6 April 2015: New month, new update. Much progress since the last update. Shiny new lampposts have been erected on the approaches to and round the new Bromham Road/Deep Spinney roundabout.
The area above the cycle underpass has been filled in and levelled and the road is now being constructed over it to run down to the next roundabout.
From that roundabout the road is taking shape as it continues on towards the A6.
And through it all the flowers keep on blooming!
14 March 2015: The final shape of things at the end of Deep Spinney is clear – the kerbing is more or less completed, the new island kerbing is in place and the footpath is being reinstated.
Side walls at the entrances at both ends of the cycle underpass are being constructed and the underpass itself is being covered in preparation for the construction of the road over it. The section of bypass beyond has tarmac already in place.
24 February 2015: The entrance to Deep Spinney from Bromham Road is now also following the new road layout from the new roundabout.
Our two councillors have circulated a leaflet to residents setting out how works will progress over the next few weeks. Ultimately there will have to be road closures but these have been restricted to the weekends of:
If changes have to be made to this programme there will be updates on two Borough Council web pages:
22 February 2015: Whilst the entrance to Deep Spinney from Bromham Road is still the old section of road, the exit from Deep Spinney now follows the new section of road to the new roundabout.
20 February 2015: This aerial view of the bypass was taken prior to the 15 February update, traffic is still circulating round the old Bromham Road/Deep Spinney roundabout which has now gone completely. But it does show how the bypass is progressing to the next roundabout along it, and beyond towards the Sainsbury’s roundabout.
15 February 2015: The old Bromham Road/DeepSpinney roundabout has gone, and the new larger roundabout has fully taken shape with traffic now moving around it. The position of what will be the new entrance onto the roundabout from Deep Spinney is clearly visible. Details are awaited of the temporary traffic management arrangements to be operated when the new entrance from and exit to Deep Spinney are put in place.
Work is also well underway with the construction of the next roundabout along the new and last section of the bypass that will include an exit into the development on the western (Biddenham) area of the land north of Bromham Road.
The first set of pictures below shows the work progressing on the new Bromham Road/Deep Spinney roundabout and the second shows the underpass to the north of that roundabout and the new roundabout under construction beyond the underpass.
8 February 2015: More big changes. Traffic lights are being put in place in Bromham Road as and when required by the particular work taking place, to control the flow of traffic heading to the Bromham Road/Deep Spinney roundabout from the east and the west.
Old traffic islands have been dismantled and new ones are being constructed on the new sections of road approaching the new roundabout. The old roundabout too is being dismantled as tarmac is being laid to enable Bromham Road traffic to be diverted in the near future around the north of the new roundabout. This will then enable the southern side of the new roundabout and the exit/entrance to Deep Spinney to be constructed.
Our local councillors are seeking a public meeting for Biddenham residents to hear what is proposed for managing traffic in and out of the Deep Spinney junction as that construction takes place and its implications for traffic through the village. (See the response below to a comment from Mark for more up to date information)
A full house of 100 residents attended the 50th AGM and lunch of The Biddenham Society held on Sunday 7 December 2014 in the Village Hall. In his welcoming remarks the chairman drew attention to the presence of two residents, David Palmer and Pat McKeown, who had also been present at the inaugural meeting of the society in 1965.
The minutes of the 2013 AGM (presented by Secretary Mark Phillips) and the Balance Sheet for 2013-2014 (presented by Treasurer Bob Hutchinson) were both accepted by the meeting, the particularly healthy state of the finances being primarily due to as yet unspent lottery funds committed to the heritage trail.
Chairman’s Report
In his report, the chairman reported that 38 planning applications for the Biddenham area had been received during the last year, most of them relating to property extensions. However four recent submissions of particular significance to the village were worthy of specific note.
i). The most recent application by the owner of 29 Day’s Lane to construct two dwellings on the site of the orchard adjoining the pavilion field had again been refused following widespread local opposition.
ii). The application for retrospective planning permission by the occupant of 38 Church End for a two-storey residential barn already constructed in the back garden was refused following objections by the society, the parish council and neighbours.
iii). The application to extend and re-model the façade of ‘The Firs’, 21 Church End was withdrawn following objections from the society and others regarding an inappropriate pastiche design and other factors.
iv). The application to construct a large residence to the rear of ‘Lavender Lodge’, 42 Main Road is pending, but has been opposed by the society as an overdevelopment of the site and with an excessive footprint.
The chairman then described the latest developments regarding the paddock between Church End and the golf course and a new form of protection for green spaces which can be shown to be special to the local community. From the floor, Pat McKeown spoke of the initiative he has launched to acquire this area presentation in trust to the village, and Cllr Jon Gambold followed with the possibility of still having the paddock accepted as an ‘Asset of Community Value’ despite the recent rejection by the borough of an application from the parish council for its designation.
The chairman then updated the meeting on the by pass extension north of Bromham Road: completion by October 2016 (earlier if the weather is kind); a contractual requirement to complete the first two roundabouts in nine months giving access for housing construction; 1300 dwellings currently planned, but initial development will only be at the western end of the site; cost £8 million.
Heritage Trail
This will be opened at 11.00 am on Saturday 18 April 2015 at King’s Corner, Main Road, by Alistair Burt MP. Biddenham Upper School will be providing musical accompaniment, and family trail questionnaires (with prizes) will be available. More details later. The Junior Heritage Trail, devised by pupils of St James’ Lower School, will be opened at a later date in the school’s summer term.
Three excellent presentations on aspects of the heritage trail were then made to the meeting. Monica Knight discussed the history and development of the Arts and Crafts movement in Biddenham, specifically in relation to the houses of Mallows and Baillie-Scott; Peter Applewhite talked about the origins and turbulent past of the village pond and its lost dovecote, and encouraged those present to help preserve this important asset by becoming ‘friends’ of the pond; and Kathy Fricker described the work and activities of the recently-formed History Society, and its close links with the development of the heritage trail.
Peter Applewhite also briefly referred to the excellent new initiative of the ‘Biddenham Blog’. The society’s section can be found on https://biddenhamblog.wordpress.com/biddenham-society/
Election of committee
Thanks were expressed to Averil Watson who is stepping down from the committee this year. The remainder of the committee Dr Tony Wood (Chairman), Mark Phillips (Secretary), Bob Hutchinson (Treasurer), Chris Gleave, Will Jenkin, Monica Knight, Susie Mason Patel, Dr Jeremy Reynolds, and David Slark were re-elected for 2014-2015.
In closing the meeting the chairman thanked the committee, helpers and friends for their great efforts in organising the luncheon event, and especially Chris Gleave for once again masterminding the preparation of the meal.
>> click for further details
20 January 2015: Things are changing! The new bigger Bromham Road/Deep Spinney roundabout is advancing rapidly. The road to the north of the current roundabout is down to one lane, the other (the outer) being excavated; and the footpath north of Bromham Road has been diverted to the north of the new roundabout with a new crossing point from Deep Spinney, both with temporary surfaces.
The cycle underpass is now clearly visible as construction continues.
9 January 2015: Into the New Year and work continues apace. The Bromham Road/Deep Spinney roundabout is really taking shape now and landscaping proposals for the new roundabout will be discussed by the Parish Council at a forthcoming meeting.
Work is pressing on too with the cycle underpass and the approach road to the roundabout from Bromham.
the Biddenham blog 