The Lower Lune Valley Ward stretches up the Lune Valley on the south side of the river. Taking in the villages of Caton, Wray and Quernmore along with the rural areas surrounding them..
Teachers, parents and pupils from Hornby High School were out in force in Lancaster Market Square over half term getting support for their campaign to stop the proposed closure of the School by Lancashire County Council. The school are fighting to “protect the future of education in the Lune Valley and the right of parents to choose a small, rural High School”. (more…)
Lancaster City Council’s planning dept performed a U-turn and changed it’s recommendation that would have allowed tourist cabins to be built next to a natal otter holt at the Crook of Lune. Otters are a protected species under wildlife protection laws and any disturbance of a breeding holt is a criminal offence. A wildlife police officer was in attendance at the meeting where councillors heard local residents and wildlife experts argue against the proposals. Speaking at the meeting Cllr Chris Coates said ” It would seem that the applicant has been seriously misled by the authorities as to the nature of the protection of otters, this should never have got to the point where a planning application was submitted.” The application was rejected.
A new climate change and energy advice project called ‘LESS’ launched itself in Lancaster at the end of September.LESS is a new project set up to help people in Lancaster, Morecambe and surrounding areas live more sustainably, and save energy and money. The project will give free energy-saving advice to the public at markets and community events around the district. Advice is also available online via the group’s website (www.lessuk.org) and phoneline.
A family of otters is at the centre of a planning row at a local riverside beauty spot. Nearby residents said if three large log cabins are allowed to be built at the Crook O’Lune the animals would be driven away.The otters have built a holt on the River Lune, which is believed to be a sign of good water quality.
Proposals to build the cabins - to be used by fishermen and tourists - have been submitted to Lancaster City council. Councillors will discuss the change of land use application at the Planning Committee meeting on 8 October.
The City Council has voted overwhelmingly to support the Andrew Stunell Telecommunication Masts Planning Control Private Members Bill. The motion proposed by Green Cllr Jude Towers supports the introduction of the ‘precautionary principle’ into the phone mast application procedure, requiring a statement detailing intensity and direction of a proposed mast signal, particularly whether the strongest beam of radiation falls on school or other educational buildings or land, or medical facilities, or homes and bringing all telecommunication masts back within Local Authority Planning control.
Quernmore Primary School looks set to become the first school in the district powered by the wind. The school was granted planning permission by the County Council planning ctte last week for a 5 kW wind turbine to generate electricity for the school. Using wind power will save the school upto £800 a year on its electric bills.
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The meeting of the Lancaster Anti-Academies Alliance on the 11th July, attended by 60-70 people, heard from speakers including a teacher at Hornby High School, a researcher who has done a lot of evaluation of the (lack of) success of academies and a Preston City Councillor who has direct experience of trying to fight the proposal for an academy in North Preston which is further down the line that the Lancaster proposal. The Preston’s proposed sponsor is Carphone Warehouse.
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