Peter Harling

I note with some relief that the Parish Council have at last accepted Shropshire Council's advice that the development trend in the parish is 6 houses per year, that is about 80 houses over the next 13 years. Since they have reiterated their decision that we should be a 'community cluster', all they have to do now is severely limit the promoted sites for development.
In the minutes of their meeting in November they explained that their decision to designate the parish as a community cluster was to allow housing for the younger members of the parish to be provided and that if we were designated as 'countryside' no development would be allowed outside the current development boundaries. This is not the case as 'affordable housing' can be provided outside development boundaries even if we are 'countryside'. Therefore, why did they decide, without any proper consultation of residents, to designate us as a 'community cluster' ?
May I also point out that my submission to the PC on the 11th Feb was a survey and not a petition as reported in their minutes.
Finally, I appreciated Angela Bright's article in this month's Wren entitled 'Chirk Bank Community Group' and applaud her stance.

Ok all
1000 houses, is there a need. I don't think.there are many houses in the village which could be bought by locals if the price of properties carry on as they are it will be a nightmare for anyone Would new builds be any more affordable I doubt it very much .I know people who have council property in the village who have asked to upgrade ie-from a flat to house and vic versa and the council doesn't want to know,in fact people from outside the village get the property first but that's another story.
Lets have a public vote on what is required regarding building as we are the ones which live here.
I have lived in this parish for over 40 yrs , and am not against change , but wouldn't it be nice if the youngsters of today and tomorrow had at least some of the fields and woods to play in as I and my friends did.

Sounds good Maggie, but think most of the clean up could be done by locals! Do like the idea of planters and wildflower seads.
could we not get it match funded to get even more done?

I personally hope that they get the funding needed to make this work, a place were small businesses can set up, a cafe for local people to meet and a tourist info point. This really is what Chirk/Chirk bank needs. It is a fantastic opportunity to do something great with a beautiful old building instead of pulling it down and throwing up some more houses.

Had an email wanting news for November's World Heritage Site e-bulletin, so can peeps let me know if they know of anything interesting within the WHS in Chirk Bank so I can relay it, we don't want it to be dominated by news from Wrexham!

Deadline has been extended until 17th October and you can fill it in on-line via this link

http://www.shropshire-rcc.org.uk/assets/userfiles/parishplans/questionnaires/Big_Local_Survey/big_local_area_survey.htm

so no excuse now for a computer literate person like you Simon :) . There will be an announcement of a public meeting at the end of November, and if you like I will try to put some of the results of the questionnnaire up on this site. Its really important to get a consensus of opinion about what we should spend our £1 million on in the area. So far the 'steering group' (for want of a better word) have been looking at how we reach everyone in the villages, but once we move into actual projects and gasp spending money, then there is obviously going to need to be a group of representatives set up so that we are truly working together to use the money wisely. Last thing anyone wants is for anyone to feel they have been left out of decisions.

Weston Rhyn Youthclub are offering free bike lights to youthclub members in Weston Rhyn.

Pop your bike up to the Institute when the youth club is on (7pm to 9pm every Thursday) and we will even fit them for you. :D

What about having a go at clearing thecanal embankment slope on the Gledrid side of Avondale? Its a scrubby mess, and sycamores are growing up to hide the view. There is a seat there, but doubt you could see very much at present. Could this then be sowed with wildflower seeds? The brambles are choking out the rosebay willow herb which are very pretty where they flower. It would also be nice to put a planter or 2 alongside the canal in Chirk Bank.

I LOVE the history of this area, the great tales that you get told at local coffee mornings,there seems to be such a fantastic community spirit, where people are passionate about where they live and what happens to where they live. A truly beautiful place. (And whiskers on kittens)

Everytime I try to post anything on Wrexhams year of culture facebook page it gets removed, All postings are done to promote the 11 mile corridor but it seems that Wrexham don't want to play nice!!!!!!!! I/ we ( the Aqueducks) get about 5000 hits a month, shame we can't promote Wrexham when they wont let us on. If you want to take a look at some great pics then go to: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pontcysyllte-Aqueduct/168316099898223

craigemery...... maybe, just maybe, this forum will get like minded people together to organise some of the events you mention. It appears to me that there are a lot of people who say, I miss or I wish we had... and if they got together then we could put all these events back on.

Sadly here we go, I'm talking to myself

I'm really enjoying this site at the moment, but wondering why people are lurking but not joining in. I'll end up talking to myself at this rate and then they will have a reason to come and take me away!
;)

Chirk Bank Memories
The podcasts and video produced by Audioguide Ltd and residents of Chirk Bank for the Aqueducks are now available via the internet. The slide show can be found on You tube

http://youtu.be/Uu1XiYn24bw

and this link takes you to the podcasts,

http://mobile.audio-...e.co.uk/home/cb

These have been used for blue tooth, QR codes and podcast distribution to 3G mobile phones during this summer for visitors to Chirk Bank and have proved very popular. It is very fitting that we are going to use state of the art technology to interpret something (the canal and aqueduct) that was itself state of the art 200 years ago. Local people will probably recognise many of the voices on the podcasts. If you've got ant more stories get in touch with Aqueducks.

http://www.aqueducks.org

Aqueducks only cover the World Heritage Site but it would be fun to extend this sort of thing along the canal through St Martins and Gobowen.

I've just worked out how to do links so these addresses above should now go where I want them to and no copying and pasting needed.