In August 2007 Jack Barker Golf were given planning permission to 'improve' the golf course at Bulwell Hall Park, Nottingham using 120,000 cubic metres of landfill. This is one of four phases of work planned there - the sale of some land, the building of private houses, and the demolition of the old pavilion and the building of a new pavilion have all taken place. It was hoped that the importation of landfill would be delayed pending the outcome of a Village Green application which is being drawn up Trevor Rose on behalf of Friends of Bulwell Hall Park. However, a local newspaper report on Thursday 19th June 2008 says that the importation of landfill will start on Monday 30th June 2008. On Saturday 31 May, the Radio 4 pm programme broadcast an item about the carried out by Jack Barker Golf at Risebridge and the resulting complaints from nearby residents. In response to the programme, Trevor wrote the following letter to BBC Radio 4: it is reproduced below with his permission, together with photographs that Trevor has provided.



Bulwell Park Golf Course

Wednesday, 04 June 2008



Feedback

PO Box 2100

London

W1A 1QT



Dear Sir

RE LAST SATURDAY'S 5PM RADIO 4 GOLF COURSE REPORT CONCERNING LANDFILL AND EMBANKMENTS

Introduction

Radio 4's programme related to the diversion of landfill waste to Risebridge golf course. Because Friends of Bulwell Hall Park are experiencing similar fates from the Jack Barker Golf Company, Friends of Basildon Golf Course have been liaising with me.

Bulwell Hall Park’s summarised history

Around 1770 Mr Newton bought most of the land surrounding Bulwell and built a manor. He died November 1820 leaving his estate to his son who died 12 days later. Upon these deaths, a relation the Rev. Alfred Padley acquires the Estate and Manor by Will.

Following Rev. Padley's death the Estate and Manor was auctioned in October 1864. In 1908 the Estate and Manor was bought by Nottingham Corporation who opened the Estate for the enjoyments of Nottingham's citizens.

By 1910 a golf pavilion was built and the golf course was fully functioning with a nearby train halt ferrying in golfers from the city and suburbs. The Corporation provided many sporting facilities too. The adjacent Lodge Gardens (circa 1895) allotments became Blenheim Lane allotments, administered by the Corporation.

Bulwell Hall Estate's trustees Sir Henry Frazer and Sir Tom Mc Craith legally transferred the 574 acres of park land to the Citizens of the City of Nottingham. During WW2 the Manor fell into disrepair and housed Italian prisoners. The Manor was demolished in 1959.

For 100 years anyone could enter the park at any time of the day or night without force, stealth, or permission. (Nec vi, Nec Clam, Nec precario) An intimidating dictatorial Labour-controlled Nottingham city council is gradually eroding our established freedoms.

The whole of the park is set in greenbelt, has rare protected grass meadows, Site of Importance for Nature Conservation, one of the country's few, and protected Mature Landscaped Areas, ancient woodlands holding over 50 different species of birds, streams flowing through woodlands feeding the two lakes. Quiet simply, Bulwell Hall Park is a gem suffering from council neglect.

The deceitful Nottingham city council

During 2004 and behind closed doors the city council turned down renewing the existing golf club's contract and awarded their preferred partner the Jack Barker Golf Company the contract.

The Golf Company wanted a new pavilion but stated it didn't have the £1.1 million. The city council auction a section of our park where the 1910 pavilion was built to raise the necessary funds. The auction raised £775,000 and the remaining £345.000 probably came from the public's purse.

Without a demolition order the original 1910 pavilion was demolished to make way for Michael Goodall Homes 23 houses built on land subjected to a covenant stating to be kept free of all developments.

Where the Jack Barker Golf Company wants new pavilion would have impeded a registered footpath. Objections were raised, which resulted in new plans being submitted. However, the city council has permitted this protected footpath's destruction by permitting the Golf Club developing a car park. I took photos of when the destruction began to the present day.

June 2007, the council's Planning Department sent a Jack Barker Golf Company planning notification that merely stated landscaping; re-engineering affecting public rights of way. I investigated the application which made me gasp in horror.

Its intended 10 feet high embankments surround most of the 574 acres of park. Adjacent to the embankments will be a deep wide ditch.

The planning notification was designed to deliberately deceive. Instead of 10 feet, 3 metres was stated because not many people understand the metric system but are conversant with imperial measurements. No mention of disruptions and a minimum of 30,000 lorries delivering 120,000 cubic metres of diverted revolting landfill waste over a 4 years period.

Much to the council's displeasure Friends of Bulwell Hall Park was constituted. During one of my meetings, one of Graham Allen’s office staff blurted that while I remain we won’t progress. I couldn’t stop laughing at that relayed comment.

Last December while enjoying a stroll around the park, two of the Golf Company's employees didn't approve of me taking photos of a large mound obstructing a footpath route we've used for at least 100 years. These employees accused me of trespassing and ordered me to leave the golf course. Words were exchanged concerning people's established rights using the whole of the park.

A couple of months ago I visited Land Registry concerning who owned a disused rail embankment separating a housing estate from Bulwell Hall Park. The whole of the park was displayed on a monitor. Most of the park was shaded in red. Land Registry informed, in 2006 the council had secretly transferred most of our park to the Golf Company.

Friends of Basildon Golf Course and I are exchanging information. I give information relating to environmental legislation. Angela E Smith MP and Andrew Rosindell MP are aware of Friends of Bulwell Hall Park’s crusades preventing our park succumbing to a brownfield sites. Nottingham North MP Graham Allen refuses to support keeping Bulwell Hall Park in its natural openness and Bulwell’s councillors confirm via the local media’s letter page that the 10 feet high embankments will not be detrimental.

I submitted a village green application for the whole of Bulwell Hall Park and adjacent allotments, an area of over 600 acres. The city council took 4 months to decide the map stapled to the 106 Questionnaires supporting the village green application wasn’t suitable and wanted more information. I sent 10 pages of information and another map. Many months later the village green application was transferred from the council’s legal department to another council department. This department decided the second map is unsuitable and instructed that I visit every applicant to sign and date the third map. Also I’ve to provide more information so of which isn’t within Commons Registration Act 1965. Applications registering the parks 29 footpaths are progressing too.

I require documentations to support my village green application. The council has all documents relating to the 1908 sale of Bulwell Hall Park to the Corporation and the 1919 park's transfer to the Citizens of the City of Nottingham. Even using the Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations Act the council refuse to release public information. Archives documents clearly show all documentations are with the council. The Information Commissioner is now investigating.

During March 2005 the leader of Nottingham city council Jon Collins (Lab) and senior Labour councillors (Executive Board) formulated a commercial agreement between them and the Golf Company. Using a1972 Local Government Act details of that agreement will never become public domain.

Last year I registered objections against the Jack Barker Golf Company's planning application of importing diverted ungraded landfill waste for his 10 feet high embankments. I clearly stated that legislation prevents this application succeeding. The bolshie Planning Department cast aside my objections and gave planning permission.

A section in the Commons Act 2006 shows that a planning application submitted after the 23rd June 2006 can be defeated if land is subjected to a village green application and that land becomes entered in the Commons Register.

This means when Bulwell Hall Park and adjacent Blenheim allotments become registered as common land, those intended embankments, 23 houses will be removed at the public's expense and if the Jack Barker Golf Company contract comes to nothing, he could demand compensation from the public’s coffers.

Between October 2000 and April 2002 there was a bitter battle between a small group of Blenheim allotment holders and city council who intended evicting us to make way for Raleigh Cycle Industries new factory. Following our high court victory, and during a televised interview Graham Allen MP used his parliamentary position to defamatory attack us. The MP’s infamous speech was recorded and saved.

Ms Jane Todd was a city council senior planning officer. During the Raleigh/Blenheim allotment dispute our opinions differed. She became a Government Office East Midlands senior executive. Recently, the council’s leader Jon Collins had Ms Todd chosen as the city’s Chief Executive.

Hansard’s Extracts

Andrew Rosindell (Romford) (Con): What his policy is on the use of waste as part of the landscaping of new developments; and if he will make a statement. [193649]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Joan Ruddock): The Government encourage the reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery of waste wherever possible. As a way of encouraging recovery, suitable waste can be used in landscaping developments under exemptions from waste management licensing, administered by the Environment Agency.

Andrew Rosindell: I thank the Minister for her reply, but has she had an opportunity to examine the situation at the Risebridge golf course in my constituency, where hundreds of thousands of tonnes of waste have been dumped under the guise of landfill, to the great benefit of the company running the golf course? Will she come to see the destruction that that is causing to the local environment, and take immediate action to prevent this scam from happening elsewhere in the country? Basildon is another example of where it is now happening. Will the Government take immediate action to resolve that devastation of the environment?

Joan Ruddock: I have indeed taken the trouble to examine the case that the hon. Gentleman raises, as well as that raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Angela E. Smith) in respect of the Basildon golf course. The Environment Agency has permitted the use of the material on the site, but having heard the hon. Gentleman's case, I have drawn the issue further to the attention of the agency. It tells me that it visited on 28 February, and will visit again on 20 March. Because of the concerns that he and other Members have raised, a review of exemptions from permitting will take place. A consultation will be carried out this summer, and the revised exemptions could be introduced at the earliest in October next year. That will be done, and we are concerned. Where waste can be used in low-risk operations that should be done for recovery. Where there are possible scams, however, permitting will be needed. That will be the subject of the consultation.

Conclusion

For obvious reasons the Nottingham city council do not want Bulwell Hall Park and adjacent Blenheim allotments entered in the Commons Register.

Inert landfill waste used for sport fields is exempt from landfill tax. However, ungraded ‘active’ waste with varying toxicity is subjected to a sliding taxation scale. A Tory MP exposed asbestos blended with inert waste to escape taxations. The recipient of each diverted lorry load receives a bounteous reward.

The whole issue diverting landfill waste to greenbelts, greenfields, open spaces, parks, golf courses etcetera is alleged as a massive financial scam. Destroying protected landscapes become developable land (brownfield) where developers hover like ravenous vultures awaiting opportunities to swoop on easy pickings. We hope the diverted landfill scam allegations are proved beyond reasonable doubt.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if requiring documentations.

Yours faithfully



Trevor Rose

Chair

Friends of Bulwell Hall Park



The demolished Golf Pavilion