Singers of all talents welcome at new gospel choir

Thursday 24 November 2011

South Devon’s newest gospel style choir is inviting anyone with a love of music to try it, whatever their singing ability.

The Newton Gospel Group is a non-religious choir open to men and women over 16. Sessions start in January and potential members should register their interest now.

There are no auditions so everyone - from experienced vocalists to those who have never sung in public before – can join.   

Says group leader Megan Taper: “Gospel is a community style of singing that doesn’t exclude anyone. You just need to love music and be willing to let your hair down. It’s a great way to gain confidence in your voice and have a lot of fun at the same time.”

Megan is an experienced musician who already runs the popular Newton Community Choir. She also teaches singing and piano and performs a wide range of musical styles at events around the region.

Gospel music has inspired many of the world’s most famous vocalists including Aretha Franklin, Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, Ray Davis and Elvis Presley.

The Newton Gospel Group will start weekly sessions at 7.30-9.00pm at the Avenue Church’s hall in Newton Abbot from 9^th January 2012. Sessions cost £5 each or £30 for seven.

For more information contact Megan Taper on 07865 779977 or click www.beadmanmusic.co.uk

Baltic Wharf announces preferred development partner

The company intended to build the first phase of the £48 million redevelopment at Baltic Wharf in Totnes has been named as Bloor Homes.

Baltic Wharf’s owners, TQ9 Partnership, chose the multi-award winning company because of its willingness to work with their priorities, including an ambitious public consultation agenda. 

As the preferred partner, Bloor Homes will work with TQ9 Partnership for the next six months on the detailed designs for phase one of the 26-acre site.

The plans will be drawn up using feedback from an extensive public consultation programme due to start in the New Year.

Baltic Wharf has outline planning permission for up to 190 homes, space for 300 jobs, a modernised boatyard and retirement village. The site will also include a riverside plaza and around 12 acres of public open space.  

Phase one will seek detailed planning permission for up to 95 homes including affordable housing and the co-housing scheme. Approval on a Landscape and Design statement for the whole scheme will also be sought.

Subject to planning permission, building work on phase one of the development could begin around the end of 2012.

TQ9 Partner, Steve Mittler, said: “There was a lot of competition but we chose Bloor Homes because of their willingness to sign up to our agenda of ongoing involvement. They are committed to finding a bespoke quality design that’s right for Totnes as well as to our plans for high levels of sustainability and community engagement.

“They are a major national house-builder with the added flexibility of private ownership and they have the considerable experience and infrastructure necessary for us to be sure they can deliver a scheme of this importance.”

Bloor Homes’ Land Director Andrew Driscoll said: “We’re delighted to be involved in the regeneration of Baltic Wharf. Baltic Wharf’s wonderful location on the banks of the River Dart and yet within walking distance of the thriving town centre instantly attracted us to this very exciting opportunity.

“TQ9 Partnership has gone a long way in promoting the site for a genuine mixed use development. Building on these strong foundations, Bloor will design and deliver high quality homes in the first phase.”

Bloor Homes has been building for over 45 years and today is one of largest privately owned house-building companies in the UK. Bloor builds circa 2,000 homes per year in eight regions and is committed to future growth, especially in the Devon area. Baltic Wharf would be seen as a flagship development for future growth in this area.

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Community champs support pioneering Wharf consultation

An independent group of ‘Community Champions’ is to oversee public involvement in the first detailed designs for Baltic Wharf in Totnes.

The Baltic Wharf Consultation Steering Group will support and help guide the work of an independent facilitator to gather ideas from across the Totnes community, including those who do not usually participate in such events.

Local people will be asked for their input into the look and feel of phase one of the 26-acre redevelopment in the New Year.

Phase one will include the co-housing scheme and the Landscape and Wildlife Design Plan for the entire £48 million development will also be consulted on and submitted.

The steering group includes members from the town and district councils, KEVICC, Transition Town Totnes, the co-housing group and others. Its role and composition was decided by townspeople at a pre-consultation meeting in August.

Baltic Wharf Consultation Steering Group member, Tony Whitty, said: “Steering Group members will do their very best to be effective community champions so that everyone who wants a say in Baltic Wharf’s design can get their opinion across. People will be able to come to us if they feel an important point hasn’t been properly considered. It is potentially a very exciting new way for developments in the town to work with communities.”

Steve Mittler, Director of Baltic Wharf, said: “We have learned that genuine community involvement makes for a better scheme. By getting a detailed understanding of these views at the beginning we have the best chance of producing a scheme the community really wants.”

Leading the consultation process is independent facilitator, Jeff Bishop from BDOR Limited (www.bdor.co.uk). He said: “In my experience it is rare for a developer to seek this level of local involvement, especially for a project of this size. This is a real opportunity for everyone who is interested in Baltic Wharf’s future.”

Full details of the public consultation will be finalised in the coming weeks. As well as at least one big public drop-in event, the process is expected to include workshops and other types of interactive activities. 

The feedback will be used to help draw up a detailed planning application for phase one, which South Hams Councillors will have to approve before construction work on the site can begin.

Once complete, the Baltic Wharf revival will have space for over 300 jobs, a fully modernised boatyard, extensive live-work opportunities, a ground-breaking co-housing scheme, up to 190 affordable and market homes and a retirement village.

Some 12 acres of the site will become a new green community space with wildlife-friendly play and picnic areas and riverside walkways linking to the footpaths beyond.

Outline planning permission for the semi-dilapidated 26-acre site was granted in December 2010.

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Perfume in the potting shed

The shed. What greater emblem of English country life than a prefabricated wooden building at the end of the garden?

Men have long held the monopoly on sheds and their secrets but now a growing number of women are getting in on the act.

I've teamed up with Devon Life for a new series to discover what these women get up to. It's a great excuse to showcase some wonderful small businesses and amazing people. And would you know, so far there’s not a seed packet or garden fork in sight.

The first article is in this month's magazine and features Emma Rhodes, who uses her shed to make her handmade soap. 

Emma hard at work

Divine scents from the shed waft over her garden

 http://devon.greatbritishlife.co.uk/

Secrets of a Spare Room Tycoon revealed

The proportion of micro businesses - sole traders and self-employed people -  across Devon is nearly double the national average.

For many, living here is their career choice. They use their ingenuity and guile to find something useful they can do that also earns them enough money to be able to stay.

They doubtlessly form a crucial part of the economy but they make this area such an interesting and diverse place to be.  Not only am I proud to be one of them, I've built my business around supporting them.

I've teamed up with the wonderful Devon Life to write a regular - and hopefully funny - blog celebrating the joys and pitfalls of being a spare room tycoon. You can see it here: http://devon.greatbritishlife.co.uk/community/blogs/entries/claire-crawley-dishes-the-dirt-on-life-as-a-spare-room-business-tycoon/id/440/

'Guinea-pig' goats are a media hit

Three extra-small pygmy goats have been making a big splash in their local papers. The trio, born at Totnes Rare Breeds Farm, were so small one visitor mistook them for guinea pigs. Photos of the cute kids appeared in the Western Morning News, Herald Express and Totnes Times. Everyone say, ‘Ahhh’.