History Recorder Reports

KIRTON IN 2018 – LOCAL HISTORY RECORDER’S REPORT Another year against a backcloth of Austerity and Brexit, despite which Village life continued to flourish. The Kirton & Falkenham Review addressed a wide range of activities and happenings and constitutes a fine record of village life over the year – copies have been retained as usual. THE DRAFT LOCAL PLAN cast a shadow over much of the… Read more: Kirton in 2018

KIRTON IN 2017 – LOCAL HISTORY RECORDER’S REPORT EA One – as work ramped up for the new off-shore wind farm, 2017 witnessed humanity’s most significant impact on the Kirton landscape, greater, perhaps, even than the building of the sea walls back in Tudor times. At a cost of £2.5bn, the project involves 102 turbines producing 714MW – enough to supply almost 600,000 homes. En route… Read more: Kirton in 2017

KIRTON IN 2016 – LOCAL HISTORY RECORDER’S REPORT VIOLET GARDENS – PADDOCK CLOSEIn August, Taylor Wimpey announced the opening of the show house for the new development of 43 houses. Prices ranged from £220,000 to £375,000 but thankfully the developers honoured their commitment by including 14 “affordable housing rental tenure” properties now under the stewardship of Havebury Housing. Copies of the sales particulars have been… Read more: Kirton in 2016

KIRTON IN 2015 – HISTORY RECORDER’S ANNUAL REPORT Violet Gardens & The Paddocks – in June SCDC approved the application by Taylor Wimpey (TW) to build forty-three houses on land to the south of Falkenham Road previously occupied by B&M Concrete. This was despite the opposition of the Parish Council (PC) which had raised concerns about the size of the development, infrastructure, and transport, following a… Read more: Kirton in 2015

KIRTON IN 2014 – LOCAL HISTORY RECORDER’S REPORT On The World Stage – perhaps for the first time in its history, Kirton featured on the world stage on Friday 9th May while, in under four minutes, the Friends Life Women’s Tour swept through the village en route from Felixstowe to Clacton-on-Sea on the 56.3 mile, third stage of the cycling event. People gathered on the Green… Read more: Kirton in 2014

KIRTON IN 2013 – LOCAL HISTORY RECORDER’S REPORT The long winter with the coldest March in many years and snow in April, seemed to chime with another year of austerity and unfathomable price increases. Despite the very late spring, nature recovered and blossom and fruit were abundant. The Village year proceeded very much as normal but there were new initiatives showing that people cared about… Read more: Kirton in 2013

KIRTON IN 2012 – LOCAL HISTORY RECORDER’S REPORT Despite the general air of gloom, the Village seemed to make the best of it, culminating in what seems to have been one of the most enthusiastically supported series of Jubilee celebrations for miles around.  INNOCENCE FARMThe prospect of a 200 acre logistics park loomed large. Early in February over eighty parishioners gathered at the Pavilion for… Read more: Kirton in 2012

KIRTON IN 2011 – LOCAL HISTORY RECORDER’S REPORT The sense of foreboding as the year opened proved only too tangible as “austerity” began to bite. The Vat increase in early January, from 17.5% to 20%, set the scene and had an immediate impact. Cuts in public spending were widely anticipated and duly came to pass but people were taken aback by swingeing price increases for… Read more: Kirton in 2011

KIRTON IN 2010 – LOCAL HISTORY RECORDER’S REPORT The political and economic situation set a dark back-cloth to the year. The election in May led to the Coalition – copies retained of all literature. Planned cuts and actual price increases especially in basic essentials – heating oil for example rose from 40p to 70p in a single month – were pervasive. Many people were daunted… Read more: Kirton in 2010

KIRTON IN 2009 – Local History Recorder’s Report Another year where the Village just tried to get on with life as usual against the back-cloth of huge “Development” threats to its rural tranquility, fears of a Swine Flu pandemic, economic recession, and a combination of weather conditions difficult to reconcile with Global Warming. The Local Development Framework (LDF) – early in the year, SCDC published its… Read more: Kirton in 2009

KIRTON IN 2008 – LOCAL HISTORY RECORDER’S REPORT Again it seems there was never a dull moment in this small East Suffolk village. DEVELOPMENTPhysical changes – both large and small – seemed to continue apace, although judging by agents’ notice boards, there was a noticeable “stickiness” in property sales towards the end of the year. Perhaps the “Credit Crunch” will become more apparent in 2009.Rivett… Read more: Kirton in 2008

KIRTON IN 2007 – LOCAL HISTORY RECORDER’S REPORT It was another year characterised by concerns over development. On that front and more generally, people seemed powerless to have their views taken into account by the relevant authorities. DEVELOPMENT & DISILLUSIONMENTThe Maltings – the saga continued as reflected in the attached “Press Briefing” prepared by a small group of residents and copied to Parish Councillors at the… Read more: Kirton in 2007