News
The trees that hold the secrets to our past… and our future?
Thursday 25 February 2021
Tricia Moxey, CPRE Essex vice-chairman, reviews a book that is both fascinating and concerning As a tree grows, it lays down an annual ring of new woody tissue just beneath the bark. The width of each ring will reflect the growing conditions of each specific year – wider in a year of warmth and rain, […] Read more >
Decisions, decisions: how does planning work during the pandemic?
Wednesday 24 February 2021
The Covid-19 crisis has curtailed public involvement in almost all aspects of life, so it is important for us all to see that fairness and the democratic process do not suffer as a result, as a CPRE planner explains… Are you still getting your say at planning committee? Since Saturday, April 4, 2020, councils have […] Read more >
With spring on the horizon, wildflowers talk gives a timely boost
Monday 22 February 2021
Itchy Coos, Jack Go to Bed at Noon, Bachelor’s Buttons, Day’s Eyes, Bread and Cheese, Granny’s Toenails, Stinking Roger… An intriguing if not motley bunch, but all were revealed as alternative, colloquial, names for some of our more widespread plants during Christine Knight’s talk Wildflowers in Essex, presented on Wednesday last week (February 17). Wildflowers […] Read more >
Our next talk focuses on the county’s wildflowers: do please join us
Monday 15 February 2021
The fourth in the series of free talks from CPRE Essex is entitled Wildflowers in Essex. Presented by Christine Knight, it starts at 7pm on Wednesday, February 17, although the Zoom meeting opens at 6.45pm. If you would like to join us on Wednesday for Christine’s talk, please email David Mairs at dmairs@cpre-essex.org.uk for log-in […] Read more >
Tick tock! Time is running out to join Star Count
Friday 12 February 2021
This year’s Star Count ends on Sunday (February 14). Although there have been occasional clear spells, the cloud that brought snow to much of eastern England this week has made conditions for stargazing far from ideal. So, if you haven’t yet been able to take part in the count, do pop your head out every […] Read more >
Churches talk from an expert in his field lifts the spirits
Wednesday 10 February 2021
Dr James Bettley gave the latest in our series of free CPRE Essex ‘virtual’ talks when he considered My Favourite Essex Church. Here is a summary of what he shared with a delighted audience. Forgive the rather cheesy title, Dr James Bettley urged us as he began his talk My Favourite Essex Church. The […] Read more >
Watch The One Show on BBC tonight and enjoy a feature on Star Count
Wednesday 10 February 2021
Star Count 2021 launched on Saturday and hundreds of people have already taken part. The week-long event, organised by CPRE, the countryside charity, and the British Astronomical Association, has received widespread coverage on TV and radio and in the written media. And now we can announce that Star Count will be featured on The One […] Read more >
Builder wins appeal for 150 new homes in Saffron Walden
Tuesday 9 February 2021
A developer has won an appeal to build 150 homes in Saffron Walden. The scheme, east of Thaxted Road, had been refused by Uttlesford District Council in February last year as the local authority said it did not provide sufficient green and amenity space. It was also unhappy with the siting of the play area. […] Read more >
‘Solar farms: it’s the landscape that pays the price’
Monday 8 February 2021
With the number of solar farms proposed for Essex growing seemingly every time we open a newspaper, it is timely to share this letter from Richard Haynes published in the Saffron Walden Reporter. Richard is a member of both CPRE Essex and the Uttlesford Local Plan Community Forum. Dear Sir, I refer to Edward Gildea’s […] Read more >
Before the snow… snowdrops!
Monday 8 February 2021
Cometh the hour, cometh the man! Just before the snow fell, Gordon Ridgewell popped down to Holy Trinity Church at Littlebury and photographed, of course, some snowdrops. “The snowdrops look nice and the days are getting longer, so hopefully it will lift people’s spirits a bit,” said Gordon. Read more >