Archived News October 2004 Recycle plant bid in Darling Buds of May village Oct 31st Plans to create a rubble recycling plant on the site of a former brickworks in a Kent village upset residents. Villagers address their concerns Oct 31st Proud Northumbrians are fighting to reclaim their heritage from a what they say is a postal peculiarity. Empty model village given revamp Oct 30th A village built for miners in north Derbyshire at the end of the 19th century is to be given a £10m revamp. Young people's village homes plan Oct 29th Affordable housing planned in 19 villages is designed to keep young people near their jobs and families. Countryside to be trashed without meeting needs Oct 29th Government proposals for the South Midlands growth area — one of four in the wider South East — threaten to trash the countryside without providing any guarantees on affordable housing, say countryside campaigners CPRE Deadwood Keeps Forests Alive Oct 28th Forest owners are being urged to stop clearing natural deadwood from forests, as many species that rely on decaying wood for survival are rapidly declining. Anger at Helicopter Deer Hunting Oct 28th The use of helicopters to drive deer has been condemned as cruel by the British Deer Society, following a controversial cull on the Glenfeshie Estate in Scotland. Rural areas need market towns Oct 27th People living in rural areas are still dependent on their market town and the town is reliant on them, a new study shows. Drivers need to respect rural roads Oct 27th A new advertising campaign to remind motorists to drive carefully on rural roads – even though they may be quieter than urban roads – has been launched by the Department for Transport. Who gives a hoot? Oct 26th An appeal to fund work on Britain’s disappearing owls has been launched by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). Children should experience the ‘real thing’ Oct 25th Campaigners are calling on MPs to back their call to get more children out of the classroom to discover the world around them. Darling's M6 Expressway rejected Oct 24th The West Midlands Regional Assembly has rejeced the Government's concept of a new tolled motorway through the Cheshire and Staffordshire countryside. Villagers' fuel cash saving bonus Oct 23rd Villagers save on fuel bills by buying central heating oil in bulk and plough the extra cash back into the community. Anger at axing of rural payhones Oct 21st BT's plans to remove phone boxes in Cambridgeshire "another nail in the coffin" for isolated villages. Villagers living on the edge Oct 21st Fairlight, a coastal village which is in danger of falling into the sea. Wind turbine plan divides village Oct 20th Controversial plans to build five wind turbines are being scrutinised by the shadow environment secretary. Ferry is amongst the world's best Oct 20th A ferry crossing at a tiny village in Cornwall is amongst the most picturesque in the world, according to a travel writer. Rural pathfinders named Oct 19th The greater empowerment of rural communities to set their own priorities and target resources came a step closer last week as seven rural pathfinder partnerships were launched across England. New rural Council Oct 18th Delivering a powerful and united voice for influencing rural issues is the ambition of the UK’s first Rural Regeneration Council unveiled last week at the Rural Regeneration Conference in London. Planners Meet to Decide the Fate of East of England Countryside Oct 16th The Regional Planning Panel for the East of England will decide whether to accept or reject Government demands to add a further 18,000 new houses to those already proposed for the region. Village's last laugh at TV comedy Oct 15th As hit TV comedy Little Britain returns to the screens, what does Llanddewi-Brefi make of the show that made it famous? Village street lights win award Oct 14th A Somerset village which raised £24,000 to install environmentally-friendly street-lighting wins an international award. Flood risk map redrawn Oct 13th The most comprehensive, up-to-date and easily accessible map of flood risk from rivers and the sea across England and Wales has been published by the Environment Agency. Rural apartheid in countryside Oct 12th Black and Asian people do not feel at home in the British countryside and are discouraged from moving there, according to research carried out by the BBC. Skylarks need help from farmers Oct 11th The RSPB is appealing to those farmers who haven’t yet sown their winter cereal crops think about leaving skylark plots in the crops to benefit this red-listed farmland bird. Stargazers head to remote village Oct 10th Astronomers from around the country are preparing to head for a remote village in Northumberland to take advantage of its unique night sky. Country Kitchens Wow Critics Oct 8th Country-based restaurants now rank alongside and, in some cases, ahead of their London equivalents reveals the new Good Food Guide 2005, which states that the Capital no longer holds the monopoly on fine dining. Lost village gets new road sign Oct 7th Residents of the Scottish of village of Lost celebrate getting back on the map with a new road sign. Britain in Bloom winners Oct 6th A record number of Gold Awards were presented to Britain in Bloom UK finalists at the annual Awards Presentation held at the Royal Armouries in Leeds recently. Waterways make roads quieter Oct 6th Freight is to be moved from road to water in parts of England. Funding by the Department for Transport will result in 340,000 lorry journeys being taken off Worcestershire’s roads over the next ten years. Country House Values Fall Oct 5th Country House prices have taken a hit over the summer, as the effects of the wider market slowdown are being felt at the top end of the market, says Knight Frank. Grand Prix loss will impact on rural economy Oct 4th Northamptonshire is a key location for the motorsports industry in this country. Seven out of 10 teams are based at Silverstone. The industry is a huge contributor to the county’s economy and 5,600 jobs in Northamptonshire depend on it Human rights usurp planning laws Oct 3rd Gypsies in West Sussex have won an appeal to live on land originally bought as a paddock for horses. Rural villages' future debated Oct 2nd A conference is being held in north Wales to discuss the future of rural communities in Snowdonia. Coastal Steepening Threatens Beaches Oct 1st Coastal 'steepening' is causing our beaches to disappear, threatening birds and natural habitats as well as waterfront structures according to new research.