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St Osyth Heritage Action Group
Mon, 30/06/2008 - 15:18 — St Osyth Herita...
“ SAVE OUR HERITAGE ”
Dear.Resident/Supporter
June 2008
We the St Osyth Heritage Action Group represent a number of St Osyth residents who are incensed over past and continued attempts by the current Priory owners to alter the use of our village “Bury” and deny us the unrestricted access that has been enjoyed for centuries.
For those who may not have had the pleasure, the Bury is a small piece of land attached to the front of the Priory which contains one of the most historically important gate houses in the country and is (or was until recent developments), visited over the years by many tourists, both from the UK and abroad, bringing welcome revenue to many of St Osyth’s businesses.
Until recently, locals and visitors alike have been able to park on the Bury and enjoy unhindered access. Village events have been held there for centuries until the current Priory residents, in contempt of initial Council decisions, decided that they would control access by means of a gate and fence.
It has become apparent that due to endless bureaucracy and inadequate local government rulings, the enforcing bodies are unable to implement or carry out the necessary actions to stop further destruction of our village and our rights.
The current priory residents appear unwilling to listen to the views of the large proportion of residents and visitors and have recently appealed against the district council decision to disallow further development attempts.
A matter of this importance to our village and its future cannot be allowed to go unchallenged. If our elected members are unable to carry out the necessary actions, then we as residents must now stand and be counted. To this end, we the “St Osyth Heritage Action Group”, having spent many months gathering evidence and speaking to various legal bodies, are now in a position to instruct one of the top barristers in the country, (who predominantly deals with these type of issues), to give his professional opinion and act on our behalf.
He will be investigating issues such as whether the Bury is curtilige to the Priory, contrary to the council decision, the legalities of the de-registration of the bury as a village green and the question of ownership. We expect this to be met with equal determination by those who wish to develop the property.
There is inevitably a cost for this service and although we as the “action group” are able to raise sufficient funds from our own pockets to cover half the cost for an opinion, we will need a little help raising the remainder.
In order to do this we would request any assistance (no matter how small) be made in the form of a monetary pledge. Once sufficient pledges (funds) have been raised to cover the cost of the barristers’ opinion, we will collect the necessary funds and instruct him to proceed. We are confident that his opinion will be favourable and will subsequently seek further pledges and carry out various fundraising events in order to enable us to take this issue to the Courts and win back our freedom.
Please be assured all funds raised will be strictly in accordance with the necessary legal procedures and transparency, with accounts available for view.
“ SAVE OUR HERITAGE ”
Cont…
If you are able to assist us win back our freedom, please complete the attached form and return to; The St Osyth Heritage Action Group, care of Mr. S Dalton (chairman), 65 Spring Road, St Osyth, Clacton-On-Sea, Essex. CO16 8RS
S Dalton
Chairman
St Osyth Heritage Action Group.
I (Name) ………………………………………. wish to pledge £……….. as a donation towards the cost of gaining a professional legal opinion regarding the ownership, curtilige and de-registration of the St Osyth “Bury”
I can be contacted on the following telephone number ………………
I do / do not wish to remain anonymous. (those who wish to remain anonymous will only be known and contacted by the St Osyth Heritage Action Group chairman (Mr. Steve Dalton )
I do / do not wish to become a member of the “St Osyth Heritage Action Group”
Signature ………………………………….
Date ………………………………………..
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From the Gazette:A protest
From the Gazette:
A protest group is aiming to launch a legal fight surrounding a historic landmark in their village.
St Osyth Heritage Action Group is currently garnering financial support to hire a barrister, so members of the public can regain access to the Bury.
The strip of land has been fenced off since last year by its owners, the Sergeant family, who also own the grade one-listed priory behind it.
This move has incensed some locals, who say that public access to the Bury was granted by Henry II in the 1100s and should remain in place today.
Now, the action group has been set up to fight the matter legally.
Chairman, Steve Dalton, said: "A matter of this importance to our village and its future cannot be allowed to go unchallenged.
"Having spent many months gathering evidence, we are now in a position to instruct one of the top barristers in the country."
Mr Dalton, 47, says that the group's advisor will look into the legalities of the Bury as a village green and the question of ownership, amongst other issues.
While group members will pay half the costs, they are looking for an extra £4,000 to cover the rest.
"We would request any assistance to be made in the form of a monetary pledge," said the father-of-eight, who lives in Spring Road.
"All funds raised will be strictly in accordance with the necessary legal procedures."
However, co-owner of the Priory and the Bury, Tim Sergeant, said that members of the St Osyth Heritage Action Group were misguided.
"Tendring Council and the Government office for the eastern region have both accepted our position as being lawful," he said.
"I wish them well in their pursuit, but I fear that they are wasting their time and sadly the money of anybody daft enough to be so easily parted with their hard-earned cash."
He added: "If he wished to speak to me, I could with legal documents explain why Mr Dalton is wasting his time.
"However, I would only do so on the basis that he would then put his allocated funds towards some charitable heritage project in the village or the district.
"In fact, depending on what project he decided to support, I would offer to match his contribution.
"I would rather spend money saving England's heritage than see lawyers getting richer."
1:07pm Friday 4th July 2008
Posted by: Town Cryer, St. Osyth on 10:05pm Sat 5 Jul 08
Why not turn it into an amusement park. It could end up another Alton Towers. At the moment, its more like Faulty towers, without the paying public though.
Why not turn it into an amusement park.
It could end up another Alton Towers.
At the moment, its more like Faulty towers,
without the paying public though.
Posted by: TERRY BAKER, AUSTRALIA on 1:58am Mon 7 Jul 08
I was born in Gt.Bentley and went to School in St.Osyth in Spring Road. The Bury always was open and accessible to the Public and should remain so. Having lived in Point Clear for a number of years with my Family prior to coming to Australia, I feel that the local Community has every right to fight against any restrictions that have been placed upon the Bury. It belongs to the Village and the Local people. Why is it when some person or persons acquire such an Historic building such as the Priory are "never satisfied with their lot" and want more. It seems to me that the "power"if that is the right word, has gone to his head. I wish the People of St. Osyth the best of luck in their endeavours.
Posted by: Fed up with bullies, St Osyth on 7:49pm Mon 7 Jul 08
We completely agree with you Terry. If Tim Sergeant and his clan had any concern at all for saving England's Heritage then they would stop spending money trying to move the driveway on the bury for dubious safety reasons and put the money towards repairing the wall opposite Cowley Park just for starters. Tim Sergeant thinks we are all village idiots!
Posted by: Marie on 1:14pm Tue 8 Jul 08
Good luck to Mr Dalton for sticking his neck out on behalf of the Village! The Bury had been open space longer than anyone could remember before the Priory found itself in the hands of property developers. I'll be making a donation to SHAG and if a lot of people were to give a few pounds here and there we might just get OUR Bury back!
Posted by: Free the Bury!, st osyth on 6:43pm Tue 8 Jul 08
If Sargeant wants to do something for the community, he could start by taking the fence and gate down that he erected without planning permission. His ridiculous offers of charity are a smokescreen to hide the fact that the whole issue is a legal grey area and he has been banking on TDC's ineffectiveness in order to take control of the Bury. The whole of St Osyth is behind this action and his usual laughable PR speak is being treated with the derision it deserves. If you are reading this, Sargeant, get this; we will not back down - this is our village and no property developer is going to push us about. Give us back our Bury!
Posted by: SHAG Supporter, St. Osyth on 1:30am today
Tim Sargeant:
"I wish them well in their pursuit, but I fear that they are wasting their time and sadly the money of anybody daft enough to be so easily parted with their hard-earned cash."
I doubt you wish them well, Mr Sargeant, more likely you are somewhat annoyed that these lowly serfs have dared to challenge your "authority". And how the hell do you know if our cash is hard earned or otherwise?
"He added: "If he wished to speak to me, I could with legal documents explain why Mr Dalton is wasting his time."
Most people in this village wouldn't waste their time speaking to you because since you arrived you have not listened to us at all, which is why we have arrived at this situation. With your record for spin, do you think anyone is interested in your dubious legal posturing?
"However, I would only do so on the basis that he would then put his allocated funds towards some charitable heritage project in the village or the district."
So, as I understand it, you want SHAG to stop being a nuisance to you, in return you will let them see some paper that supposedly supports your right to fence off the Bury and drive a new road across it. You're all heart.
"In fact, depending on what project he decided to support, I would offer to match his contribution."
"This could be construed as an attempt to throw money at a problem, but you make this charitable gesture in the full knowledge that it's never going to happen.
I would rather spend money saving England's heritage than see lawyers getting richer."
Lawyers get rich because of people like you, Mr Sargeant. Fortunately, English law is also of recourse to people like us who care more about our heritage than money.
Prepare to be SHAGged!
http://www.clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk/display.var.2379955.0.0.php
Re: St Osyth Heritage Action
Re: St Osyth Heritage Action Group
The name of the barrister won't be released by SHAG until he has been officially engaged by the action group, you wouldn't want someone else jumping in there would you? Be assured this guy is the best QC in town with a remarkable track record for this kind of action. We're not running a flower show here Scoot, if you want to get involved (we don't know who you are either), then get in touch, we need you and the rest of St Osyth to support us in any way possible. More info will be made available in due course.
Although I support these
Although I support these views, would it not have been better to call a public meeting and elect a committee and Chairman rather than suddenly being 'presented' with a letter from an organisation nobody knows about , and who is actually involved/behind it. Also the name of the barrister would be a help so that one could research and decide whether he really is upto the job. If he is as good as we are told then surely he'll be a QC ?