Issue 36 April 2015

The Editor reserves the right to refuse, edit or factually correct all items submitted for publication. All views expressed in this Bulletin are purely those of the author of the item concerned and are not necessarily those of the Editor or of the Communications Group as a whole.

SHIELDBANK

Come and try riding at Shieldbank Riding & Vaulting Club, North Road, Saline. We are situated just one mile outside the village at the top of the hill on the left hand side. At present we have nine horses and ponies stabled at Shieldbank so that we can cater for all ages from complete beginners right up to those wishing to compete. We also have a lovely Coffee Shop open to everyone, so even if you don’t wish to ride, you are very welcome to come for a delicious cup of tea, coffee, cake or savoury snack.

We also have locally-made jams and crafts for sale. Call Marianne or Sue on 01383 852874 for riding, or call Vic on 01383 852621 to arrange birthday parties or other functions at the Coffee Shop. Or better still, just come up and see us Tuesday – Sunday 9.30am-6.00pm. We are closed on Mondays. We look forward to seeing you.

SALINE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP

Saline Environmental Group will be holding a Glen clean up on Saturday 23 May at 10am; all those interested please meet at the Glen entrance. It is proposed to do this twice a year.

SALINE & DISTRICT HERITAGE SOCIETY

Saline & District Heritage Society will be holding a Tea Dance on Saturday 18 April 2-5pm at the Golf Club. If anyone would like a ticket for this, please contact Linda Moyes on 852817 or ask at the Golf Club. This event is free and will feature Inverkeithing Community Band who will be playing music from the Big Band era. A chance to dance and have tea and cakes!

The Heritage Society will be holding their AGM on Wednesday 27 May at 7.30pm in the Church Hall. A speaker has been invited and a vacancy has arisen for the post of secretary. Please speak to one of the very friendly committee if that is something you would like to do.

SALINE & STEELEND COMMUNITY COUNCIL

West Craighouse Farm Turbine

Many residents will be relieved to learn that the application for planning permission for a 77m high turbine at West Craighouse Farm has been refused. However, the applicants have lodged an appeal. Let's hope that the Reporter will support Fife Council's decision. The application attracted a considerable number of objections both on technical and environmental grounds. The Community Council argued that the vista from Saline along the Ochils towards Stirling, enjoyed by residents and visitors alike, is of special quality and a turbine in the proposed location was an unacceptable intrusion.

Kingdom Housing Association

The Community Council's persistence in demanding the inclusion of some mid-market rental (MMR) homes in KHA's Oakley Road development has paid off. KHA have confirmed that subject to there being sufficient interest they will include six MMR properties in their development which is scheduled to start on site later this year. Unlike social-rented properties, local families can apply for MMR homes and anyone interested should ensure they register with KHA/Fife Council as soon as possible.

Allanwater Development on Oakley Road

Contrary to the rumours circulating last month about Allanwater withdrawing from the development of the former LRD site on Oakley Road, the Community Council has established that this is not the case. However, a separate planning application to construct a SUDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage System) feature on adjacent land, to be shared with Kingdom Housing Association's proposed development, has been submitted. Kingdom Housing Association will be providing 20 affordable homes on the site, four of which will be mid-market rent, for which local people will be eligible. Allanwater have accepted the Community Council's invitation to attend an 'open forum' about the development at which they will explain their proposals and respond to residents' questions. The Community Council will also be inviting representatives from LRD, who initiated the project, and Kingdom Housing Association to attend.

Blair House Open Cast

The Community Council has learned that the operators of the Comrie pit, LES, are in discussions with Hargreaves about undertaking the restoration of the abandoned Blair House open cast mine. Blair House and six other former Scottish Coal open cast sites were taken over last August by the Scottish Mines Restoration Trust and Hargreaves are the main contractors appointed by SMRT for the work. The talks will focus on establishing the financial viability of the project. Work at Comrie will continue until the summer and people who have visited the site have been impressed with the responsible and professional way they have gone about the work, unlike Scottish Coal whose legacy at Blair House is a huge hole in the ground and a large and unsightly bing. If successful, LES are committed to working with local communities on the reinstatement plans.

Flood Risk

Widespread flooding is not an issue for our community but there are problems in particular places. Fife Council are participating in a national initiative to establish flood risk strategies. If you would like to contribute visit Citizen Space at https://frm-scotland.org.uk/.

Planning Obligations

As some people will know, the basis on which developers 'compensate' communities when undertaking development, usually defined in planning conditions, vary considerably. Often they are inappropriate and sometimes ignored. This is of particular concern in Saline and Steelend as we are facing the prospect of several new large-scale housing developments. Consequently the Community Council is pleased to learn that Fife Council has brought three different financial frameworks together in a single 'Planning Obligations' guidance document. The primary purpose is to ensure that new development addresses any additional impacts on roads, schools and community facilities and to set out how these issues are to be addressed. This is especially important in our area as most people feel that the infrastructure and services are inadequate to meet the needs of several hundred new families. Details can be found on the Fife Council website.

Making Places

The Community Council has been sent details of the Fife Council's consultation on the draft 'Making Places' Supplementary Planning Guidance, which continues until 2 June, and will be making representations. The document aims to provide clear advice on design issues and is seen as a tool to guide designers, developers, decision-makers and communities towards higher standards of development. Details can be found at www.fifedirect.org.uk/fifeplan.

All contributions for inclusion in the Bulletin are welcome and should be submitted to Jacquie Clapperton on salineandsteelend@btinternet.com

contact Ian Holmes-Lewis on

STEELEND MOSS:

NEWS FROM THE BOG, PART 3

Community Involvement

Saturday 21 March saw the last of the three community action days on the site. Thanks again to all of you who came along. We managed to clear the remaining willows from the western end of the site, so that the area is now completely clear of standing timber. It was a significant moment for us all as Joe sliced through the last trunk! We also raked up some of the dead vegetation and installed 2 blocks in the ditches at the West end, to stabilise the loss of water from these locations. I have said this before, but the project really would not have succeeded without the support given by local people and it is great to see the interest that the project has generated.

Peat Probing

The final job is to record the depths of peat held within the bog. Half a dozen locations will be selected over the site and a probe sunk into the ground, to record the level of peat. This will be repeated at intervals over the years ahead to determine whether (hopefully), the depth of peat increases as the bog becomes dynamic once again.

What Now?

After so much work across this sensitive habitat, it is time now to let the site recover. There’s already a mass of frogspawn, snipe are working through the reeds, and the first leaves of marsh marigold are starting to appear. Best to let nature rediscover the site and let the breeding season get on uninterrupted. Come the latter part of 2015, however, there is a plan to (if everything comes into place), remove the remaining brash off the bog, together with possibly getting some grazing animals in on a short-term basis, as we need them to nibble the regenerating shoots that doubtless will appear.

Timber Stacks

There are a series of timber stacks currently drying out adjacent to the North of the bog. As I originally indicated, it would be great to offer the wood to local people. To this extent, the most sensible option is to leave the timber to season this summer in situ and then arrange a day next autumn whereby we co-ordinate a move of the wood from its current location, to a roadside pickup point. More on this nearer the time.

What Has The Project Taught Us?

The work has been physically challenging, many pairs of boots and trousers have gone home soaking, and whilst a nice idea, timber extraction by a horse proved impossible. Ultimately, the employment of a mechanical grabber proved critical to being able to clear as much of the material as we have. The project has shown however, that with sufficient effort, a long-lost habitat can be rediscovered. Now we need to ensure that in the longer-term, elements are put in place to sustain the work achieved so far.

Summer Walk About?

If there is interest, I would like to come back in early summer and have a walk over the site, to look at the plants and animals that may be there. If you are interested, please let me know via email at my address below and I’ll add your name to the list. I’ll advertise the event nearer the time as well.

Thanks To…

Finally, to reiterate, a huge thanks to all of you who broke sweat or went home soggy after helping out on site. I would like to thank Mr J Cousar for being so helpful during the project, to Gavin Johnson at SNH for always remaining positive and to Mr J Baxter, for letting us go ahead with this project on his land in the first place!

Duncan Priddle

From Our Community

Traffic Issues

I have noted with interest the efforts to 'manage' traffic issues on the Oakley Road (adj to the Primary School) and most recently the concerns raised (as published in the Dunfermline Press 12/03/15 edition, Communities section) about the B914 Upper Steelend speeding and overtaking problems.

Can I please ask if there is any attentions being given to the more significant issue of vehicles speeding and overtaking within the 40mph and 30mph zones within the villages of both Steelend and Saline respectively. These areas are obviously more densely populated and the risks are in my opinion far greater.

As both a motorist and pedestrian I have to say I am appalled at what I witness on a daily basis. My observations show that most people choose to ignore the speed limits whatever the times of day or night and regardless of what direction they are travelling in.

The SID boxes are located 'inappropriately' well within the posted speed limit signs and only then does the occasional motorist regulate his/her speed, most don't bother and choose to ignore completely.

I would welcome your advise/assistance on how best to take this matter forward.

Derek Robertson