News
- Details
Meeting Report October 2024
Christmas Open Evening
Boldre Parish Council will be holding an open evening with refreshments on Monday 2nd December at 18.30. Come along and here first hand about our plans and projects for 2025.
Recreation Ground
It is an exciting time at the council in the amenities team. Final plans are being drawn up for the second phase of the play area.
In addition to the new play and sports equipment some other small improvements will be made. A new patio will be laid underneath the picnic bench, more bulbs will be planted and the arrival of fifteen new trees.
The trees will be planted in two areas: along the play area fence line and in the far corner of the recreation ground. The council will organise a tree planting event and will be looking for volunteers to help out.
Is there anything you would like to see at the recreation ground? Do you have any further fundraising ideas? Please get in touch.
Pavilion and Football pitches
Do you have a group that could use the pavilion for an outside exercise class or use it as a base for some outdoor training? Contact the Clerk with your proposals.
The Pavilion is a great location for an event or a class. There are toilets, showers and a basic kitchen area. Do you have an idea for its use? Are you part of a regular group that could do with an occasional or regular venue?
As the future of football is still uncertain on the recreation ground, thoughts are being given to how the recreation ground as a whole could have alternative recreation uses.
Parish Highways
Highways Group Report – October 2024
‘Encroachment of Hedges’ - please note any significant encroachment issues and let the Highways Group know the location landowner. Our approach will be to encourage a positive response. Initially, as in recent years, we will seek to talk with the property owner, explaining their responsibility. BPC may deliver a letter to the landowner outlining their responsibilities and requesting the issue is addressed; the letter will also indicate that the encroachment problem may be referred to HCC for further action. (Of course, residents may wish to report the problem directly to HCC through their App.)
The group has engaged with Hampshire Police and NFDC to get a ‘turn’ on the stand-alone S.I.D. for Pilley Street. Unfortunately, the Speed Indicator Device seems to have been mislaid, the administrator has said they will look into us having another one, but it will not be until the New (financial) Year.
In Portmore further tree damage from HGVs has occurred at Vicars Hill. The group have persuaded HCC to re-open the original request for ‘Unsuitable for Heavy Vehicles’ signs at both ends of Hundred Lane – one sign on the B3054 is already in place.
The group has also noted and reported temporary road signs that have not been collected, after work has been completed; with most of the signs now removed at last. There also appears to be an issue with the co-ordination of diversion signs with works and the suitability of diversion routes.
We have been in contact with Countryside Services to try and expedite the work on the Solent Way footpath in Pylewell (FP 502). This is currently closed for up to two years, we are hoping that we can have some idea of when the path will re-open. (Recent experience has been that closures have been extended and then completed at the last moment.)
Please continue to report road problems to HCC on their website or app. It would also be useful to emphasise to local residents that the property owner has responsibility for the maintenance of adjacent hedges, drains and watercourses.
Please take the opportunity to report highways problems to HCC – potholes, defects, signage etc – before the section gets swamped by winter weather.
Please, if you notice road signs obscured by vegetation make a note and let the group know.
Please continue to report Road issues to the Highways Authority – Hampshire County Council – search:
Hampshire County Council Report a Problem and select Road Problem
Hampshire also have an App for ‘Phones – OurHants
Speedwatch
The speedwatch team are looking for new volunteers. Do you have any time to give to this worthy cause? Please get in touch.
Helping hands
As we begin to go into the Autumn/Winter season where the days are shorter, the weather is less fortunate and the likelihood of increased illness, we think of vulnerable residents in the Parish.
Do you know of a service that might help with transportation for medical appointments, to local community groups or a service to check in on your neighbour? Can you offer some time to help local vulnerable residents. Please get in touch.
Fibre Broadband
Wessex Internet will soon be rolling out full fibre to properties in the area.
They will be hosting a community evening on 4th November at 18.30.
You can contact them via email
Boldre Parish Clerk – Victoria Thomas
The next full meeting will be Monday 11th November at 18.30
- Details
Meeting Report September 2024
The next full meeting will be Monday 14th October at 18.30
Solent CO2 Pipeline Project
Boldre Parish Council have submitted a response to the consultation. The report can be found on the council website. Details of the proposed project are available at www.solentco2pipeline.co.uk
Fibre Broadband
Wessex Internet attended the start of the last parish council meeting to introduce Project Gigabit. They will soon be rolling out full fibre to properties in the area.
They will be hosting a community evening in early November. Dates and details will be shared ahead of the meeting.
You can contact them via email
Recreation Ground
As the future of football is uncertain on the recreation ground, thoughts are being given to how the recreation ground as a whole could have alternative recreation uses. Do you have a group that could use the pavilion for an outside exercise class or use it as a base for some outdoor training? Contact the Clerk with your proposals.
Is there anything you would like to see at the recreation ground? Do you have any further fundraising ideas? Please get in touch.
Parish Highways
Highways Group Report – September 2024
Hampshire Highways have been active in the locality addressing some of the outstanding issues in Portmore, Boldre Lane, Rope Hill and Pilley Street amongst others. Some of these problems were reported at the beginning of the year (often more than once) but had slipped off the system. HCC have been more responsive in recent weeks to ‘new’ reports; impressively a report on Friday pm of a rotten gatepost in Pilley Street brought a team out to install a new post on Monday, so it can be done!
We have not been able to arrange a meeting with Hampshire Highways to discuss more systematic work on Boldre Lane, Pilley and Rope Hills. We need to engage with Cllr Dunning again.
The Highways Group have contacted NFDC about deploying a speed warning device in Pilley Street at the installation point. It is some time since we have seen this machine.
A number of our footpaths have inevitably become rather overgrown again, some work has been done again in the Shallows ( thanks Adrian). Please let the group know if footpaths need addressing urgently. We have received a report that footpath F18 has disappeared in part at least – will need to check.
Hedge Encroachment is likely to re-emerge as a problem in the coming months – please make a note of problems so that we can progress them.
Please take the opportunity to report highways problems to HCC – potholes, defects, signage etc – before the section gets swamped by winter weather.
Please, if you notice road signs obscured by vegetation make a note and let the group know.
Please continue to report Road issues to the Highways Authority – Hampshire County Council – search:
Hampshire County Council Report a Problem and select Road Problem
Hampshire also have an App for ‘Phones – OurHants
Helping hands
As we begin to go into the Autumn/Winter season where the days are shorter, the weather is less fortunate and the likelihood of increased illness, we think of vulnerable residents in the Parish.
Do you know of a service that might help with transportation for medical appointments, to local community groups or a service to check in on your neighbour? Can you offer some time to help local vulnerable residents. Please get in touch.
Boldre Parish Clerk – Victoria Thomas
- Details
Below is the response adopted by the Parish Council on the 9th September. This has been submitted to the consultation.
Boldre Parish Council’s Response to CO2 Pipeline Proposal Consultation
Boldre Parish Council have major concerns about the Carbon Capture and Storage scheme proposed for the Solent Area.
The context for the overall project is a plan to expand the use of fossil fuels in order to produce ‘Blue Hydrogen’ and to increase output of oil based fuels. The CCS scheme envisaged will not reduce atmospheric CO2 but merely provide cover for expanded activity at Exxon. As such it would divert resources from more beneficial activity.
We are worried that there has been so little exploration of the site for CO2 storage - in particular the capacity, security, accessibility and potential harm arising from the activity in a precious marine environment.
With regard to the transport of CO2 across the southern part of the New Forest, in particular the Boldre area, BPC has significant objections:
- The area has a range of special and protected features, within the National Park. The construction work would have devastating effects on the local environment and ecology. Some of these impacts, for example, on ‘Ancient Woodland’ cannot be measured. Experience of other constructions in the area indicate that efforts to ‘make good’ cannot avoid the permanent scarring that results.
- The anticipated three seasons of construction, with associated disruption and traffic, are likely to have a major impact on the experience of visitors to the area. The local economy would be hit hard.
- Pipeline safety would be a prime concern. The proposal is for a large, high pressure pipeline with associated pigging and monitoring stations. The pipeline consultants DNV have recognised that ‘arresting pipeline fractures in transporting CO2 has proven to be more challenging than transporting natural gas’. For a relatively new industry the number of pipeline CO2 escapes in the USA in the last decade is disturbing. The UK HSE has not classed CO2 as toxic, but it is reviewing the position. There is significant evidence that concentrations of CO2 are indeed toxic in their effects, especially for the vulnerable. The uncertainties involved and the work on ‘CO2 Plume Dispersal’ has led many authorities elsewhere, including the USA, to require significant separation between pipelines and populated buildings. These ‘setbacks’ would be between 1km and 1.5km at least and would also require significant investment in emergency planning resources. The route proposed through Boldre passes close to schools, churches, community centres, hospitality venues and housing. It cannot meet the sort of separation that safe operation requires.
For our local community’s health and welfare we can only oppose this particular route.
So: Preference 3 for the Mainland Route.
Adopted and agreed unanimously at Boldre Parish Council Meeting on 9 September 2024
- Details
Meeting Report August 2024
The summer is upon us. The next full meeting will be Monday 9th September at 18.30
BPC Community Grants
The second phase for grant applications is now open and there are small grants available for local community groups to apply for. The application form can be found on our website. Applications close on 30th September.
Solent CO2 Pipeline Project
ExxonMobil are currently in a stage of consultation in the local area for a proposed CO2 pipeline. The public consultation closes at 6pm on 12th September. We urge all parishioners to have their say. Details can be found on the website www.solentco2pipeline.co.uk
Full Fibre Broadband
The Council has been approached by Wessex Internet. They will be present at the start of the next BPC meeting on 9th September. Information below from Wessex Internet. Wessex Internet say:
“Thanks to this Project Gigabit funding, a number of properties in Boldre will be given access to gigabit-capable full fibre broadband direct to their home or business premises and be eligible for a free installation from Wessex Internet. In addition, we have commercial plans to roll out full fibre to many additional properties in the area that were not included in the contract.
In the meantime, if residents or businesses in your parish have any questions about this programme or our wider roll out, I am the dedicated Community Engagement Manager for your area and I’m more than happy to help. You can contact me via email
Recreation Ground Project
BPC have three full set of quotes and will begin the process of selecting suppliers to be able to pursue the projects in the Autumn.
As well as the new equipment, there will be a new base under the picnic bench, a fresh coat of paint on the kick wall and 15 fruit trees to be planted in November.
Is there anything you would like to see at the recreation ground? Do you have any further fundraising ideas? Please get in touch.
As the future of football is uncertain on the recreation ground, thoughts are being given to how the recreation ground as a whole could have alternative recreation uses. Do you have a group that could use the pavilion for an outside exercise class or use it as a base for some outdoor training? Contact the Clerk with your proposals.
Parish Highways
Please, if you notice road signs obscured by vegetation make a note and let the group know.
Please continue to report Road issues to the Highways Authority – Hampshire County Council – search:
Hampshire County Council Report a Problem and select Road Problem
Hampshire also have an App for ‘Phones – OurHants
Helping hands
As we begin to go into the Autumn/Winter season where the days are shorter, the weather is less fortunate and the likelihood of increased illness, we think of vulnerable residents in the Parish.
Do you know of a service that might help with transportation for medical appointments, to local community groups or a service to check in on your neighbour? Can you offer some time to help local vulnerable residents. Please get in touch.
Boldre Parish Clerk – Victoria Thomas
- Details
Communication from Vicky Missen - Community Engagement Manager
She will be present at the start of the next BPC meeting on Monday 9th September
Project Gigabit New Forest – Exciting news for Boldre Parish
In March 2023, Wessex Internet was awarded a Project Gigabit contract, under the government’s flagship £5 billion programme, to enable hard-to-reach communities to access gigabit-capable broadband. This contract will put more than 10,000 properties in the New Forest and surrounding areas in the digital fast lane.
Thanks to this Project Gigabit funding, a number of properties in Boldre will be given access to gigabit-capable full fibre broadband direct to their home or business premises and be eligible for a free installation from Wessex Internet. In addition, we have commercial plans to roll out full fibre to many additional properties in the area that were not included in the contract.
The Project Gigabit contract is a three-year contract. We are now working on the scoping and planning of our fibre routes with work on the ground due to begin later this year.
In case you’re not aware of who we are, Wessex Internet is a local internet service provider based in Dorset. We’re passionate about connecting our local communities to fast and reliable broadband. We’re rolling out full fibre networks across Dorset, Wiltshire, South Somerset and Hampshire.
We are more than happy to come and meet you and your colleagues on the Parish Council to explain our approach and what this will mean for residents and businesses in your community. In addition, we are in regular contact with Hampshire County Council and will continue to work with the council on our network roll out.
In the meantime, if residents or businesses in your parish have any questions about this programme or our wider roll out, I am the dedicated Community Engagement Manager for your area and I’m more than happy to help. You can contact me via email
We very much look forward to hearing from you. and helping to bring full fibre connectivity to the area.
