Village News Archive

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REDUNDANT farm buildings at Winterton Holmes could be given a new lease of life as part of a bid to overcome the effect of reducing government support for farming.

Permission is being sought from the Broads Authority to change the use of the barns, which are on the Burnley Hall estate, from agricultural to a classification that covers shops, restaurants and cafes and offices.

In a letter to the authority, Dan Hewett, head of planning at agents Wilson Wraight said the conversion was sought to preserve their presence in the historic landscape and provide an additional source of income for the farm.

“With the scaling back of the Basic Payment Scheme over the next five years, there is a necessity to diversify the farming business in order to replace the lost income from these payments and keep the farming business viable.”

The prior notification application is for a site on a concrete track off Holmes Road in the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is close to walking routes.

Norfolk County Council’s highways department said although information was limited, the change of use would result in more vehicles going to and from the site along the track, so the access from the highway should be widened and the first 15 metres of track upgraded.

Visit www.broads-authority.gov.uk/planning to view the application details.

THE Loke leak has returned, and with it the confusion over who is responsible for fixing it.

Water has been running down from the access road next to Pratt’s Buildings, forming into a lake on King Street and running down The Loke to Beach Road for several weeks. It was still running as the newsletter went to press.

Parish councillors heard at the July meeting that the source of the leak was believed to be on private land and there was a difference of opinion as to who was responsible for fixing it.

The same thing happened last summer, when the water ran for almost two months.

ENFORCEMENT officers have been called in following complaints the two new homes being built on the site of the former Caters garage are not being constructed in line with planning approval.

As the permission stands both should be three-bedroomed homes, built with an integral garage. An application to change the internal layout of one to remove the garage and replace it with a room had not been decided as the newsletter went to press.

But both have been built without a garage and one of the properties went on the market on July 21 as a four-bed home, priced at £550k.

Borough councillor James Bensly told the July full meeting of the parish council the

THE parish council is to set up a working group to work on getting the village hall connected to the internet and it needs people with IT experience to help members understand what’s involved.

It is looking at applying for a £500 Go Digital grant and wants to make a decision on it at the next meeting in September. Cllr Marina Carr said: “Before we do it councillors need to be absolutely clear what they want from having internet in the village hall.”

But an online booking system for the hall has now gone live at venuehire.scribeaccounts.com/WintertononSea-Parish-Council

WARNING signs will be brought back on Winterton beach after the death of a swimmer.

And it’s likely the Coast Watch station will return, this time mounted on a trailer and sited on land just north of the fishermen’s sheds.

The woman, who was in her 60s, was recovered from the water on July 24 after a two-hour land and sea search involving Hemsby, Caister, Sea Palling and Gorleston lifeboats and a Coastguard helicopter.

At last week’s full parish council meeting borough councillor James Bensly said it had been an unprecedented weekend. The crews were called out to two young girls drifting out to sea on an inflatable and a missing man on the same day.

He said the borough was exploring the possibility of putting up signs similar to the warnings that used to be over Beach Road and on the beach itself. He was offering his ward budget so the money would be there. The council was also looking at installing a windsock.

“This is all going to be happening as soon as the Coast Watch station is down.” He explained he had been pushing the council to allow it to be installed as soon as possible and for a retrospective planning application to follow.

A site had been found and the landowner was supportive. “It is just a matter of crossing the Ts and making sure what we put down there is correct."

Deputy chairman Nigel Coe asked if advice could be put in all of the holiday homes and Cllr Marina Carr said the same thing could happen again before the measures were up and running, so social media and leaflets would be important.

“We don’t want to scare people from coming here but we have to ensure they realise how dangerous the environment can be.” Cllr Bensly said the borough had posters and content for World Drowning Prevention Day, which this year fell on July 25.

Anne Child asked if warning signs could be installed at other entrances to the beach as well as the Beach Road access. “We used to have lifeguards on the beach and a first aid station. We’ve lost all of those,” she said, recognising lifeguards couldn’t cover all the beach. “We have them at Hemsby and Sea Palling. Why don’t we have them here?”

Cllr Bensly told her: “If we can get the signs up I’m looking at Winterton Ness, the car park, the cable sign, Bush Road steps, James Gray Close.”

And he said he would ask the Hemsby lifeboat crew to run a session at Winterton giving water safety advice.

After the death Caister Lifeboat posted on social media that strong offshore winds and fast moving tides on the first weekend of the school summer holidays had been exceptionally busy.

The inshore boat had already rescued two 13-year-old girls who were drifting out to sea on an inflatable dingy off Scratby. Crews had also searched for a missing man off Yarmouth, but nothing was found.

“As well as doing their best in our last rescue that day, they know that they have helped a grieving family by finding her, granting them some peace and closure.”

Hemsby lifeboat posted: “Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and friends of this lady; this is not the outcome any of those involved in the search would have wanted, but everything that could be done was done. Thank you to Sea Palling, Gorleston and Caister and thanks also to the Coastguard teams, police and air ambulance for their efforts.”

planning enforcement officer had been alerted and was going to make a site visit. Planning regulations staff would also be going through the evidence.

The parish has already raised concerns that the change to the plan will add to parking problems in the village and pointed out the original bid for four-bedroomed homes had to be amended to obtain planning permission.

In its objection it said the developer had taken a risk, but that should not be a factor in the final decision because it could set a poor example for other developers in the future.  

An application for two three-bed with integral garages and access at the front was approved in December, after Norfolk County Council’s highways department objected to an original scheme that featured access from Bath Path.

In their advert, estate agents describe the house as a “stunning new build detached property, one of an exclusive development of two dwellings.”

They list parking for three cars, flexible spacious accommodation, an enclosed garden and say it will be available this summer.

A NEW beach access has been created just in front of the old lifeboat base after erosion claimed the sand ramp at the end of Beach Road.

Supporters, including holiday homeowners, raised nearly £2,000 in a crowdfunder set up by Rachael MacSweeney to help pay for the work.

In a statement the parish council said the scheme was agreed by Natural England and the dune was not cut into.

HUGE flames from a field fire in Horsey could be seen in Winterton.

Crews from six stations including Yarmouth, Acle and Martham were called to tackle the blaze on land off The Street at 9.30pm on July 24.

Parish Councillors John Smithson, Marie Hartley, Mark Bobby, Nigel Coe and Dawn Clegg with Norfolk Broads Lions Club President Stephen Pyzer

Thinking it was a good idea for others in the village, she approached Norfolk Broads Lions.

Club President Stephen Pyzer told the newsletter it was a national scheme and was for anyone who was vulnerable, not just the elderly.

He said: “It’s something that’s known in the community but perhaps not enough.”

Parish council chairman Mark Bobby added: “We just want to raise the profile. I don’t think many people are aware of it.”

More than six million Message in a Bottle kits have been dished out by Lions Clubs International. The idea of putting them in the fridge is that almost every home has one and it means the pot can be easily located.

Emergency services and social services back the scheme because it helps them identify someone and find out quickly whether they have allergies or what medication they’re on.

Kits are available by contacting Dawn on email at cllrclegg@gmail.com or on 07748 597647.

For more about Norfolk Broads Lions visit facebook.com/Norfolk-Broads-Lions-Club-110222573769632

A LITTLE plastic pot of potentially life-saving information is being offered free to vulnerable and elderly people in Winterton.

Lions Message in a Bottle is a way of keeping vital medical and contact information safe but readily available in an emergency to people like paramedics, police and firefighters.

A small pot containing a form with details like medication, allergies, GP details, carer and next of kin contact numbers is kept in the fridge, with one sticker placed on the door and another on the front door.

Parish councillor and community champion Dawn Clegg discovered the scheme after spotting a sticker when she popped in to see a neighbour. “He had one on his door and it made me curious,” she said. “His granddaughter is a paramedic and she got it for him.

PUPS were on song in the pews at a special service for pets in the parish church today.

Dogs of all shapes and sizes - and even a picture of a cat - were brought to the event by their owners to listen to themed hymns and readings.

FIREFIGHTERS battled a blaze on the dunes late last night.

The alarm was raised shortly before 9.30pm when flames were seen in the distance to the north of the fishermen’s sheds.

Nine appliances from Martham, Gorleston, Gt Yarmouth and Cromer were called to deal with the wildfire.

One crew had to cut away bushes and undergrowth at the North Market Road entrance to get access to the reserve.

Firefighters were still there early this morning when a large blackened area could be seen. A Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said this morning: “Crews are still on scene dampening the ground to prevent reignition.”

The cause is not yet known.

Pictures: Gary Swales, Simon Carter, Sandy Cowley and Winterton Newsletter