Monthly Archives: April 2012

Success for a Dogged Lady

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Cllr Graham Latty and Christine Parapia by the 'Tardis'

As you round the corner of Kelcliffe Lane, heading from Guiseley to the Park,  an incongruous site will be welcomed by dog walker and angry Guiseley residents alike.  For, sitting like a Tardis on the  verge, is a black, shiny, gold painted,  Leeds City Council, doggie bin: although it doesn’t seem as if the interior has quite the same capacity as the Time Lord’s  box.

This, striking addition to the local scene,  is the culmination of a long campaign by FOPP Chairlady, Continue reading →

Battle To Remove Park From the SHLAA

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Protecting Greenbelt (source: Folkestone Jack's Blog)

Following on from the appearance of Parkinson’s Park in the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment, Councillor Graham Latty has taken up the issue with Leeds City Planning Department and demanded that it is taken off the list.

At the same time, Leeds NW MP Greg Mulholland,  has demanded that Yeadon Banks, which has fought to get Village Green status to repel developers, is also taken out of the SHLAA.  Meanwhile,  residents in Rawdon have formed an action group to try and protect Rawdon Billing, which not only appears in the SHLAA, but whose owners (Rawdon Trust) want to sell it for development. And, to add the the catalogue of beauty spots in danger,  a Cragg Hill action group from Horsforth,  is sending out the troops again to try and stop Redrow getting planning permission to build 47 houses on an N32 nature area, which is also part of Woodside Conservation Area and on green belt – a plan that was stopped by residents twelve years ago. Continue reading →

Wild about Wildflowers: Sunday 15 April 2012

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Today the rain just held off for the latest project to take place at Parkinson’s Park. As part of the RHS Britain in Bloom launch celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the beginning of National Gardening Week, a small band of volunteers sowed a 10 m square patch of prepared ground near the farm gate with a packet of cornfield annuals donated by the environmental charity Landlife. The seeds in the seed mix include corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas), corn marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum), corn chamomile (Anthemis arvensis), corncokle (Agrostemma githago) and cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) and should create a bright and colourful display. Councillor Latty came along to support the event and got his hands dirty!

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Scattering the seeds

In this photo (from left to right): Jane Blake, Josie Brooks, Nicola Denson, Chris Parapia and Councillor Graham Latty. Photo taken by Barbara Winfield

In the UK our wildflower populations are in serious decline with an estimated loss of 97% of the wildflower meadows between 1930s and 1980s. This is having a knock-on effect on the rest of the food chain. When wildflowers are lost the insects which feed upon them are lost too in many cases. Insects pollinate our plants, control other pests and provide food for birds and other animals. Continue reading →

Are Houses Going To Be Built On The Park?

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Guiseley SHLAA Areas Around Parkinson's Park

Parkinson’s Park was given to the people of Guiseley by Frank and Albert Parkinson.  But, the covenant which used to be on the land deeds (and has been seen in the safe at Crompton Parkinson’s) has been ‘lost’.  The land is now owned by the developers Bellway Homes, who have built Edison Fields, and provided funds to regenerate the Park.  Bellway will keep the Park maintained and work with FOPP, until the future of the Park’s is agreed – which is now the subject of discussion between FOPP, Bellway and facilitated by Councillor Graham Latty. Continue reading →

Park Gets Its First Bench

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Paul Whittaker and the Bellway telehandler

One of the features of the Park people reminisce about are the benches:  the quiet summer evening spent talking with friends,  the lunchtime sandwiches away from the shop-floor, the first stolen kiss at dusk.   So, we are thrilled that local log merchant Paul Whittaker, has donated the first bench, which now adorns a copse ‘alcove’ – all ready for Easter strollers.

Paul has known the Park all his life,  and remembers the old benches well:  when he saw the Park was being regenerated he offered to replace one.  So,  on Maundy Thursday 2012, Paul brought the log bench to the Park;  it was hoisted into a place pre-prepared by Friends, using a telehandler lent to us by Bellway for the occasion (a great boy’s toy)!! Continue reading →

Bird Watch – Birdsong

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You can listen to the Park’s birdsong on You Tube, or better still, take an early morning stroll and hear the real thing – hope there is not too much snow over Easter !!  Thanks to one of the Friends for providing this – Darren tells us this is likely a pair of song thrushes that he has seen near the copse.

Bird Watch – Sand Martins Move to Guiseley, by Darren Shepherd

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Sand Martin (Source: Shropshire Wildlife Trust)

Well,  today I had a nice surprise.   I went to have a  quick look at the stone quarry at the top of Moor Lane in Guiseley,  only a stones throw from the park as the crow flies, and was amazed to see that the “sand martins” (riparia riparia) have returned from their long migration from Africa.  The sand martin is the smallest of the hirundines (swallows and martins) and the first to return from Africa.

If anybody would like to see them,  just park in the lay-by, then stand at the entrance gates and look to the right up the banking side (parallel with the farm track). This is where the sand martins raise their young,  in a “hole”in the sand bank.  We are very lucky to have these birds in Guiseley and it is the only nest site here.  It is also unusual that it is not near a river bank or lake,which is normally the favoured location. Look out for them feeding over the park.  Nature really is amazing.