Month: <span>August 2014</span>

Take a look at our new Scrapbook

A new section has been added to the Local History pages on this website. The Hodnet Scrapbook features selected newspaper cuttings, articles and photographs some going back over 100years. At present it is spread over 14 pages, but it is hoped that it will expand in the future.
Here are some of the pictures from the past featured amongst its pages – do you recognise anyone in them?

Hodnet Parish Plan: 5 Year Update

Lyon Hall, Thursday Sept. 18th, 7.30pm
Come Along and Share Your Thoughts
At this early stage the Parish Council wants to hear your thoughts and gather volunteers for a working group to update the Parish Plan.
There are probably lots of issues which affect you and your family in some way so it is important that you come along. It is vital that this update is for the community and led by the community.
What do you like about the Parish?
What would you like to change in the Parish?
What would you like to see in the future?

You may have views on:

  • Healthcare
  • Environment
  • Communications
  • Employment
  • Youth
  • Housing
  • Roads
  • Traffic
  • Education
  • Resources
  • Sustainability
  • Services
  • Facilities

Please join us to share your views and let us know your ideas.
For more information, contact the Parish Clerk – Mrs M Rees 01630 685745 or email

New Planning Application – Drayton Road, Hodnet

Drayton Road Proposed Site Plan
Image of Proposed Site Plan, Drayton Road.
Click image to download the PDF version.
A number of local residents have received notice of an outline planning application for the erection of 14 dwellings on land off Drayton Road on the edge of Hodnet. Full details of the application can be found here on the Planning portal of the Shropshire Council’s website. There are eight documents in total available on the Council’s website for download as PDF files. The Planning Statement (Design & Access) consists of 48 pages whilst the Heritage Statement is slightly shorter at 39 pages.
[N.B. Problems have been reported using the direct links links to the planning documents from this post. This appears to be due to the way the Planning portal site functions. If you are having similar problems, please follow this link the “Documents” tab and access them from there.]
The “Details > Important Dates” tab gives the “Neighbour Consultation Expiry Date” as Friday, 22 Aug 2014. Any resident wishing to comment on this application should make sure that they do so by the above date. Comments can be made on-line via the application’s pages on the Planning portal or in writing to the Planning Department either at Edinburgh House, New Street, Wem, SY4 5DB or Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, SY2 6ND. Anyone sending in their comments by post should quote the application reference number 14/03403/OUT. Normally, planning applications can be viewed at the council’s offices, but we recommend that anyone wishing to do so phone the Shropshire Council Customer Service Team on 0345 678 9004 first.
The outline planning application states that the proposals include forming “a footpath link to Wollerton“. Whilst many local residents would welcome such a provision, it should be noted that as proposed it will not connect directly with the existing pavement on the old A53 which starts at the junction with the side road at the Hodnet end of Wollerton village. The Indicative Footpath Route Plan along with the text of the Planning Statement show that it will only go as far as the the point where the existing footpath from Wollerton Old Hall meets Drayton Road. This would leave around half a mile along a busy road without a pavement. Under this proposal the “safe route” to Wollerton would be along the footpath across the fields to the place where the old railway line ends, then through Wollerton Old Hall’s car parking field and onto the unclassified road. A further item for consideration is that the footpath across the fields between the course of the disused railway and Drayton road is poorly defined, as the ground has often been ploughed.

Another vehicle collision on the A442

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service report an accident between a van and a car on the A442 at Peplow, which occurred around 10:30pm last night (Wed. 6th Aug, 2014).
Limited details are available here on in the Incidents section of their website. Two people were trapped in the vehicles with one being released before the arrival of the Fire & Rescue crew. The other had to be released using the specialised hydraulic equipment carried on the rescue tender. Both casualties were taken to hospital by ambulance.
Update: The Market Drayton Advertiser (8 Aug.) carried a report of the accident. It stated that a woman was trapped in the car by her legs and it was had suspected she had sustained a fractured pelvis. Once extricated from the wreckage she was taken to the trauma centre at University Hospital North Staffordshire for further emergency treatment. A man who had sustained a foot injury in the collision, was treated at the scene before being taken to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. It also states that the A442 was closed for recovery work and accident investigation for around 9 hours until approximately 8 o’clock the following morning. A similar report is available here on the Shropshire Star website.
Sadly, it seems that staff at the Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service control centre may not be as familiar with the local area as they might be. Incident report No. 27045 gives the location of the incident as “Peplow, A442, Odnet” rather than “Hodnet”!

Final dog access gate installed

At the weekend, on the only day it has rained for weeks -how do we choose them? a few hardy souls from the footpath group installed the last of the three planned dog gates on the route from Hodnet to Long Lane (Hodnet Walks 2).
In line with the claim on the reprinted leaflets about to hit the streets, this will make the whole of Walk 2 ‘dog friendly’.
They say that practice makes perfect, and our Mk III gate has undoubtedly evolved from our earlier attempts – we like it and we hope that users do too.
Here are some photos.

BEFORE
BEFORE
DURING - THANK GOODNESS FOR THAT BROLLY!
DURING – Thank goodness for that brolly!
TEST RUN
TEST RUN – Alf does the honours
AFTER
AFTER – Alf thought it so much fun, he wanted another go!