£5 million fund for WW1 memorials

Prime Minister David Cameron has revealed details of a £5 million fund to protect war memorials.

Civic Voice will receive half a million pounds to create a national network of volunteers to help build skills to assess the condition of war memorials and encourage their conservation.
Other recipients are English Heritage who will receive half a million pounds to better protect war memorials, Imperial War Museums who will receive half a million pounds to develop a website to help communities find out more information about war memorials and the War Memorials Trust will receive up to £3 million to boost
                              support for their grant scheme and expand their team of
                              specialist conservation officers.

The full Press Release can be viewed here

The Civic Society are currently working with Marple Hall School on a project to commemorate WW1.  It was planned to bid for HLF fundings for the project but in view of the opportunities created by this initiative we have decided to align our project with the activities announced by the fund partners.

We will publish details of our proposals over the next few months but they will include workshops, talks/ presentations and displays of artefacts and documents.

DCLG Offer Support for Marple Neighbourhood Plan

Following the visit to Marple by Nick Boles MP (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Planning) the Minister has written to the Civic Society offering help from his officials in understanding how neighbourhood planning might help Marple realise its ambitions.


The minister pointed out that once neighbourhood plans are implemented in law they become part of the development plan and are used to decide planning applications.






The letter from the Planning Minister can be view here

5 houses planned for Garage Site at Marple Wharf

A planning application on the privately owned Garage Site at the end of Marple Wharf, Church Street, Marple has been submitted to Stockport Council Planning Department.

Outline planning consent was granted for a different proposal for 3 houses in 2004. This new planning application is for 5 houses.

Proposal for a development of 5 houses
 on the Garage Site adjacent to Marple Wharf

The civic society has responded to the planning application. If you wish to respond and have your views taken into account in the written report that will be presented to our councillors at Area Committee on the 9th July, you need to respond by Friday 27th June. The best way to do this is online. See below

If you respond after this date relevant views will be represented orally at Area Committee.

The planning application can be viewed, and responded to, here on the planning applications Quick Search page of the SMBC website - the planning application number is: DC/055483

The Civic Society's response can be viewed here

Huge support for Assets of Community Value

Marple Carnival was the ideal event to celebrate the 4th National Civic Day and the public launch of Assets of Community Value (ACV). The sun shone all day attracting locals and visitors in droves.

Assets of Community Value attracted much attention

The ACV nominations, put forward by many local community groups, attracted huge attention and by the end of the day we had registered support from 103 members of the public. This will be used by the community groups as additional supporting evidence to strengthen their nominations when they are submitted to Stockport Council for listing.

There was much interest from society members and members of the public who visited the stand and in addition to the support we gained for ACV we also recruited 6 new members.

Two new members sign up  

      A succesful day all round. 

We are grateful to the Marple Carnival organising committee for organising such a wonderful event.

      Photos by Arthur Procter

The Listing of Assets of Community Value is part of the Community Right to Bid; one of four community rights set out in the Localism Act 2012. To find out more about this, and the Marple Community Project to List Assets of Community Value, go to "Assets of Community Value" in the News Items section to the right of this page.

Marple celebrates Civic Day by nominating 32 Assets of Community Value

Marple Civic Society will be having a stand at Marple Carnival to celebrate National Civic Day, organised by Civic Voice, the national charity for the civic movement. This is the 4th year that the society has taken part in National Civic Day and this year we will be consulting the public to find out which nominations                       of Assets of Community Value they support for submission to Stockport Council.

Marple Memorial Park
 Nominated by Friends of Marple Memorial Park

Compstall Post Office
Nominated by Compstall Community Council

Marple Methodist Church and Hall
Nominated by Hawk Green Residents Association

Thirty two nominations have been put forward by local groups and residents. We now need public support which will help to get the nominations successfully listed.

             Photos by Arthur Procter

The Localism Act 2012 introduces an important power called "The Community Right to Bid" which is relevant to all community groups seeking to protect community assets that are important to their local communities. This new power gives community groups an increased chance to save much-loved pubs, community/village halls, parks, swimming pools, libraries and other local community facilities. It will also be taken into consideration if a planning application for a community asset is received by our Local Authority.

Join us for a chat and coffee at Marple Carnival and give your support to the nominations. Alternatively, you can email your support to mail@marplecivicsociety.org.uk 

For more information see the following links:

Display Poster of Nominations see here

List of Assets of Community Value and main nominee see here

Invitees to stakeholder meeting April 2014 see here

Assets of Community Value project plan see here

Report on Marple Area Committee Meeting 4th June 2014

A report of the Marple Area Committee meeting that took place on 4th June 2014 can be viewed here

Chadwick street Foodstore

The chair's report on the Chadwick Street foodstore development consisted of the following:

• there is still interest in the project
• interested parties will work up a bid
• action is possible by the end of June

Marple residents were promised a monthly report on progress, the few bland words above are not a report.  This is not good enough and residents should let their elected representatives know.

Straight answers to a few simple questions would be helpful:

• what sort of retailers are interested?
• what criteria will be used to judge the options?
• who decides if a new planning application will be required, bearing in mind that a planning consent is in place for a foodstore that includes a traffic scheme wholly unaceptable to the Civic Society and everyone consulted by the Civic Society?
• when and how will residents be consulted in particular on traffic management and the public realm?   

The Civic Society's position is clear:

The Civic Society has asked the council to commit to an independent study of the public realm in the town centre of which the traffic scheme would be an integral part of the design. This must include meaningful consultation with the people of Marple - nothing less will do.    


Community Right to Bid - Windlehurst Park

The first nomination for listing of an "Asset of Community Value" under the Community Right to Bid legislation is Windlehurst Park and it was considered by the committee.  The "decision to list" was delegated to the committee chairman who will consult the relevant officer.  A positive outcome is anticipated.   


Future Area Committee Meetings

Wednesday 9th July 2014

Wednesday 6th August 2014

Wednesday 24th September 2014

Wednesday 5th November 2014

Wednesday 10th December 2014