Mid Hants Railway Proposed Planning Developments!

This is taken off http://www.watercressline.co.uk

Help Please!

The Mid Hants Railway has submitted a planning application to East Hampshire District Council. This is for an extension to the current picnic area, extra car parking, a permanent 10¼” gauge miniature railway, and provision of six holiday chalets together with a small space for touring caravans, all at Ropley. These are intended to make visiting the railway more interesting, as well as offering good quality local self catering accommodation. The intention is that the chalets will also be available to volunteers who wish to stay the night adjacent to the railway.
This application (ref no 35227/004) is due to be determined very soon and letters of support submitted to the council by the end of April should help our case.
This can be done in two ways, either by writing to EHDC Planning Services, Penns Place, Petersfield, GU31 4EX (quote the reference number and your indication of support for the proposal); or via the form on their website at http://planningdevelopment.easthants.go ... netCGI.gov
Enter the application number 35227/004 in the box, and click on ‘search’. Then click on the application number in the panel mid-page, followed by clicking first on "consultation" and then ‘click here’ under neighbour representations. Lastly click on ‘if you do not have a reference number click here’ and enter your details on the form, hopefully with the ‘Support’ option showing in the penultimate box. Some additional remarks in the 'comments' box are essential before clicking ‘submit comments’. You may care to consider words along the lines of “I fully support this application as the proposed developments will make a valuable contribution to the railway's long term future prosperity.” Lastly click ‘Submit Comments’ on the last window to appear.
On behalf of the railway may I thank you for your support.
Colin Chambers

So Guys and Gals please if you have a bit of time to spare fill in the form and help support the railway!!

Cheers

 

here , here! it will also be easier for those volunteers who come from far away! And easier - Then we can all easily go out for a beer or 2!! =D>

In all seriousness - I think this is a fantastic idea! Although as far as caravans go - This I think will need to be fenced off at Thomas and Gala days??

 

Is there any consideration being given for camping/tents??

I've never been able to find anywhere suitable nearby,me and my Sons have camped at the Morn hill campsite but its quite frightening, the camping pitches are literally a few feet away from the dual carriageway!

unless anyone knows of another campsite nearby??

 

Is everyone sure this is not plan B as plan A is/was the lottery funded project that maybe put on hold due to the recession biting harder than expected?.

Regards
Chris

 

I like what Colin Chambers is doing at the MHR. He is a man not afraid to put forward unusual and innovative ideas in an environmment not always known for innovation. I hope he sticks it out in what will no doubt be a rough ride at times!

 

Speak to upper management and I'm sure something could be done...

Otherwise..please show your approval!!!!

 

I believe "plan A" is to commence in may!

 

I'm glad to see that the MHR is doing really well. I must say that the 10 1/4 inch will be a great asset to the railway. As I work on the one at South Devon, I know that people quite often say to me when I'm working on the mini that it has really made their day, especially for the younger kids. Whenever I'm doing passenger duties on the standard e there are always people asking after the mini. But just be careful on Thomas days, the miniature gets absoultley mad! Also nice to see that there will be accomadation set p, will defiently mean I'll be making more trips to visit the MHR! =D> =D> =D>

 

Good luck with the application, a great idea. Hope camper vans will be allowed too.

Steve

 

Hmm,
Not sure about this. The proposed holiday chalets are pretty much right opposite the station, and unless there's some serious screening provided, they'll be right in your face and pretty imposing on the whole Ropley panorama. Wouldn't it have been better to hide them away in the trees at the top rather than compromising the station's rural setting?

 

I'm not sure about this either - the miniature railway is fine, but the chalets are a bit suspect. They look more like soemthing from Centre Parcs than a 1950s railway station. Notwithstanding this, the proposed site for the chalets looks like undeveloped greenfield land, and why should the Mid-Hants be able to do that when under current planning law the local farmer wouldn't?

If the Mid-Hants wants holiday accomodation, I'd have thought it much better to take a leaf out of the North Yorkshire Moors' book, and install a "proper" camping coach or two like the one at Goathland. And if they wanted something more permanent, then what about replica railway cottages on Ropley Station forecourt?

I've really admired the drive for "authenticity" beyond the actual trains at the Mid-Hants in recent years - the replica living room at Ropley, the Alresford Goods Shed, the Cattle dock, the "Strong Country" signs. It seems a shame to let these standards drop, when it could (admitedly at more expense) be done so much better.

If I was the MHR I'd have submitted the miniature railway and the holiday chalets as seperate planning applications - the former looks fine, while the latter looks much more tenuous.

 

And in these dire financial times , where would the money and the coaches come from to install these camping coaches?. The Mid-Hants is also short of space to park these coaches so I would suggest that that this cheaper and easier option to manage is the best step forward. However if you have another alternative please let me know if you will, always open to suggestions.

Regards
Chris Willis

 

I also join the concerns that the shacks will ruin the asthetics of Ropley Station, especially as to all accounts the Mid-Hants is absolutely exceptional! Then again they will also be a hugely valuable asset, so I still support the application! Although living in Bishops Waltham its only 5 minutes away, and I would much prefer to line to be 71/4" need somewhere to run my new loco that is coming!

All that said great luck to you all at the MHR, love it! (Oh and my Dad wants to be a signalman on the MHR, any chance that could happen?)

 

Well if you're looking for somewhere to run a 7 1/4 inch loco you can always come down to the South Devon Miniature Railway! Maybe the Mid Hants could get hold of some old coaches from somewhere and do em up and then plonk them where you want to have the chalets. Put a few bits of rail down. WOuld be quite nice.

 

What about something like this?

http://www.thewagons.co.uk/html/enthorpe.html

 

i think its a gd idea and the accomidation is gonna be out of sight so it wouldnt matter much and y should we be the same as every other railway if the mhr wanted sleeping coaches they would get them and theres no where thay could stay and the people staying be safe and away from the running line roply fore court is already occupide and the authentisity dont matter if u wanna be 100% authentic includes correct clothing nothing modern right locos 4 the line and time period correct tools authentic 2 the piriod so if ur gonna be authentic do it all the way and not just half ass it

dave

 

Off-topic posts removed - any problems, please PM me.

Richard