THE Chairman, Peter Harrington, opened the evening by welcoming Roger Mills, who, as past chairman, helped to conduct the AGM. Roger welcomed the new members who had joined the society during 2008.

   The Annual Report was given by Peter:

   In January, the society produced a Restoration Plan for the garden. In the same month Jennings withdrew their planning application.

   In March, the ownership of the garden was transferred to the Dowhill Group which meant there would be a new planning application. The NWGS was invited to send representatives to a meeting between Dowhills and the Borough Council. Peter, with Pat Fulford (Secretary), attended on behalf of the society. Councillor Bill McGinness and the Town Clerk, Riddell Graham, represented Nantwich Town Council.

The Dowhills representative invited the society to help and advise with their planning application but the society declined on the grounds that Dowhills had no legal right to build in the garden. However, the Borough Council representatives continued to uphold that right and support the Dowhills application.

   In May, the Crewe and Nantwich Parliamentary By-Election took place and the three main political candidates voiced their support for the restoration of the garden - most significantly, the Conservative candidate, Edward Timpson, who became the elected MP.

   During the elections for the new East Cheshire authority, all the representatives of the Labour, Liberal and Conservative parties once again supported the society's aims to restore the garden.

   In June, Peter presented our Restoration Plan to the Town Council who refused to support the society. Subsequently, the Town Clerk wrote to the Borough Council supporting Dowhills' application.

   Mr George Basnett accompanied Peter when he presented the Restoration Plan to the Town Council. Mr Basnett was appalled by the way the Council responded to the Restoration Plan. He offered the society the advice of a planning specialist who wrote an exceptional letter on behalf of the society to the Borough Council. This letter and the intervention of Edward Timpson has been instrumental in the planning application being sent back to the Borough Council's Legal Department.

   The Restoration Plan was also sent to the all 56 Borough Councillors, many of whom have voiced their support.

   In July, the society successfully publicised the walled garden at Nantwich and South Cheshire Show, and, due in a large part to Frank Blunstone's enthusiasm, collected 560 letters of objection to the application and many signatures to a petition. Many local businesses offered to obtain signatures for the petition.

   The letters of objection and 1,200 petition signatures against Dowhills' application were presented to the Borough Council Planning Department. These are now displayed on the Council website, the only letter of support being that from the Nantwich Town Council.

   In September, Pat wrote to the Ombudsman about the Borough Council's failure to protect the listed walls or issue an Urgent Works Notice. As yet, she had had no reply.

   In October, Pat wrote to English Heritage requesting that the walled garden be registered as an Historic Garden. Malcolm said that a representative of English Heritage had made an inspection of the site but no decision had yet been made. He said that if the garden was added to the historic register, it would help our case considerably.

   Pat suggested that the society might buy the garden. Peter had approached Dowhills but they have not yet responded. He had also approached a valuer who gave the notional value of £1, i.e. two houses of £100,000 against the cost of £200,000 for repairing the wall

   Pat reminded the AGM that, legally, the owner should repair the walls and the Borough Council could issue an urgent repairs notice or compulsory purchase order. The responsibility rested with the current owner.

   It was asked how we would raise the money if the garden was on offer. Peter said that all money-raising ventures would take some time. A new strategic vision for the committee would be needed.

   Malcolm voiced his concern that if the Borough Council approved the application, in the current economic climate the developer may not proceed and the walls would deteriorate further.

 

Treasurer's Report

Peter Greene gave his report and said the subscription would remain at £10 per family unit although “this made it difficult to be precise about actual membership.”

 

Election of Officers.

Peter Harrington was re-elected as Chairman and Peter Greene agreed to remain as Treasurer. Pat Fulford had to stand down from her role as Secretary due to ill-health and Dr Nicola Booth was elected in her place. Noelle Williamson would continue as minute secretary.

 

Secretary’s Dream

Pat thanked all those who had helped her over the past six years. Roger said that Pat had been an inspiration, she had never given up and he knew her dream would become a reality. He presented Pat with a print of Townsend House.

 

Thanks

Roger Mills thanked George Basnett and Frank Blunstone for all they had contributed to Nantwich Walled Garden Society over the past year.