Cedars Park Residents Association

This site has been created as a source of useful information and to keep Cedars Park residents up to date with local issues, news and attractions. The site is only as good as the information we receive and we can only develop its content with your help. Please contact us with your suggestions and contributions.

A CALL TO ACTION!

It has come to the attention of the CPRA that a new action plan for Stowmarket has been drawn up by MSDC. This action plan is designed to layout all future planning policies for Stowmarket for the foreseeable future and after reading the document Cedars Park is not mentioned once.

That's right, Cedars Park and the needs of all the residents is not mentioned once in the document!

MSDC has set a deadline for January 31st for all comments on the Action Plan. As residents of Cedars Park we need to show our objection to the total lack of support for our estate. This can be done in the following ways:

The Government encourages representations to be made online and comments can be made against any paragraph and box by using the Council's designated consultation web site:

Alternatively, comments should be made using the representation form that can be downloaded from the Council's web site, or requested by tel: 01449 724843.

By Post: Comments can be sent to the following FREEPOST address (no stamp required):

Planning Policy
FREEPOST RRBU-SRLS-BRYK
Mid Suffolk District Council
131 High Street
Needham Market
Ipswich
Suffolk
IP6 8DL

New Youth Shelter for Cedars Park

At the recent Residents Association meeting, on Friday 21st November, Rob Stevenson (Detached Youth Worker) presented with his colleague Cindy Newey and some of the young people who have been successful in securing funding from Youth Opportunity Fund to site a youth shelter on the designated area for this age group on the Creeting Road play area.

Rob explained that he and Cindy started work in September and identfied an immediate priority to provide facilities for young people living on Cedars Park. A group of these young people applied for funding for the delivery of the "TCP Shelter Project" and, at the end of October, presented to a panel of judges on the funding committee. The good news is that this application was successful and £12,100 has been allocated for the supply and installation of a youth shelter, galvanised locable litter bin, bench and cycle rack.

Crest Nicholson and Mid Suffolk Borough Council are both happy to site this shelter near to the existing basketball area where a small shelter already exists.

Here is some information which is from a best practice study carried out by Thames Valley Police:

What is a youth shelter?

Click image for more details.

A youth shelter is a structure designed to meet the social needs of young people - a sheltered place to sit and talk.

Research has demonstrated the benefits of providing local facilities for this vulnerable age group. The involvement of youths throughout these projects has been shown to pay dividends and helps to prove that discussions and negotiation between different parties is one of the most positive ways of helping to solve problems. Best practice shows that where possible, youth shelters should be located with sports facilities or equipment.

Young people need to socialise as part of their normal growth and development; they need to learn how to relate to each other in the absence of adults – this is how they mature. It is true that they will sometimes make fools of themselves, take a few risks, get too boisterous and show off inappropriately in front of their peers. It is much better to let them do this in a designated space out of harm’s way, than to try and stop them gathering outside shops or bus shelters and asking the police to move them on. At best this merely displaces the problem and it may well lead to other, more serious difficulties that could cost dearly in the longer term.

Rob is very happy to discuss this further with any residents and emails can be sent via the Residents Association website.

Working in Partnership with the Cedars Park Community

Overnight on Thursday 30^th fuel was stolen from a Ford Ka vehicle in Shearwater Way . If it is at all possible try to secure your fuel cap.

On Friday 31^st ( Halloween ) There was a spate of car crime when seven insecure (UNLOCKED) cars were entered and subjected to an untidy search and in some cases property was stolen. Thankfully no vehicles were damaged.

These would appear to be opportunistic incidents, nevertheless upsetting to those concerned. It is easy on nights such as Halloween when enjoying time with children to forget something but:

PLEASE TRY TO REMEMBER TO TAKE BASIC CRIME PREVENTATIVE MEASURES i.e. LOCK YOUR VEHICLES AND LEAVE NOTHING IN VIEW