Congresbury.net

Travel disruption is expected on Monday 4 July because of planned nationwide protests about the cost of fuel, Avon and Somerset Police warn motorists. Key routes likely to be affected include the M4 Severn Bridge between England and Wales in both directions, ahead of the morning rush-hour.

A slow-moving roadblock is also planned on the M5 between Bridgwater and the Almondsbury Interchange from about 8.30am, which is likely to head east towards Bristol via the M4 and M32. From there, there is a possibility the same protest could be carried out along the same route towards Somerset.

Police expect the protests may also have a knock-on effect on other roads too as drivers seek alternative routes.

Superintendent Paul Wigginton said: “Working alongside Gwent Police, we are engaging with the various organisers of these protests.

“People have a right to peaceful protest and liaison teams from both Gwent and Avon and Somerset have been working to understand campaigners’ plans so public safety is maintained and to reduce disruption to others.

“Nevertheless, drivers can expect journey times will likely be longer than normal, especially on motorways and main roads during the busiest times of the day. We advise motorists consider any alternative travel plans available and ensure they are suitably prepared in case they are delayed.”

Protests planned on 4 July:

M4 Severn Bridge – in both directions from approximately 7am.

M5/M4/M32 – northbound from Bridgwater at about 8.30am, before impacting on the M4 eastbound and M32 inbound.

Shepton Mallet – potential protest at Tesco forecourt from approximately 10.30am.

Other protests may happen on the same day and police advise the public to follow @ASPolice Twitter feed for latest updates on the day.

A public exhibition of plans for a new SEND school for North Somerset is being held on Monday 11th July (2.30pm-8pm) at Churchill Primary School. 

Bowmer + Kirkland has been selected by the Department for Education as the main contractor on plans for the school on a site on Ladymead Lane in Churchill. The purpose-built co-educational school will provide 65 places for children aged 5-16 with a primary Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) need and will be part of The Cabot Learning Federation. 

The school will support North Somerset Council in meeting the acute shortage of SEMH school places locally. The project team are working closely with the Council and other key stakeholders to develop the new school plans. 

You can register to attend the exhibition by pre-booking a slot on the website  n-somersetSENDschoolplans.co.uk The event has been divided into half-an-hour bookable sessions to enable members of the public to meet the team in smaller groups.

The project team welcome your views ahead of submitting the planning application to North Somerset Council and ask that you review the plans and share feedback via the “Your Views” page of the website by 25th July 2022. If you are unable to attend the public exhibition the information will be on the website following the event. 

Please email any questions to info@n-somersetSENDschoolplans.co.uk

A garden shed has been broken into overnight on the 9th in Bristol Road, Congresbury. The offenders smashed a window to establish entry and once inside pulled a set of ladders down from the rafters, before discarding on the floor. They then made off via the doorway.

Any information please contact the Police on 101 quoting reference number: 5222137217 stating

NHW release. Or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Thank you for your support.

During May, the Community Cafe, in liaison with Debbie Fortune estate agents, were fundraising for the Great Western Air Ambulance  and raised £1,013.  As part of the Jubilee week they were fundraising for the Children’s Hospice South West and raised £404.

Thank you to our customers for their continued support. 

Congresbury CC is a thriving cricket club at the heart of the village and is a big part of the community.  With the expansion of junior, women’s, girls and senior men’s cricket the training facilities are of vital importance to the club. 

The club’s practice facilities/ nets are no longer fit for purpose, with one of the two original nets completely unusable. The current nets have been in place for well over a decade and they are dangerous to use and will be replaced with two brand new, state of the art bays. The club has worked hard over the last couple of years to secure various grants, including one from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

However, the club will need to raise £10,000 to reach its target. The impact of a new net facility will be felt throughout the club and hopefully within the community. It will provide a safe environment for the junior teams to train and will give individuals the opportunities to improve their cricket. The nets are also vital for senior and women’s cricket as they will provide somewhere for players to practice while other matches are going on. There will also be opportunities for members of the public to book and make use of the modern facilities. 

To help the club reach its target, please follow this link.

A developer in the village of Congresbury has warned residents that it will start to remove a historic meeting place within a few days.

Residents of Wrington Lane have been told that construction company Vistry will begin grinding down a granite rock outcrop, known as the “Mansbury Mound” because it occupies the centre of a site where it wants to build 50 houses.

Used as a play area by generations of children who called it the pirate ship, the mound may have been used in mediaeval times by the community as a meeting place and for open air court cases.

Despite strong opposition, permission was granted for 50 houses on the site by the former North Somerset Council back in 2016. But there was a caveat attached to the decision. It stated that no building could start until a safe footway had been provided for pedestrians along Wrington Lane.

And that has stopped the development in its tracks for more than five years. The reason? Land to construct a footway, belongs to the residents, and without that, there is not sufficient room for a footway and a suitable carriageway width.

CRAG chair Mary Short is in no doubt where the blame belongs: “The former North Somerset Council should never have allowed a development of this size in a narrow lane. Residents have quite rightly opposed the development and have suffered years of planning blight as a result.”

Local residents of the Lane have taken legal advice and believe that Vistry do not have authority to start work on the site while the footpath question is unresolved.

In the meantime, said Mary, all Congresbury residents should call on North Somerset Council to stop the destruction of an historic feature.

* Historical note: Known as a local “hundred” the term was the division of a shire for military and judicial purposes under common law. Until the introduction of districts by the Local Government Act 1894, hundreds were the only widely used assessment unit between parish and county. A Hundred of Congresbury existed by 1084 and consisted of the manors of Congresbury, Wick St Lawrence and Iwood.

In April a collection was started for our excellent Postmaster and Postmistress who have retired after 35 years.

On Wednesday 11th May, Jagtar and Sukhvinder with their daughter Harpreet attended a presentation, kept very small at their request, in the Community Cafe.  The very generous amount of £510 was collected from the village community, enabling the presentation of an engraved crystal vase, a bouquet and a retirement cake, with the balance of the collection in vouchers.  
Jagtar made a brief speech thanking us all. The Seehras are remaining in the village, and will continue to be a supportive  part of our community in their new roles.The cafe was provided free for the occasion by Debbie Fortune Estate Agents.