The Great Saint James Road Planning Application Saga. Ahem!

You know, I don’t know whether I’ve done something wise or not.

But I’ve just had an email from Dawn Taylor, a Customer Services Team Leader at Brentwood Council: to inform me — and the rest of my neighbours, I’m assuming — about the Planning and Licenses Committee meeting on the 7th of September.

Complete with details of how to object to the proposed plans Taylor Wimpey have, to turn the patch of greenery, pictured, into a block of flats.

Here’s what she said in the attached letter.

B C Fagg Interim

Head of Planning and Regulation

When telephoning or calling please ask for

Ms D Taylor, Direct Line: (01277) 312605

Email: dawn.taylor@brentwood.gov.uk

Your ref:

Our ref: TB(P)BRW/384/2010

27TH August 2010

11 May 2009

Dear Sir/Madam,

FORMER N V TOOLS SITE, ST JAMES ROAD, BRENTWOOD

PROPOSED 71NO. DWELLINGS (32NO. ONE BEDROOM FLATS & 39NO. TWO BEDROOM FLATS) & ASSOCIATED VEHICULAR ACCESS FROM ST JAMES ROAD, CAR PARK, CYCLE STORE AND BIN STORE

(BRW/384/2010)

I write to advise you that the above-mentioned planning application is to be considered by the Council's Planning Committee at its meeting on Tuesday 7th September 2010, commencing at 7pm in the Council Chamber at these offices.

The Council has introduced a facility whereby the Applicant and other people who have made representations on a planning application may address the Committee about the planning application should they so wish.

Speeches of up to three minutes duration are allowed from one objector, one supporter, an approved amenity association or local interest group, and the Applicant (or his Agent), provided that they have given notice of their wish to speak at the meeting before 4pm on the day before the meeting.

You may therefore speak for up to 3 minutes, but no written material plans or photographs can be submitted. Questions cannot be asked by you at the meeting and you do not have the right to vote.

If you wish to address the Committee, I should be grateful if you would let the Committee Co-ordinator know by NOT LATER THAN 4pm on Monday 6th September 2010. This can be done in writing to Ms D Taylor, Planning Admin Unit, Town Hall, or by telephoning (01277) 312605.

If this advance notice is not given, then I regret that it will not normally be possible to address the Committee.

I must add that only one objector may address the Committee. The order in which people may speak is:-

1. Those making representations (e.g. one objector and one supporter).

2. Other bodies (e.g. amenity/residents associations).

3. Applicant or Agent.

Your written representations will of course be reported to the Committee in any event.

I trust that you will contact the Council if you wish to speak at the meeting.

Yours faithfully

Ms D Taylor

Customer Care Team Leader (Built Environment)

Nice and formal, isn’t it … ?

But here’s where I think I’ve been unwise.

Or possibly not.

Lets say nervous about.

Because I’ve volunteered to be the token objector on the night.

Right, now, here’s where I think I’m going to need help.

If you’re one of my neighbours, or living in the Saint James Road area, I think I need you to suggest ideas on what to emphasise on the night.

But, while I’m nervous about the idea … ?

I’m enough of a tart for the attention to look forward to using x amount of years worth experience of amateur dramatics and six years worth of presenting pub quizzes to some good use.

The Daily Teaser …

You know, I’ve got to confess, I’m up a bit earlier than usual.

I’ve got an early — earlyish, at any rate — appointment at the Doctors.

Nothing too worrying: I’ve got a lump in my neck that Dr Qureshi’s already diagnosed as a cyst. And should be removably through simple surgery.

Here’s hoping … !

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At any rate, let’s get moving on, shall we … ?

Yes lets … !

Yesterday’s Teaser saw the Dream Ticket that is both Trevor and Kaiju putting in their answers: with both scoring 5 out of 5, it also saw Trevor quoting this chap and Kaiju defining the period of fossils used in yesterday’s second question.

Cambrian, so you know!

So lets see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we … ? Yes, lets. Here they are, along with the ‘How To’ and License …

Q1) 31st August, 1948, saw which Hollywood star arrested for possession of marijuana … ?

Q2) 31st August, 12 AD saw the birth of Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus: how is he more commonly known … ?

Q3) 31st August, 1971, saw the birth of which Irish golfer … ?

Q4) 31st August, 1973, saw the death of director, John Ford: in which of his films did John Wayne make his first — uncredited — appearance … ?

Q5) And finally … 31st August, 1969, saw the death of the only heavyweight boxing champion to finish his career, undefeated: who was he … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) August 30th, 1976, saw which carnival end in extensive rioting … ?


A1) The Notting Hill Carnival.

Q2) 30th August 1909, saw the discovery of the Burgess Shale, by Charles Doolittle Walcott: the Burgess Shale contained the world’s largest source of … what … ?

A2) Fossils.

Q3) According to the International Committee of the Red Cross — and others — is the International Day of the … what … ?

A3) Disappeared.

Q4) 30th August, 1993, saw the death of actor, Richard Jordan: in which 1976 film did he play Francis 7 … ?

A4) Logan’s Run.

Q5) And finally … 30th August, 1914, was the last day of which WW1 battle … ?

A5) The Battle of Tannenberg.

Enjoy those, everyone: I’ll catch you later!

Wall Of Voodoo - Mexican Radio

The Daily Teaser …

You know, you’ve probably guessed by now that, this time of the morning, I’ll usually have either the BBC News Channel or Yesterday playing in the background.

I’ll be honest, at the moment … ?

It’s the news.

Mostly because Yesterday are showing The Rag Nymph: a historical drama based on a novel by Catherine Cookson.

Now, I’m not going to complain too much.

But Catherine Cookson … ?

Really isn’t my thing …

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Let’s get moving on, shall we … ? Whilst the local news gets read out …

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Trevor and Kaiju putting in their answers: with both managing to score 5 out of 5, it also saw Trevor putting in some fascinating quotes from Richard Attenborough, and Kaiju telling us of his personal experiences with Hurricane Katrina.

Kaiju, it sounds like that must have been one heck of a bad day …

Let’s get moving on, shall we … ?

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Yes, lets …

Here’s today’s questions, along with the ‘How To’ and License …

Q1) August 30th, 1976, saw which carnival end in extensive rioting … ?


Q2) 30th August 1909, saw the discovery of the Burgess Shale, by Charles Doolittle Walcott: the Burgess Shale contained the world’s largest source of … what … ?

Q3) According to the International Committee of the Red Cross — and others — is the International Day of the … what … ?

Q4) 30th August, 1993, saw the death of actor, Richard Jordan: in which 1976 film did he play Francis 7 … ?

Q5) And finally … 30th August, 1914, was the last day of which WW1 battle … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 29th August, 1541, saw a force of Ottoman Turks capture which Hungarian city: Buda, Pest or Óbuda … ?


A1) Buda: saying that, all three cities make up what’s NOW called Budapest …

Q2) Twenty years earlier, 29th August, 1521, saw an Ottoman Turk force capture what’s now which city … ?

A2) Belgrade.

Q3) 29th August, 2005, saw which storm make landfall in the USA … ?

A3) Hurricane Katrina.

Q4) 29th August, 1930, saw the evacuation — after various ecological privations — or which Outer Hebridean archipelago … ?

A4) Saint Kilda.

Q5) 29th August, 1920, saw the birth of which influential Jazz musician … ?

A5) Charlie ‘The Bird’ Parker.

Enjoy those, everyone.

I’ll catch you later.

The Daily Teaser …

You know, I’ve got to confess, I’ve got the news on, at the moment.

Well …

I’ve got the BBC News channel on.

They’re doing the by-now-traditional review of the Sunday papers.

And claims from a certain Tony Blair that he was a peace-maker … ? Were met with a certain amount of polite scepticism.

I know I wasn’t exactly enamoured of the guy, that’s a certainty …

And less so, after the whole invasion of Iraq.

We — the western allies — may have done some objective good in helping oust Saddam Hussain.

But I personally … ?

Still believe that, however good an excuse the War On Terror may have been, feel that the basis for the invasion — Hussain’s alleged Weapons of Mass Destruction — was extremely shaky, at the very best.

But let’s move on, shall we? Before I start to really rant and totally spoil the morning … !

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Yesterday’s Teaser saw Trevor, Kaiju and AlexandraFunFit all putting their answers in: it saw both Trevor and Kaiju bagging seven out of seven and Alexandra keeping up her personal batting average, by scoring 3 points.

And, yes, Alexandra, I would love to pay people: or, at least, hand out prizes.

Will good intentions count … ? Oh, and going down on one knee and looking suitably apologetic … ?

I hope so …

Anyway, let’s move on, shall we? By seeing how everyone does with today’s questions. Here they are, along with the ‘How To’ and License …

Q1) 29th August, 1541, saw a force of Ottoman Turks capture which Hungarian city: Buda, Pest or Óbuda … ?

Q2) Twenty years earlier, 29th August, 1521, saw an Ottoman Turk force capture what’s now which city … ?

Q3) 29th August, 2005, saw which storm make landfall in the USA … ?

Q4) 29th August, 1930, saw the evacuation — after various ecological privations — or which Outer Hebridean archipelago … ?

Q5) 29th August, 1920, saw the birth of which influential Jazz musician … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions …

Q1) 28th August, 1917, saw ten suffragettes arrested whilst picketing which iconic US building … ?


A1) 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: otherwise known as the White House.

Q2) 28th August, 1961, saw which US record company release what was to become its first No. 1: which record company … ?

A2) Motown.

Q3) More to the point, what was the song … ?

A3) Please Mr. Postman.

Q4) Equally to the point, who was that versionby … ?

A4) The Marvelettes.

Q5) 28th August, 1917, saw the birth of comic book artist, Jack Kirby: which comic book character did he co create — in 1941 — with writer, Joe Simon … ?

A5) Captain America.

Q6) 28th August, 1940, saw the birth of musician, Nik Turner: which British band is he a founder member … ?


A6) Hawkwind.

Q7) And finally … 28th August, 1930, saw the birth of Welsh actor, Windsor Davies, best known for his role in It Ain’t Half Hot, Mum: what was the name of his character … ?

A7) Battery Sergeant Major ‘Shut-up’ Williams.

Enjoy those, everyone: I’ll catch you later.

Once I’ve finished the post about last night’s movie … !!

Oh, and what do you think of the DeLorean I photoed, yesterday … ? You don’t see those, every day … !

The A-Team: Boom Bang a Bang, You crazy FOOL!!!!!!!!

You know, I’ve got to confess, me and the movie night gang have had something of a night out, tonight.

Which is a bit of a rarity, as Kevin D, Movie Night Adrian, Squeaky and I, usually don’t all have money at the same time, in order to head for Romford, to catch a movie.

Which was actually quite something, for a start.

But one thing Kevin had been raving about, was the film we all went to see, tonight.

And I can’t, for the life of me see why some critics call it ‘over the top’.

After all, it WAS The A-Team we went to see.

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29/8/2010

And I’ve got to admit, I think we actually managed to see a film, last night, that Movie Night Adrian actually was impressed enough to say “That was a good film”!

Bless him, he’s got a bit of a dicky knee, at the moment, after having a cartilege operation.

So the fact we all spent a little cash to go to Romford to see it … ?

Was very well worth it.

The A-Team — the Joe Carnahan directed remake of the 1980s TV series — sees Liam Neeson as Hannibal Smith, Bradley Cooper (The Hangover) as Face Peck, UFC fighter, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson as BA and Sharlto Copley — formerly of District 9 — playing the eponymous group of Special Forces soldiers, framed for ‘a crime they didn’t commit’.

Which, if you remember the TV series, was something we never actually see. And something the film attempts to address.

The plot follows the team from their initial meeting in Mexico, many years ago, to their joint service in the Iraq War.

And being set up, after being sent on a mission to recover some stolen printing plates.

Printing plates that would enable who-ever has them to forge millions of dollars-worth of dodgy notes.

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Now, I’ll happily admit that others have done a plot summary that’s better written.

But this is one film that I’m going to tell you to see.

I don’t know how many fans of the original series have caught it.

But I do know that I was very impressed with it.

The A-Team is an over the top romp of a Big Boys film: one that is beautifully crafted and put together, nicely acted — although I know Adrian wasn’t totally convinced by Liam Neeson as Hannibal, I also know I was impressed by all of the cast, Rampage Jackson in particular — and moves along at an impressive, non-stop rate of knots!

So I’ll leave you with this suggestion.

Go see The A-Team.

You won’t be seeing an emotionally meaningful art-house movie that questions the relationship between men and women, and offers perspective on their mutual place in the universe.

No.

You’ll be seeing a film that’s FUN!!

If you don’t … ? I can but paraphrase Bosco Albert “B.A.” Baracus: “You CRAZY, fool!!!!!!!!!”

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You know, I almost forgot …

You know, I’ve got to admit, I couldn’t resist putting that photo up, I really couldn’t.

Just so you know, that church is the local Anglican one, and is called Saint Thomas: named after Saint Thomas à Becket, so you know. Brentwood — historically — was on the pilgrimage route to Canterbury, so you know.

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Let’s move on, shall we … ?

And yes, I know having that photo up is possibly strange, but there you go.

One thing I know I forgot to mention, in the post about the last residents meeting, was the simple fact that Brentwood Council are to hold the Planning Committee meeting about the planned flats on Saint James Road.

Which looks like it’s going to get seriously refused, hopefully.

But, at any rate, it’s going to be held at 7PM, on the 7th of September, this year.

Monday after after next, in other words.

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Next off … ?

Is simply the fact that — as a result of quietly having a word with Sara Bartleman, who’s South Anglia’s housing officer for Rollason Way — this coming Wednesday sees TSG turning up to have a look at my boiler.

Now, granted, it’s in working condition.

But, as I pointed out to Sara, given that many of my neighbours have had problems with the air-pressure valve on the Potterton boilers we’ve all got … ?

I asked if they could come out and do a little preventative maintenance.

Here’s hoping it goes well.

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