's been in the Glossop Chronicle with this familiar refrain only the other week. And we now agree - paint them Hi-Viz yellow. That way, the locals will sooner resort to the Jack Mansfield tactics these eyesores deserve. And the sooner someone calls him out for being the distraction from outrage that he is, the better.

But before we close this post, it's probably best to have a little tour of the skidmarks Ivan Bell has left on his travels around the internet. First stop is his lovely blogger user profile: he likes drinking 'real beer' (as opposed to false), and his favourite movie is 'Doctor Zivargo' (sic) and his favourite book is that well-known tome 'History Novels' (we'll be asking for that at the library next week).

Next is his lovely website. He promised to give us a link on here, and he has bless his heart. But wait, oh dear - his comments on the Peak District tourist logo:

"This is not the GAY site even if it is pink"

...except it's purple. Never mind Ivan, we're all as 'good as you'.

But have a look at his other links: "Soil Stabilization" (sic) ("Soil stabilization and erosion control and dust control products and services"). Hmmn, what about this - "Massage School" ("Best massage therapy school with latest techniques"), ahem...

We do so hope that Ivan stops by again. It's nice to be having a political debate, even if it's with a cretin who wears a hat too small for his head.

*Jack Mansfield was a lovely old Glossopian, very reminiscent of Compo, who publicly called for urban guerilla tactics to demolish the (still present) eyesore that is the Ferro Alloys chimney.

Running scared?

Front page news in the local papers this week is the latest tactics in the raging battle being fought by the despoilers of Hadfield and the residents of Hadfield.

JD Williams, the mail order catalogue giant, seem to be running scared that local activists are kicking them where it hurts in acting against their crackpot scheme to make their unfeasibly ugly grey sheds even bigger. According to the Glossop Advertiser, the company is asking it's employees to write in to High Peak Borough Council's Planning Dept in support of their application whilst passing themselves off as residents. This all sounds like stories coming out of Russia during the recent election, where Vladimir Putin's party had made civil servants an offer they couldn't refuse: vote for us or get the sack.

It gets better - today, they landed on our site, searching Google with the words 'high-peak (sic) planning hadfield'. Even more ironic, they landed on our recent article about the local anti-Del Boy, Trevor Mooney.

The consultation date has already ended for this application, but the Committee date is 14th January 2008, and we hope that a charabanc will wend it's way to the Council Offices at Chinley to tell HPBC's grey shed-loving nutters where to stick it. There's a more recent opportunity for similar fun this coming Monday (17th December), when further applications for de(re)generation will be heard from Rossington Park and Bridge Mills.

Re-post: Do We Need More Housing?

We're consistently providing scoops for the press, so when the Glossop Advertiser today published an article on the disaster area that Glossop is becoming, we feel the need to remind them and our readers in the real world of a post by kirtlegreen from nearly 3 weeks ago. Before reading, take some time to look at High Peak Borough Council's new 'Core Strategy Consultation'. You might like to ponder how this 'strategy' will affect planning and consultation in the future, but bear in mind that this is the same Council that gave you Rossington Park, SCC and Trevor Mooney's car park (that no-one uses). And the same crew that will no doubt roll over and have their tummy tickled by Tesco...

At the moment Glossop is a construction site. Wherever the humble pedestrian ventures in this erstwhile quiet market town is impeded by building site fencing, dust clouds, and infill building sites which block their way. Not to mention the random removal of mature trees, followed by the obligatory desultory apology, and swift pinning of blame on other parties. Hitherto pleasant open areas to shop such as Smithy Fold and the Bulldog Shopping Precinct (coincidentally prey to an overnight robbery) are all probably being conducted in the name of Glossop Vision.

No doubt the similar vision which brought Glossop the visionary burnt out Wrens Nest apartment block, the pinnacle planning masterpiece that has brought High Peak Borough Council its flagship planning award.

No question what the vision for Glossop is: eradicate its heritage.

More worryingly this is part of a greater "vision", the strategy of that well known "visionary" and "conviction" politician Gordon Brown, to get rid of the country's rural heritage by abolition of the green belt.

There is an enormous threat to the greenbelt and rural beauty of Great Britain which will be detailed in future blogs.

In the meantime let us ruminate in what is happening in Glossop at present and draw this conclusion. The Council and its Planning Department want building and construction action. They are hooked on it more than any junkie on his daily fix. They do not care about pedestrians or the public, as long as they are able to set records for the most number of yellow clad safety jacket operatives in a single market town, and enhance their reputation for so called "regeneration". Currently frustrated by the Bypass impasse and the Green Built ring fence they are concentrating on making the town a pedestrian no go area with obstructive and burnt out flagship planning projects that do not take human factors into account and are therefore doomed from outset. Even their only other toy, Rossington Park is running into trouble, so they are really going for Glossop as the best place to play Meccano, though Rossington Park watchers need to be very alert as well.

But be warned. In our view like irritable children they will get tired with that game of Glossop as building site, and want further action outside the town before long.

Do We Need More Housing ?

At the moment Glossop is a construction site. Wherever the humble pedestrian ventures in this erstwhile quiet market town is impeded by building site fencing, dust clouds, and infill building sites which block their way. Not to mention the random removal of mature trees, followed by the obligatory desultory apology, and swift pinning of blame on other parties. Hitherto pleasant open areas to shop such as Smithy Fold and the Bulldog Shopping Precinct (coincidentally prey to an overnight robbery) are all probably being conducted in the name of Glossop Vision.

No doubt the similar vision which brought Glossop the visionary burnt out Wrens Nest apartment block, the pinnacle planning masterpiece that has brought High Peak Borough Council its flagship planning award.

No question what the vision for Glossop is: eradicate its heritage.

More worryingly this is part of a greater "vision", the strategy of that well known "visionary" and "conviction" politician Gordon Brown, to get rid of the country's rural heritage by abolition of the green belt.

There is an enormous threat to the greenbelt and rural beauty of Great Britain which will be detailed in future blogs.

In the meantime let us ruminate in what is happening in Glossop at present and draw this conclusion. The Council and its Planning Department want building and construction action. They are hooked on it more than any junkie on his daily fix. They do not care about pedestrians or the public, as long as they are able to set records for the most number of yellow clad safety jacket operatives in a single market town, and enhance their reputation for so called "regeneration". Currently frustrated by the Bypass impasse and the Green Built ring fence they are concentrating on making the town a pedestrian no go area with obstructive and burnt out flagship planning projects that do not take human factors into account and are therefore doomed from outset. Even their only other toy, Rossington Park is running into trouble, so they are really going for Glossop as the best place to play Meccano, though Rossington Park watchers need to be very alert as well.

But be warned. In our view like irritable children they will get tired with that game of Glossop as building site, and want further action outside the town before long.

Beer Goggles

Anthony McKeown must have had a crate of his namesake brew before last Thursday's Glossopdale Area Forum, because he seemed to have attended a different meeting than some of our correspondents.

Rossington Park finds itself relegated to one paragraph in his latest blog, yet the issue dominated the meeting, with the anger being palpable. Whilst the council officers prattled on about distracting 'trinkets and baubles' such as new bins and playground equipment, they also did all they could to wring to their hands about the whole issue, going on about 'creating jobs' (which the area doesn't need as there's full employment) and being ham strung by planning regs. No one brought a violin.

McKeown was present, but chose to keep quiet (as did other more local councillors present - i.e. Mann and McKeown senior). Now he blames it on the Tories, for not being there. But it's one thing to not bother to turn up (for God's sake, we know they don't give a shit!), and another entirely to do so but keep quiet. The best any councillor could offer was to 'make the sheds (of RP) more in keeping with the environment' - yes, it was bloody Ivan Bell! He meant that they should be painted a different colour, but this individual means to split the campaign against Rossington Park, as we've noted before. 'Making them more in keeping with the environment' would mean levelling them. Amen to that!

And there was also plenty of talk of increased traffic in Hadfield. One or two made the link with RP, but how many others have seen the statistics about the predicted traffic increases when the bypass/spur comes online? People in Hadfield are currently looking down the barrel of a gun, and it's time to act before it's too late. It will be too late when the Bypass is built.

How convenient...

People travelling along Woolley Bridge Road from Hadfield will have noticed the slow and steady destruction on the road surface over the past few months, in particular the 50 yards or so leading up to the mini-roundabout at the (former) Spread Eagle pub with became very dangerous (virtually lethal for cyclists).

There's little doubt that the rapid deterioration is due in no small part to the increased HGV traffic coming to and from Rossington Park, because the wear was worst where the A57 meets Woolley Bridge Road.

So isn't it so convenient that a complete resurfacing has been completed this weekend gone - just in time for Inspector John Watson's site visits, which commence tomorrow?

Showdown

Following on from our last post, we're genuinely excited by another of Councillor McKeown's blogs today. He announces that Thursday's Glossopdale Area Forum meeting (7.00 p.m. Glossopdale Community College, Newshaw Lane) is all about 'Regenerating Hadfield'. Since the current policies of HPBC vis-a-vis Rossington Park are all about degenerating Hadfield, and because hundreds of people in the area are very pissed off, this should be a meeting worth attending to watch the shit hit the fan.

'Councillor' Brocklehurst at the Public Inquiry (again)

Still with Day #5 of the Public Inquiry, there's no point in talking about the boorish figure of Duncan Hollows (Siege) and his babblings apart from a priceless quote he awarded us - "I have not got the ability to foresee the future, so I am not omniscient" (page 52, line 13). Yes indeed, he is not God. Glad that's cleared up.

The best bit of the day is reserved for Joyce Brocklehurst, someone who we've talked about before, with particular reference to her contradictory calls for less traffic and more Industrial Development for Tintwistle.

But hang on - why does the Inquiry Programme call her 'Councillor'? She used to be, but now she's a Parish Councillor, and she admits as much, but has to point out she held this post for 16 years. 16 long, long years. And it's all over now. Shame that.

She's against public transport - "I do not think public transport is a good option for our area" (page 57, line 15). Well, I'm sorry but IT HAS TO BE. Private car ownership and the complete subservience of transport infrastructure towards it is destroying our environment.

And then she's onto her pet project. Two lines tells us all we need to know:

"I think this (Rossington Park) was built on the proviso that we had a Bypass" (page 57, line 18)

"it (Rossington Park) really needs this (the Bypass) to sustain a lot of the businesses there" (page 57, line 25)

She goes on to blame the traffic for the closure of local shops in Tinsle (page 58, line 17) - but the same thing is happening in Hadfield, and that has little to do with traffic, and everything to do with people getting in their cars to go to Tesco in Glossop.

But under questioning, she admits that although she envisages HGVs will use the Glossop Spur to get to Rossington Park (fuck people in Hadfield, that's not her Parish!) , they may still use the existing routes. It's not rocket science is it? Which route is the best one to Rossington Park?

A. Travel the length of the Bypass, queuing at all the traffic lights (which are meant to discourage HGVs apparently), before negotiating roundabouts, then the Spur and the hold ups to get to the A57.

or

B. Turn left down New Road, up Waterside, right at the Lamp onto Woolley Bridge Road and bingo, you're there.

It really is no contest, and she knows it. Why would HGVs go much further out of their way, and take much longer to do so? It's similar to the argument about HGVs using the M62 - coming along the A628 is actually quicker, even with the hold ups. And the same thing will happen with New Road, with or without the bypass.

The solution? No Bypass means a strangled Rossington Park. The alternative cannot be contemplated...

From the horses mouth

The Bypass promoters Proofs of Evidence have now been uploaded to the Persona Website, and there'a a lot of stuff to look at.

But we've spotted an interesting nugget in there already. In their Proof of Evidence (situated rather tellingly amongst TMBC's documents) High Peak Borough Council's Head of Planning and Development, Adrian Fisher, states rather blatantly the Council's position on the inter-related nature of the Bypass, Glossop Spur & Rossington Park. All in one paragraph (4.8), but here it is verbatim:

In the 1998 High Peak Local plan a large strategic employment site
was allocated at Etherow Park (now Rossington Park) off Wooley
Bridge Road in Hadfield. The Plan makes it clear that the planned
construction of the Bypass and spur would add to the attractiveness of
this site for investment and so was a significant factor in its allocation.
Following considerable new infrastructure Rossington Park is only now
fully coming on stream and the prospect of the bypass being completed
remains an important feature of local investment decisions.

The message to those opposing the Road & Rossington Park is clear - they are effectively part of the same plan, but the growth of Rossington Park (& no doubt similar developments) is dependent upon the bypass & spur being built. Without the bypass & spur, it cannot get any worse and may in fact wither away.

Our friend Councillor Ivan Bell has tried to put himself at the head of the campaign opposing Rossington Park, but in a recent letter to the Advertiser, the best he is able to offer now is that some of the existing monstrosities will be 'painted green' (Greenwash indeed) alongside making a call for everyone to go away now and leave it to the Councillors. But the Council and the Councillors are the reason we have this mess in the first place. Thanks Ivan, but we can get along fine without you...

Bounced out of Tintwistle - the pitfalls of campaigning on a 'pro-bypass ticket'

One of the more spectacular casualties of the local elections was Joyce Brocklehurst - a Labour Party Councillor, former mayor and very vocal in her support for the bypass.

She made no secret of her support for it, and unlike many of her fellow Councillors (and candidates for that matter) campaigned on the bypass.

And she was duly dumped by the electorate in Tintwistle.

If you read this article in the Glossop Advertiser, she's very contrite:

I am going to crack on and do what I can to get a community centre for Tintwistle, work to improve our traffic problems and most importantly see what can be done about these unsightly buildings.

The 'unsightly buildings' are of course, Bridge Mills and Rossington Park.

But people in Tinsle know all about her. Back in 2001 at a public meeting, she was mewling and puking openly about the need for a bypass, and also revealed some contradictions:

We have quite a lot of factories on the waterside. We are trying to get funding from the Government to help [such development] and the traffic problem is not helping our case. The local economy is suffering and local traffic is hindered.

What a surprise. She supported 'developments' at Waterside, but 'wanted to do something about the traffic'. Where did she think the traffic was headed?

And now of course, she wants to do something about 'unsightly buildings'. Built in anticipation of the bypass, which she supports. How will she get out of that one?

Ivan Bell...again

Further to yesterday's post, Councillor Bell's letter in the Chronicle is markedly different than that in the Advertiser. Again, here it is verbatim:

I wish to thank all the voters in Old Glossop for supporting Independent Councillor Chris Webster and myself.

There have been a lot of changes to the High Peak Borough Council this election and I hope that the 'in power' Conservative Party will recognise the expertise and commitment of two hardworking, honest, non-party councillors who have been returned virtually unopposed in Old Glossop.

Unti April 7, 2006, our unelected Peak District National Park Authority Council had supported the Longendale Bypass.

However, the officers of this quango had decided that the residents of Tintwistle, Hollingworth and Mottram should continue to suffer the continuing traffic problems by brining (sic) a motion before the April Council 2006 meeting to change policy and object to it.

Unfortunately, no recorded vote was taken, indeed the names of the proposer and seconder were not recorded and only a Cllr Mrs J Bevan (a Derbyshire Dales councillor) requested that her vote against the motion be recorded.

I have requested under the freedom of information act that these people's names and the full vote count be made available to me so I can name and shame them in a future letter.

I have also asked for a full list of all the expenses that these people are getting for misrepresenting the majority of Peak District residents.

Some of the more responsible environmental groups and councillors are pressing for wetland and tree planting (to replace the areas required for the bypass), to take place now so that when the bypass is constructed these will already be established and if the bypass is not constructed we will have gained extra wildlife areas

I would have thought that if the park authority were genuinely concerned about the area they would have been at the forefront of such a move instead of being swayed by negative thinking of non-park members.

I do not know how our two Labour Derbyshire County Council representatives voted, but I am rather concerned because their addresses listed on the Peak District website are very misleading, non-Post Office approved which could be construed to make people think they lived in the Peak District.

I really think that until such time as the Peak District National Park Authority is made up of elected members from the Peak District and not from selected members, its views on non-park issues should be treated with the contempt they deserve.

One of the things I will be hoping to cure now I have been re-elected, are the council speak gobbledygook documents and reports. These are designed to cover up secrets and hide the truth from the public by using terribly written buzz words, and jargon etc.

It seems that not only the HPBC and DCC are guilty of this, but a recent consultation document issued by the Park Authority is full of this gobbledygook and could do with a makeover from the Campaign for Plain English people (sic).

It's interesting that the Advertiser clearly chose to judiciously edit this rant to within an inch of it's life, but also how the Chronicle have excised all references to Rossington Park.

Perhaps he should have his own blog and give everyone a laugh on a regular basis?

Join the dots

Whilst we know that Labour Party Councillors (if not their members) are fully behind the bypass (and we needn't even talk about the Tories), some people might have hopes of independent councillors.

But that's all dispelled in a letter from Ivan Bell to this week's Glossop Advertiser. Once again, we will reproduce it verbatim below:

I wish to thank all the voters in Old Glossop for supporting Independent Councillor Chris Webster and myself.

There have been a lot of changes to the High Peak Borough Council this election and I hope that the powers that be in the Conservative Party will recognise the expertise and commitment of two hardworking, honest, non-party councillors who have been returned virtually unopposed in Old Glossop.

I have many things to do as a councillor, but most importantly, at the Public Inquiry on the bypass at Stalybridge I will be asking the inspector to give weight to the opinions of people who live in the villages of Mottram, Hollingworth and Tintwistle.

And to only note the opinions of unelected bodies like the Peak District National Park Authority and people who are not resident in those areas.

Some of the more responsible environmental groups and councillors are pressing for wetland and tree planting to replace the areas required for the bypass so that when the bypass is constructed these will be already established.

And regarding the eyesores of Rossendale Park (sic) Hadfield and Bridgend (sic) Tintwistle, I am sure the residents would applaud the Peak Park authority if it helps to curb the ravages of the council planners in allowing such unsightly developments to take place.

This plonker wants to have it both ways. He wants a bypass, but not Rossington Park. He's a fool - as we've shown, RP has been built in anticipation of the bypass, and the clear (but latent) plan to create a strategic transportation route will entail further development of this kind in the area.

Who cares if the Peak Park isn't an elected body? Councillors are, and look what a shower of shit they are. The fact of the matter is that the Peak Park are the only institution fighting this road. If they were elected, they no doubt be lobbied by corporations to bend over and give them want they want. Either that or they would be comprised of people who have a past career amongst those behind this road - hauliers for example, or even former councillors who've taken a bung at every available opportunity.

But then again, his contradictory logic condemns the 'unelected' Peak Park for opposing the bypass but commends it for anything they can do to stop Rossington Park. To cap it all he lives in and represents people in Old Glossop, not Hadfield, Tintwistle, Mottram and Hollingworth.

There's clearly something else at work here which merits further examination.

Those fighting Rossington Park have common cause with us. If this road goes ahead, it will be almost impossible to prevent Rossington Park and other such schemes.

Isn't it time for Fiddler's Green?*

Further Googling has revealed Rossington Park's own website, where they are promoting the properties they are selling in a curious manner.

Apparently, the location affords 'idyllic views' - indeed, it did before the same crew turned up with their warehouses.

More revealing is the telling phrase which boasts that "access (to the M60) is shortly to be improved ... following the recent announcement to progress the Tintwistle bypass". Do they know something we don't? And what did I say about this whole project being in anticipation of something else?

Best of all is the map, which shows a strangely grey area to the East - that'll be the huge sheds then. Best not to mention that, nor the hugely increased lorry traffic in this 'idyllic' part of Hadfield that the developers themselves are responsible for.



(and lets not mention that the whole website is strewn with sloppy typos/spelling errors)
*first comment to nail the origin of this phrase wins a prize

Rossington Park - the thin end of the wedge

An angry public meeting in Hadfield recently saw upwards of 70 people express frustration at the catastrophe that is Rossington Park, that mysterious, grey collection of huge carbuncles that dominate the landscape in our valley.


How this has all happened, seemingly without warning or any kind of informed public debate is at the root of that frustration. Following the suggestion in the witches post, I popped 'Rossington Park' into Google Maps, and found not only the clearly visible grey rooves of these monstrosities (see image above), but also references in the column at the side to companies based there.

Flowers-Plants2go Ltd
Unit 7, Rossington Park, Graphite Way, Hadfield, Glossop, Derbyshire, SK13 1QG

Audio Visual Link
Unit 3, Rossington Place, Rossington Park, Hadfield, SK13 1QG

But all of this is the thin end of the wedge. There are those that labour under the illusion that this bypass is being built to relieve three villages of traffic. The truth of its purpose can be found writ large in Hadfield, amongst those grey corporate bunkers where minimum-wage-slavery rules. They're anticipating something, and something big.

Questions need to be asked, ones to which we'll try to find answers for as time goes on:

• Why place traffic lights along the length of the bypass (interim answer - because you have them at junctions - again, something is being anticipated)?
• What's the link between the bypass, the Greater Manchester Pension Fund and Manchester Airport?
• What plans are there for a huge supermarket near Hattersley?
• Who benefits from mooted plans to build 800 houses along the A57 through to Hyde?

If you thought Rossington Park was bad, you've seen nothing yet. In the meantime, I suggest a new paint-job for visitors to Hadfield from outer space (where High Peak Borough Councillors seem to live).

Happy Easter From Rossington Park

Well, I was enjoying a couple of bypass activity free days when a small but powerful reminder of the impending doom reared its sweet but ugly head. Seemingly innocent Easter gifts sent to my kids purchased in Northampton arrived. Disgusting Lollypops manufactured in China, air freighted by the millions landed through our letterbox - you guessed it, they came via Rossington Park!
The new lorry hub of the North West built in anticipation of the bypass - R.i.P. Hadfield is now the major HGV drop off point and warehouse zone of the North West. The gigantic buildings can be seen from space (look up Hadfield on Google Maps) aliens might be wondering what on earth are we doing to the Peak District National Park. Uncle Roy, his alleged siege brother in law Mike and Mr Perry know exactly the plan. Warehouses and industrial parks for "economic generation" and f*ck the environment in the process!