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Road Closure: Knock Lane – Update received 29/11/2023

Essential maintenance works to improve the structural stability of the road.
Where: Knock Lane and Blisworth Road, (between Stoke Road and A508
roundabout).
When: Monday 4 December 2023 to Friday 15 December 2023 (weekday working only).
Working Hours: Road closed: 24/7 from Midnight (00:00) Monday 4th, 2023- 18:00 on Friday 8th December 2023.
Road closed: Monday 11th December 2023- 15th December 2023 between 08:00-16:30 (road will be accessible outside these hours on these dates).
Map of road Closure- Knock Lane

Blisworth Parish Council have asked the Police for support to keep traffic over 3T off the subsiding section of Stoke Road. 

For further traffic updates from SEGRO/Winvic, please check out our Highways and Traffic page.

Coffee, Chat and a warm and welcoming space at the Blisworth Baptist Chapel   

The new season for warm spaces starts at the Baptist Chapel, Chapel Lane, Blisworth from 7th November 2023: Every Tuesday and Friday (10am to 2 pm) and every Sunday (10am – 12:30pm) till the end of March.

If you would like to volunteer, please contact hello@blisworthbaptistchurch.org     01604 372483.

Blisworth Young Parish Councillors   –  Have your say!   https://www.facebook.com/1BYPC/

Blisworth Young Parish Council starting January.  Opportunity to join the team 11-17 yrs.  Empowering young people in Blisworth to have their say and be heard.

 Please help Blisworth Parish Council to support residents of Stoke Road –

Subsidence at Stoke Road – New Update  23/10/2023

 Blisworth Parish Council have notified the Bridge and Highway Structures Team Leader to alert them to the fact that there is increased and increasing volumes of traffic using Stoke Road and an increasing amount of  traffic that contravenes the 3.5 T weight restriction.  We also requested that they check the road again.  The Geotechnical engineer visited Stoke Road on 2^nd October 2023 and reported that no deterioration to the patched road surface was observed.  They also examined the embankment and no new signs of movement were observed.

Community Speed Watch group – Help to slow the traffic

We need to persuade the various representatives on the consultation panels for the Safer Roads Team that the residents are trying to do all they can to make Blisworth’s roads safer for the residents.   This is the first step to getting  the Police and Highways to do their bit, for example agreeing to the 20 mph zone and lower speed limits in other areas of the village.

Thank you to the residents from Blisworth, we now  have 12 volunteers and one resident has now kindly agreed to be the coordinator.   BPC have contacted the Police and we have been informed that the only available slot is March 2024 but at least we are on the waiting list so we can prove to the consultation panel that it is in hand and we are raring to go!

We could always do with standby volunteers so please can you contact the Clerk 07983233501 or blisworthparishcouncil@gmail.com if you would like to volunteer.

To be eligible to join the scheme each community will need at least 12 volunteers: (All training will be provided).

• one co-ordinator
• one deputy co-ordinator
• 10 volunteers

If you live on a road in Blisworth that has speeding issues, please contact the Clerk and volunteer to join.

Please note it is imperative that we have a co-ordinator and a deputy co-ordinator otherwise the Police will not agree to providing the training or the equipment to set up the group.

Blisworth Parish Council asked for a meeting with representatives from West Northants Council, Highways and the Police to discuss the traffic issues in the village.  They agreed to attend the Parish Council meeting on  Monday, 2nd October 2023.

Thank you to all the residents that attended.  The minutes to the meeting have now been published (Minutes for October-2-2023) and sent to all the representatives that attended the meeting, with the reminder that now they need to work together to resolve the traffic issues in Blisworth.  Blisworth Parish Council will continue to correspond with all the representatives that attended the meeting to ensure that there is action as agreed at the meeting.

This meeting was in response to a letter sent by Blisworth Parish Council  raising concerns regarding the ongoing traffic issues through the village. The letter has been sent for the attention of:

Massive HGV warehouse development on land west of Northampton Road (Planning Application WNS/2022/1134/MAO).

Please continue to upload your objections, if possible we need 1000 objections.

We wanted to bring this application to residents’ attention again because there have been some amendments to the original planning application and if we do not respond, it may well be agreed.  As stated in the last R&A, the plans include approx. 50 HGVs loading/waiting bays, 110 plus car parking spaces and 16 HGVs per hour through the village!  In an amendment, it was suggested that a ‘routing system’ will stop vehicles accessing the village.  They will advise drivers that they will not be allowed to go through the village, but they have not stipulated who will monitor the HGVs or what fines, if any, will be applied.  WNC and the Police do not have the power or labour to monitor the routes that the HGVs use nor will the Police have any legal powers to enforce any recommendations the developer suggests.  Therefore the reality is that all these HGVs will pass through the village.  BPC has resubmitted another comprehensive objection but we need residents to individually submit objections.  Though this proposed development will devalue your property and reduce your ability to sell, the planning committee are not allowed to consider these points in its deliberations.

However, as a resident you can submit an objection and highlight that:

• Already, each time there is an issue with either the A43, A508 or M1, there are significant increases in traffic flows through the village from c5,000 to c9,000 vehicles daily and queuing traffic is now being regularly witnessed up Towcester Road onto the A43 and on the A43 lay-by to turn right into Blisworth, in addition to tailbacks of traffic along Northampton Road beyond the railway bridge, at peak hours.
• Even if, as the developer now suggests, their HGVs will not be able to access the village, then the only route will be Northampton Road but there is not the capacity for this type or increased volume of traffic. It will cause chaos at the Tesco/Mereway roundabout and through Milton Malsor and Collingtree.
• Furthermore, the Secretary of State for Transport has recently agreed that the Gateway, rail-freight terminal can begin operations ahead of ensuring that the rail-freight terminal is operational, leading to further traffic on all routes around the village.
• The original application stated that the location was ideally suited due to the road links with the A43, A508 and M1 but there simply isn’t the capacity on the Blisworth roads for a new development of this type and magnitude.
• The increase in traffic will significantly undermine the buildings in the Conservation area, many of which, by nature of their age, have issues with their foundations.
• Any further increase in traffic along Northampton Road and through the village will increase traffic fumes and noise pollution.
• Already children and the elderly in the village cannot safely navigate the roads due to the speed and quantity of traffic.
• This proposed development will significantly reduce the quality of life of residents in the village.
• If you have photographic evidence to show the amount of traffic on the Northampton Road or through the village, please include these in your letter/email.
• BPC have suggested that to ensure that HGVs from this proposed development cannot pass through Blisworth, the physical design of the access should be amended to include a traffic island so that it is physically impossible for HGVs to turn right towards Blisworth when leaving the site or turn left from Blisworth to enter the site. Appropriate signage on the site and on the approaches should also be provided. We urged that these measures should be made a condition attached to any planning consent.

Even if you do not live on the main routes, please consider writing to support your fellow residents.   Remember also, the above, are a few points that you can include, but it is important that you make the letter your own and do not simply copy and paste these points. To submit your objection type in the address: https://wnc.planning-register.co.uk/Planning/Display/WNS/2022/1134/MAO and select COMMENT ON THIS APPLICATION, or write to: Mr Daniel Callis, Principal Planning Officer – Major Projects Team, West Northants Council, The Forum, Moat Lane, Towcester, Northants NN12 6AD. Quote Planning application no. WNS/2022/1134/MAO Land west of Northampton Road.

Police & Neighbourhood Watch Scheme:

The Neighbourhood alert system has been renamed “Northamptonshire Talking”.   Regular updates about local crime and matters of priority within South Northants are on Neighbourhood Alert www.northamptonshireneighbourhoodalert.co.uk/.

There is a coffee catch up planned at the Blisworth Community Cafe (Blisworth Baptist Church) on 29 August 2023 at 10:00am where the Community Support Officer PCSO will be present.  Cllr Read will be attending and all are welcome.

Works at the Closed Cemetery, Blisworth

Work on the Closed Cemetery will start on Friday, 27th October 2023.

Blisworth Parish Council currently has a number of plots that are vacant on the Parish Council allotments, off Courteenhall Road.  If you would like a relaxing place to grow your own veg or flowers, please contact the clerk.  Fees are only £6.00 per year.

Thank you to all the residents that attended the Annual Parish Meeting and for your engagement with the voting process about Blisworth Parish Council’s future priorities. It was great for the councillors to hear your views and share ideas, as well as enjoying cake!

We asked residents to vote on seven different suggestions/future expenditure priorities (listed below) to identify where residents might want to spend our limited funds and which ones are thought to be the most urgent.   (The pound signs are an indication of the costs involved).

1. A traffic calming chicane on Stoke Road (within village limits) similar to a chicane in Shutlanger village. ££££
2. Further Signage: 20 mph limit near the school, improve weight-limit signage for Stoke Road etc  ££
3.  Traffic operated crossing across High Street, near Blisworth School (where the current bus lane is).  ££££
4. Happy to Chat Bench in the village to improve village interaction. £
5. A footpath from the Tunnel Carpark into the village   ££££
6. Electric E charge on the streets to encourage electric car take up Free
7. Improve pavements including installing dropped kerbs £££

Below are the results of engagement with residents on future expenditure priorities (including votes collected at the Annual Parish Meeting, online votes via Blisworth Parish Council Facebook page and voting boxes at the Blisworth shop, St John’s Church and the Baptist Church).

128  Votes – A calming chicane on Stoke Road (within village limits) similar to the chicane in Shutlanger village.

123 Votes – Further Signage: 20 mph limit near the school, improve  weight-limit signage for Stoke Road etc.

113 Votes – Improve pavements including installing dropped kerbs.

104 Votes – A footpath from the Tunnel Carpark into the village.

57 Votes – A traffic operated crossing (current bus lane) High Street near Blisworth School.

25 Votes – Community engagement initiatives – e.g., ‘Happy to Chat Bench.’

13 Votes – Electric E charge on the streets to encourage electric car take up.

Blisworth Parish Council will need to seek further consultation and agreement from West Northants Council and Highways prior to actioning these initiatives.

Blisworth Parish Council Surgery

Volunteering at the Closed Cemetery

There was a great turn out from residents eager to volunteer to help maintain the Closed Cemetery (opposite St John’s Church).  A special thank you to the children who worked so hard to clear many of the weeds! Please contact the Clerk if you would like join the group of volunteers to help in the future.

WNC Cost of Living Support