News
Longfield Solar Farm: Shapps gives go-ahead to vast scheme near Chelmsford
Monday 31 July 2023
One of the largest solar farms in the country is to be built near Chelmsford. Longfield Solar Farm will cover 940 acres of arable farmland between the planned Chelmsford Garden Village and Terling, having been granted development consent by Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. The decision followed an Examination […] Read more >
Planned quarry extension would be unacceptably intrusive, says CPRE Essex
Friday 28 July 2023
“An unacceptable intrusion into the countryside.” CPRE Essex, the countryside charity, has made its concerns clear over plans to expand a sand and gravel quarry near Witham. Colemans Farm Quarry, on Little Braxted Lane, Rivenhall, already has extensive facilities for the processing and storage of aggregates, but an application has been made to move the […] Read more >
Worra lorra lorries!
Wednesday 26 July 2023
Some things you just can’t ignore, even when you might wish to, as photo king Gordon Ridgewell reminds us: “Harvest is just getting started here in north-west Essex, where the M11 segregates some farms. The road was busy this afternoon with lorries as usual.” Read more >
Here’s Hemlock!
Thursday 6 July 2023
Here’s one for the tabloids! Hemlock is a notoriously poisonous plant – indeed it is reputedly what did for Greek philosopher Socrates when he was executed. Gordon Ridgewell, photographer extraordinaire, tells us: “ The hemlock is on the march at Littlebury this year and has reached about 10 feet in height.” No need to panic, […] Read more >
One man’s weed?
Tuesday 4 July 2023
Photographer Gordon Ridgewell reflects on the passing of time and changing of attitudes with these pictures: “When we were kids these were weeds, but now to an old man with time on his hands and a smartphone they are things of beauty.” Never in doubt, Gordon! Read more >
LTC examination: timetable revealed
Monday 3 July 2023
We now have a complete timetable for the examination of the National Highways application for a Development Consent Order for the Lower Thames Crossing. The Planning Inspectorate published “the Rule 8 letter” on Tuesday last week (June 27); it includes: The examination timetable Further procedural decisions made by the Examining Authority Information about hearings and […] Read more >
Pollution red alert?
Tuesday 27 June 2023
As we all know, Gordon Ridgewell has a photographer’s eye for the natural world, but it also roves beyond to man-made phenomena, where he clearly has mixed feelings. “I was sat in the garden on Sunday at 5pm and had my own Red Arrows show. They were displaying at Duxford’s summer show – or Pollution […] Read more >
Let’s Talk Trash: Braxted Park festival will put the focus on litter
Friday 16 June 2023
We all dislike litter, so an event being held at Braxted Park, near Witham, next month should lift the spirits. The Let’s Talk Trash event on Tuesday, July 18, is a “climate action anti-litter festival” for youngsters aged 11-13, with more than 300 pupils from the Plume Academy in Maldon taking part in a range […] Read more >
A heavenly word?
Friday 16 June 2023
Gordon Ridgewell: “After doing a few jobs in the garden I fell asleep in the chair outside and was woken by this red kite heckling me. “I looked up, thinking my late wife Megan had floated down from heaven telling me to wake up and get on with it. It was so real. Luckily, I […] Read more >
Leave it for the birds?
Friday 16 June 2023
We’ll just have to take ace photographer Gordon Ridgewell’s word on this one! “I took a ride to Hatfield Forest now the weather has turned better,” he tells us. “I was quite surprised that at 88 I can still pull the birds – they imagined I had something they wanted. “It was more jackdaws than […] Read more >