On Saturday 21st February, Peter Walker gave a guided tour of our ten newly planted trees to a party of residents: Elisabeth Le Vierge; Keith Pritchard; Peter West; Roy Collard; and Roger Hennessey. The group were first shown the initial plantings of the ornamental grove located near the electricity substation, and the new Hornbeam presented by Greenfields (our tree contractors) near the mound, half way up the Drive. At the extreme end our estate, inside the boundary near the Hatherley Lane bus stop, there is now a young Mountain Ash, replacing an older one that had to be felled.
All to the good – but young trees are vulnerable and we have lost a few in the past, partly through their receiving insufficient moisture in their early stages of growth.
Accordingly: Volunteers required! If you are interested in joining a watering rota, particularly for the three newcomers in the ornamental grove, please contact Peter Walker, phone number: 01242 515 527.
In keeping with the Board’s general environmental policy, and specific plans made by Peter Walker & Tim Shand, Greenfields have recently planted ten new trees in the Drive area. These include two presented by Greenfields in accordance with their own policy of planting a new tree for every major one they have to remove.
The main group down the Drive includes a Mountain Ash and a Hornbeam.
Three new trees have been planted near the substation with one yet to come, the start of our long-awaited ‘ornamental grove’. The three are:
Peter Walker has kindly offered to give a conducted tour of the new arrivals, Saturday coming (10.30 am, March 21st) starting near the substation.
Two pieces of work started at the entrance to the estate on Monday ……..
1. Greenfields dug 3 pits near the central free-standing pillar, with a view to establishing whether there’s a need to underpin it.
2. Landscaping of the boundary from the entrance round to where the green railings on Hatherley Lane start. Plan is to transplant the hawthorn bushes from here to inside the estate, near Colesbourne Road (as that area’s quite bare). Then plant laurels inside the wire mesh fence, which will grow through the fence, appearing to form a natural boundary. Then the narrow strip between the path and the fence will be grass seeded and white daffodils planted.
Residents will have noticed an area of hedge that has been removed adjacent to Number 1. This was due to the area having become rather scruffy and overgrown. The remaining bushes will be removed and the Directors hope to have the newly exposed wall cleaned and the area re-turfed before the winter sets in.
Residents will soon see various paint marks about the Estate, identifying locations for road and path improvements. These constitute the first phase of improvements to be undertaken by Abbey Surfacing and will commence on or about the 15th October.
The hedge reduction near No.1, at the bottom of the Drive, should be completed by the end of this week, 7th September. Delays have occurred because of complications on another contract on the Estate.
We have been informed by Ash and Co. that Abbey Surfacing will be carrying out resurfacing work on 15th-17th October.
They have advised that there should be minimal disruption during these days, with all of the works being completed during normal working hours (08.30-16.00).
They will need to close two sections of footpath outside house numbers 66, 67 & 69 for some of the works and will cordon off pedestrian access accordingly. Vehicles should still be able to use the driveways either end of the days.
For further information, please contact Ash and Co.
In May, a Court Order was granted to RPMC to enable us to evict the trespasser who has for some time been residing in the woods on the drive. Following discussions with the police it transpired that the trespasser was arrested and held on remand some time ago. As a result, the directors took the decision to remove and store his possessions. Should the trespasser return the Court Order (which lasts for six years) will be acted upon.