The Darley Abbey Society

Chairman's Report

When I took over the chair from Joy Fergusson last October, I was quickly reminded of just how much work is involved, so firstly I thank Joy for her years of toil on the Committee, and wish her luck in the future, especially with her work in the Britain in Bloom Competition.

One of my first concerns was the problem regarding obtaining the ?Pink Sheets?. These are the lists of Planning Applications received by the City Council. Previously we were sent copies by our Local Councillor, however, thanks to the new age of technology, they are now sent to me by email on a weekly basis at no charge! – The wonders of science! The Committee study these applications but do not always enter into correspondence on those applicable to Darley Abbey. The City Council should notify in writing any persons living close to where a planning application may affect their property. If you are aware of any planning application, which may affect you, and you wish the Society to be involved, please contact any Committee Member who will be pleased to help.

Website.

Please note that we have our own website – www.darleyabbey.com. If you have any contribution you wish to have included please let any committee member know. If you do not have access to a computer and you would like to have a look – again please ask any committee member and we will arrange a viewing.

Some Of Our Current Projects:

1. Obtaining the missing ?dropped curb? at the top of Mileash Lane.
2. Information Boards to be sited in three places in the Village.
3. Improving the condition of the verges at the junction of Alfreton Road and Haslams Lane.
4. Representations with other groups in the village with regard to the Mill Complex and its World Heritage status.
5. Over-grown pathways in the Village.
6. Continuing liaison with the Traffic Committee.
7. Representation to the survey regarding the improvements to the A38 junctions.

Helen A McCoy (Mrs.)
Chairman

Derbyshire Record Office

Anyone involved in researching family history in Derbyshire would know about the Derbyshire Record Office in Matlock. It is a goldmine of information on nearly all subjects to do with the county. The Darley Abbey Society has been going for over 13 years by now and, as you well know, your Committee has been busy on your behalf on various issues relating to the village. This has resulted in a number of files with correspondence and other documents being created and which were stored in attics. It was therefore decided that the papers should be offered to the Derbyshire Record Office. One boot-load of files was thus delivered to Matlock and the Record Office where Judith Philips helped to unload and was very please that we had taken this step. Far too many records are destroyed and with them an important part of our local history. So our files are now in Matlock but will not be available to the public until they are 10 years old. Our minutes are also filed at the Local Studies Library in Derby. The Record Office would be pleased to see archives from associations and private individuals deposited in Matlock. Think of future generations.

Thorsten Sjölin
Secretary.

Treasurer's Report 2001-2002

We started the year by contributing £700 to Derby City Council for the Riverside Garden Project – which I am sure we will all agree was money well spent.

Another successful year has meant that we have re-couped this money from our membership fees.

I would like to thank Doreen and Stewart Goodman for all their hard work in maintaining the membership list and John Vale for auditing our accounts – a service, which is very much appreciated.

The Environment

The environment support groups Green Forum and Project Riverlife, which your society has been actively involved in for many years, have been disbanded and replaced.

In order to raise the profile of environmental issues within the city of Derby, the Derby City Partnership is establishing a multi-agency steering group called the Environment City Partnership (ECP). The steering group membership consists of representatives from the public, private and voluntary sectors along with the Council?s Executive Members.

The ECP will oversee the various environmental commitments made in the ?Derby 2020 Vision? strategy document. This will help the Partnership to achieve the goal of sustainable development by integrating the needs of environmental protection, social equity and economic opportunity in all the decisions it makes.

Three Sub-Groups have been established to focus on the following issues:

• Cycling/walking
• Public Transport
• Strategic highway improvements
• Travel awareness campaigns
• Road safety campaigns

• Strategic housing
• Brownfield re-development
• Heritage conservation/enhancement
• Natural history protection

• Air quality management
• Water quality
• Energy efficiency
• Waste Management
• Noise pollution

The Darley Abbey Society is represented on the steering group and the Land Use Sub-Group, demonstrating the respect the Society has within the City

Gordon Jones.

Village Traffic Calming Proposals

The Darley Abbey Traffic Committee?s work is drawing to a - largely – successful close. After much consultation and deliberation, a package of traffic calming measures has been agreed with Derby City Council. The necessary works are likely to take place in June-July. They will follow, in sequence, the Council?s road modification schemes respectively at Pentagon Island and Five Lamps.

A mix of potential solutions to parking problems in the village has also been reviewed with Derby City Council. Their implementation is being deferred in order to give the Council enough time for the effects of the Five Lamps and associated measures to be evaluated. However, the Council is formally considering making part of the disused wood yard in Darley Park available for parking. The Council?s initial intention had been to convert the entire yard area into parkland. It is also understood that the Council is examining a proposal to ?increase parking facilities off the A6 near Broadway? – precise location not known.

The Transportation Panel associated with the Derwent Valley Mills Heritage Site has appointed consultants to conduct a transport study and develop an integrated transport strategy. Darley Abbey Traffic Committee contributed to the consultation process in respect of Darley Abbey Mill.

A bid, made in 2001 via Derby City Council, to make Darley Abbey a beneficiary of grant funding under the Government?s ?Home Zones? initiative was unsuccessful. The DATC, jointly with the Darley Abbey Society and the Darley Abbey Community Association, plan to submit another bid during 2002.

The village traffic calming measures, which will go ahead this summer, are summarised below:

- Ramped, flat-top, speed retarding plateaux will be installed on Church Lane (outside the St Matthew?s Church entrance); Abbey Lane; Mileash Lane (near Four Houses); and Old Lane. NB A request for a plateau in Darley Street, outside the Abbey pub, was rejected by the Council.

- The mouth of the junction of Darley Abbey Drive with Church Lane will be reduced, to improve visibility.

- The width of the Church Lane junction with the A6, Duffield Road, will also be reduced, and its road surface differentiated – possibly by means of cobbles or ?tegular sets?.

- A similar road surface change will be made to the Mileash Lane junction with Duffield Road, although a request for a ?left turn only? exit restriction from Mileash Lane onto the A6 was turned down.

John Gabb, April 2002

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