TROUBLE AT MILL !

[Eddie]

At last nights meeting of Topcliffes residents and interested parties, much of what came up has already been mentioned in the various threads on the subject.
But there is plenty of opposition to the scheme by mill residents and others.
Environmental impact on the river and the wildlife were discussed and the spoiling of Topcliffe weir pool as a local land mark and resource.
There seems to have been a lack of proper consultation and insufficient study into the impact of the scheme, and real concern about flood assessment. Also brought into question were the changes to the original plans.(anglers were not properly consulted either).
The weir is owned by someone not involved with the scheme and there doesn't seem to be any commitment to maintain it. The weir is already in poor condition and without it the generator is useless, the building of the scheme and the altering of the water course could have serious consequences for the stability of the weir. This doesn't seem to have been properly considered.
The mill is also a listed building and as such its environs may have some protection, it is going to be looked into.
Exactly what rights LDASA have regarding access were questioned and how much of the bankside is owned. The construction does seem to come inland quite a way from the river.
Residents from the site of another up and running scheme told of how conditions of use were breached and bankside damage caused. The same company I believe!
This scheme doesn't benefit the local residents in any way whatsoever, they get nothing from it,and a question they asked is if the company goes bust(it has happened before) who will be left responsible for the plant?
Some of the residents that oppose the scheme read this forum and appreciate Leeds members support, although it wasn't easy being a LDASA member at the meeting. Some difficult questions to answer, when we have little knowledge of what has been signed up to exactly .
Thanks to LDASA and other concerned angling clubs members for attending
Cheers Eddie.

[av1nbarb3l]

thanks for attending last night eddie had i not been 120 miles away on a fishing trip i would have been at the meeting we dont seem to be hearing what the clubs stance on this is now that we anglers ( club members ) have shown our dissaproval of hydro scheme

[smithleback]

yeah nice one mate much appreciated ,just been reading, RULES,OBJECTS,No2,page 10 of the yearbook,seems some of our commitee or trustees might have forgotten some of em

[apollo]

Aug 21, 2014 9:39:52 GMT Eddie said:

At last nights meeting of Topcliffes residents and interested parties, much of what came up has already been mentioned in the various threads on the subject.
But there is plenty of opposition to the scheme by mill residents and others.
Environmental impact on the river and the wildlife were discussed and the spoiling of Topcliffe weir pool as a local land mark and resource.
There seems to have been a lack of proper consultation and insufficient study into the impact of the scheme, and real concern about flood assessment. Also brought into question were the changes to the original plans.(anglers were not properly consulted either).
The weir is owned by someone not involved with the scheme and there doesn't seem to be any commitment to maintain it. The weir is already in poor condition and without it the generator is useless, the building of the scheme and the altering of the water course could have serious consequences for the stability of the weir. This doesn't seem to have been properly considered.
The mill is also a listed building and as such its environs may have some protection, it is going to be looked into.
Exactly what rights LDASA have regarding access were questioned and how much of the bankside is owned. The construction does seem to come inland quite a way from the river.
Residents from the site of another up and running scheme told of how conditions of use were breached and the bankside damage caused. The same company I believe!
This scheme doesn't benefit the local residents in any way whatsoever, they get nothing from it,and a question they asked is if the company goes bust(it has happened before) who will be left responsible for the plant?
Some of the residents that oppose the scheme read this forum and appreciate Leeds members support, although it wasn't easy being a LDASA member at the meeting. Some difficult questions to answer, when we have little knowledge of what has been signed up to exactly .
Thanks to LDASA and other concerned angling clubs members for attending
Cheers Eddie.

This about sums up the same as the report we had back. One other thing the people who own the rest of the field were apparently there and they are not happy but think the hydro people will just go ahead on the access issue and do what they want, when they are in there - and whose to stop em. None of this seems like democracy to me....

[Eddie]

I'm optimistic about the outcome, there seems to me to be a lot of valid obstacles to the scheme going ahead. It was pointed out at the meeting that schemes have been rejected before, it can happen!

[m001]

The Topcliffe Weir blog has now been updated. topcliffeweir.wordpress.com/
There is also a face book page - Topcliffe Weir and for those of you on twitter, follow @topcliffeweir.

[smoggie]

Aug 21, 2014 9:39:52 GMT Eddie said:

At last nights meeting of Topcliffes residents and interested parties, much of what came up has already been mentioned in the various threads on the subject.
But there is plenty of opposition to the scheme by mill residents and others.
Environmental impact on the river and the wildlife were discussed and the spoiling of Topcliffe weir pool as a local land mark and resource.
There seems to have been a lack of proper consultation and insufficient study into the impact of the scheme, and real concern about flood assessment. Also brought into question were the changes to the original plans.(anglers were not properly consulted either).
The weir is owned by someone not involved with the scheme and there doesn't seem to be any commitment to maintain it. The weir is already in poor condition and without it the generator is useless, the building of the scheme and the altering of the water course could have serious consequences for the stability of the weir. This doesn't seem to have been properly considered.
The mill is also a listed building and as such its environs may have some protection, it is going to be looked into.
Exactly what rights LDASA have regarding access were questioned and how much of the bankside is owned. The construction does seem to come inland quite a way from the river.
Residents from the site of another up and running scheme told of how conditions of use were breached and bankside damage caused. The same company I believe!
This scheme doesn't benefit the local residents in any way whatsoever, they get nothing from it,and a question they asked is if the company goes bust(it has happened before) who will be left responsible for the plant?
Some of the residents that oppose the scheme read this forum and appreciate Leeds members support, although it wasn't easy being a LDASA member at the meeting. Some difficult questions to answer, when we have little knowledge of what has been signed up to exactly .
Thanks to LDASA and other concerned angling clubs members for attending
Cheers Eddie.

[smoggie]

Anyone who has fished from the stone bank on the West side of the Swale at the weir will have seen the state of the wall. There is a large tree and various shrubs growing through it. a major concern is what will happen to the wall when these trees are removed to make way for the screw. There hasn't been a detailed structural report to consider this. if the Weir wall collapses the flow of the river will scourge the bank and the subsequent change in river level will have an extreme effect, not only on the specimen Barbel which use the weir pool but also on the weir and mill beyond.
much more work needs to be undertaken by UK HYDRO before they are allowed to tackle such a project.