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BOOK A BIKE FOR
the No. 127 • October 1992 • Circulation 11,500 CHRISTMAS AT

EXPRESS CYCLES

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a 14 now running
west swindon's magazine 96 - 99 Manchester Road, Swindon
and the swindon wide what's on guide
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Panto to bring in Bonfire builders needed
Is there a group of people willing and able to
crowds again organise the annual November bonfire night at
Filled with fun, magic and excitement, Jack and Toothifi Farm? If not, this long running commu-
the Beanstalk, this year's Pantomime at the nity event will not take place this year.
Wyvern Theatre promises to be just as good as For the last twelve years the event has been
ever. coordinated, usually at very short notice, by
The cast came together at a panto launch at community workers from Thamesdown Coun-
Stone Lane Garden Centre in September to get cil's Community Development department.
the publicity band wagon rolling. Topping the Volunteers helped to build the bonfire from
bill will be 'Are You Being Served' favourite donated wood pallets, let off the fireworks and
Trevor Bannister as the outrageous Dame Trott. served refreshments.
He'll be joined by GWR/FM and Top of the The community workers can no longer keep
Pops presenter Mark Franklin as Jack, Hugo the bonfire going and it is now up to local people
Myatt as the Giant's Henchman, the Mollie to organise themselves. Information on where
Tanner Dancers plus a fabulous supporting cast. to get materials and the responsibilities of or-
Once again, Swindon's panto will be full of ganising a bonfire will be available, but the
fun, laughter, music and spectacle, in fact all actual coordination and the work involved will
thatyou would expect from a traditional panto- have to be undertaken by a group.
mime for the whole family. If any readers can take the project on, tel-
With the giant, Mark Franklin, Trevor Bannister ephone Miriam Minty on 526161 ext. 4843 for
and Hugo Myatt and Molly Tanner Dancers Kirsty information or The Link magazine on 872282 for
and Kelly Rayment from Sparcells free publicity.

All weather pitch court action fails

A private action by four Grange Park residents The judge said that she believed a petition defendants had thought carefully about the
to restrict the use of the floodlit all weather objecting to the pitch in 1990 was signed by hours that the pitch could be used and taken
sports pitch at Greendown Community School residents living closeby before the pitch was in measures to reduce the inconvenience to resi-
failed atSwindon Crown Court on 18 September. use because they did not accept the planning dents. The hours they set were fair.
The court action was brought by Mark and decision and in anticipation of noise. She noted In her view Judge Darwall-Smith said the
Tracy Fisher and John and Ruth Spranklin of that several residents overstated the problem of plaintiffs had accepted noise from the M4, air-
Cower Close against Wiltshire County Council noise in their testimony. craft overhead, mowers, children playing in the
and Mr Roger Ogle, chair of governors. She said that the plaintiffs let the affect the street, and tennis courts next to the pitch, but did
In a two hour judgement after a six day pitch was having on their lives get out of pro- not accept the new development of the all
hearing, Judge Susan Darwall-Smith concluded portion; their perception of the inconvenience weather pitch although it is quieter. Its use
that the noise from the use of the pitch and the had become coloured by their anger that it had might be an occasional inconvenience, but not
intrusion of light from the floodlights did not been built at all. an actionable nuisance.
constitute a nuisance in common law and it was Judge Darwall-Smith criticised Thamesdown She said that whilst the floodlights were bright,
not appropriate to impose restriction as to its Council's Environmental Health Officer Brian they were used in the darker months when
use. Claims for damages were dismissed and Marshall for being over critical in his approach residents were indoors. Although curtains might
costs were awarded to the defendants. and for identifying with the residents' views have to drawn earlier, that inconvenience did
The judge said she had the task of striking a more than he should have done. She preferred not constitute a nuisance either.
balance between the demand of the residents to the evidence of the defendant's independent The judge recommended that the pitch be
enjoy their property without unreasonable in- noise expert. used on alternate Sundays and that noise reduc,
trusion of noise or light, and the right of the She also rejected the evidence of local council- ing measures already in hand, extra rubber
defendants to use the sports facility for pupils br Simon Cordon who, being a Thamesdown padding and loose netting behind goals and
and the community. and Wiltshire County Councillor, a school gov- plantingof conifers between the pitch and hous-
The court heard from acoustics experts, resi- ernor and chair of its community management ing, be carried out. She expressed the hope that
dents, the school's headteacher and director of sub-committee, had a foot in every camp. She relations between the school and the residents
recreation, Mr Ogle and a county council officer. criticised him for not informing the governors could be improved.
The judge made a site visit to view and listen to that he supported Thamesdown's demands for In lifting the restrictions imposed by a tempo-
a hockey session in progress, from the pitch and restricted pitch use. rary injunction in June, the Judge approved the
from the households affected. The court re- She complemented Creendown headteacher hours of use set by Greendown Governors as
viewed the history of the case from the original Mr Ian Matthews for taking a balanced, fair reasonable. The hours, as recommended by
planning permission fora school and flood lit all minded and sympathetic approach to the prob- Wilts County Council are 9am to 9pm Monday
weather playing field in 1984 through to the lems experienced by residents, whilst being to Friday, 9am - 6pm Saturdays and lOam to
court action brought by the residents. mindful of the needs of the community. The 1pm on Sundays.