A Monthly Publication

By Andrew Murray

Talks -  On February 2^nd. local author Mary Mackie gave a fascinating and very humorous account of the history of the Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing Service founded in 1918.  Several previous attempts to write the history had faltered.  In a chance conversation, her son Kevin, a Wing Commander and now Matron of the Military Hospital Wing at Peterborough, mentioned that his mother was an author, led to her involvement.  The book “Sky Wards” published in 2001 is now out of print but is available in the Hunstanton library together with many of her other 68 books that have been translated over 20 languages.

The next talk on 2^nd. March is to be given by Mr. Peter Wakefield of Rail Futures.  He is to speak about the re-opening of an East-West rail link to connect Norwich and Cambridge with Oxford and Swindon via Bedford.  

Planning Applications- The first test of the extended Hunstanton Conservation Area occurred on February 8^th. when an application to build a detached house in the grounds of the Driftwood House residential home was rejected by the Development Control Board.  Mr. John Selby, the former conservation officer had identified the need to preserve some of the larger houses, their gardens and open spaces in the area of Sandringham Road and Homefields Road.   Next month, it is expected that the proposal for 25 apartments and 3 retail units rising up to  6 storeys on the former Kit-Kat site will be brought before the committee. The Town Council has raised concerns about access and parking provision.  The Civic Society after fairly intense discussion concluded that they must oppose the development believing it to be the wrong building in the wrong site. Please let us have your views.  The Civic Society is now working with English Heritage to identify a few buildings that might merit listed building status.

Wash Week – August 7^th. to 14^th.  The Civic Society in cooperation with the Town Council and Borough is planning a number of events.  An exhibition of photographs of the cliffs and geological specimens is to be held in the Coal Shed Gallery.  The book on the Rocks of Hunstanton written by James Frederick Jackson and first published in 1911 is to be re-printed as it is still held to be the definitive work.  On Tuesday the 10^th August, a special evening talk is to held in the Town Hall when Cindy Howells, curator of the geology section of the Welsh National Museum will talk about the life of the geologist. Guided walks along the beach and around the notable buildings of the town are also planned.  The Heritage trails and the 25 plaques attached to important buildings in Hunstanton St. Edmund and Old Hunstanton are being used as an exemplar at a meeting arranged by English Heritage at the Royal Institute of British Architects concerning their ‘blue plaque’ schemes.  An interpretation board is being designed concerning the geology of the cliffs.  This will replace the one that used to stand near the North end of the promenade.

 In what could be an attempt to de-rail the process of obtaining Registration of The Green, the Borough have brought in a Parking Order so that motor cyclists who wish to park their machines on the Lower Green will be requested to pay a £ 1 fee or to move to another car park area.  Those refusing so to do would be liable for a fixed penalty fine.  The Civic Society considers that the introduction of charges may be a further breach of the terms of 1955 covenant and that the motor cyclists could claim that they have parked there ‘as of right’ for at least the past 20 years and should be able to continue so to do.

 At a very busy meeting of the committee on January 20^th, Mr. Chris Bamfield, the Borough Council’s Executive Director of Leisure Services and Public Space informed us that they would again be supporting Hunstanton’s entry in the Britain in Bloom competition.  He said that the Borough was to replace the flag pole on The Green and was going to erect information boards beside the pay machines at the car parks detailing events happening in the town, the weather and tide times.  

 For full details of the Civic Society response to the Kit Kat application or to the Shoreline Management Plan, a diary of events, sections on the town’s history and a photograph gallery, please see our regularly updated web site 

www.hunstanton-civic-society.org  

 Committee meetings are open and held in the meeting room at the Council Offices in Valentine Road. The next one is scheduled for Thursday March 18^th. at 11.30 following a meeting with Mr. Chris Bamfield at 10.00 am. Any member is most welcome to attend!