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| Did you notice that 'the Bosham Pong', the unpleasant
smell emanating from rotting seaweed left by the receding tide in hollows
along Shore Road, has gone? And that a lot of the serious flooding which used
to occur in the village a few years ago doesn't seem to happen any more? Both
of these benefits stem from action initiated by the Association. Of course,
financing the work done in resurfacing Shore Road was a cooperative effort,
with substantial support from the West Sussex County Council, the Parish
Council, the Harbour Conservancy and other bodies. But a lot of the money was
contributed by private individuals and the whole undertaking was pushed
through by the Association. Similarly, the first steps in sorting out the
flooding problems were made by Association members. Naturally, the Parish
Council also played a key role and has appointed a Water Bailiff, David West
- and we all work together with the Environment Agency to keep the potential
water problems under control. While the Bosham Association can never render
unnecessary the individual responses by people in the village who may be
faced by undesirable planning developments, we aim to be the source of responsible,
balanced comment to the District Council and attend important meetings of
their Development Control Committee. The Association's Committee also seeks
to present an effective voice for Bosham on wider issues such as large scale
agricultural operations on the fringes of the village; the threat of huge
housing developments around Chichester; and the forthcoming Coastal Defence
Strategy, when it is made public. (You may remember that the Association
helped to mobilise pressure to maintain the Hinge at East Head a few months
ago). The associations officers keep
a close watch on all planning applications affecting the village and lodge
objections to any development deemed unsuitable. A constant hands on
approach is adopted in reducing the dangers of flooding. In conjunction with
the Water Bailiff, the association has produced a detailed action plan that
will enable certain individuals to take charge in designated areas.One ongoing project is
beautification of the unsightly gabions (a wall formed of boulders, held in
place by wire netting) along Shore Road on the approach to the old School
House. Extending the solid wall of the Trippet would be too costly, so
committee member John Hinton and his friend Laurie Mayhead tried another
approach. They removed rubbish that had become trapped in the walls recesses
before filling the gaps with topsoil and planting salt marsh seed, which was
then covered with a fine mesh, through which the grass can grow. The work was
done on a short test area of wall. If successful, the grass carpet will be
extended. This innovative approach to a
problem is a typical example of the Bosham Associations ethos. Formed in
1963, its purpose, as declared in its constitution, is to maintain and
protect the general amenities and character of Bosham and its neighbourhood.
Bosham is one of the few places on the South Coast to retain its particular
village character. This makes it especially vulnerable to pressure for
development, which must not be allowed to proceed unchallenged when
necessary. The associations committee
meets regularly to discuss concerns that impact the village and its people.
More than 90 people came to our annual general meeting last November, when it
was announced that membership had increased to more than 480. Its still
growing. Dear Reader: Why not join us?
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Bosham Association Committee MembersJohn Hinton (Chairman), 9 Stumps End, PO18 8RB. Ph. 572512 Peter Price (Vice Chairman), Byways, Taylors Lane, PO18 8QQ. Ph. 572130. Fax 576123 Derek Coombe (Vice Chairman), 16 Fairfield Rd., PO18 8JH. Ph. 572500 Tony Acres (Secretary), 5 Stumps End PO18 8RB. Ph. 573910 Romano Maddalena (Treasurer), Windy Ridge, The Drive, PO18 8JG. Ph. 574207 Jill McGregor (President), Bulls Cottage, High Street, PO18 8LS. Ph. 572263 Mike McKeand (Membership Secretary), Shirley Cottage, Canute Rd., PO18 8JF. Ph. 572397 Bernard Trinkwon, The Cottage, Sunnyway, PO18 *575607 Rear Admiral John Lippiett, The Watergate, Ratham Lane, PO18 8NH. Ph. 574245
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| Thinking of joining? The larger the membership, the louder the voice we have in
helping to decide matters affecting the place in which we live. So in the
case of couples, it is important that both join. After all, the subscription
is only £3 per person a year – or you may opt to pay in advance, at £12
for four years. To enjoy the benefits of membership, print out this
document, complete and detach the form below and send it to: Mike McKeand,
Membership Secretary, Bosham Association, Shirley Cottage, Canute Road,
Bosham, West Sussex.
PO18 8JF (Tel. 572 397)
Name(s):
Address:
Post Code:
.. Telephone:
Amount enclosed (subscription of £3.00 per person per
annum): £______
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Registered Charity No. 262454 |
