Lauradale Road/Woodside Avenue update

Some good news in Fortis Green over the festive period - a small, but important, victory in an ongoing planning battle.

I have mentioned previously the long running saga of people trying to build at 85-87 Woodside Avenue, which is designated Significant Local Open Land (SLOL). This is an unusual bit of land, situated at the rear of Lauradale Road, by the Fortis Green Allotments and opposite Tetherdown School.

With the decision expected to be made at a planning committee this week, local residents and I were delighted when (following a site visit in December) the council told the developers they would not be recommending the plans for approval. I know Lynne Featherstone, local MP who also supported the residents' objections, will be pleased too.

So the plans are dead and buried - for now. No doubt the developers will look at what the council have said and try again with amended plans, that's how these things go. Just means we all have to be ready for the next round of the battle whenever it comes!

First ever game of rugby in New Zealand

Happy New Year everyone.

With the rugby world cup taking place in New Zealand this year, thought I would post this photo that I took over there last Christmas. It might just look like a field, but if you've got very good eyesight then you will see from the sign that it is the site of the very first rugby game ever played in New Zealand.

Back in 1870, Nelson College and Nelson Football Club played a game of rugby on this spot in Nelson. The game in New Zealand has come a long way in terms of popularity since then of course - I remember last Christmas there was already a countdown clock to the 2011 Rugby World Cup in Christchurch's Cathedral Square. But this is where it all began.