We would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to Addingham Civic Society.

Whether you are already a member, as around 500 of you are, or a fairly recent arrival in the village or a long-standing resident, we hope that there will be something in this Newsletter to interest you.

This year the Society in its present form celebrates 30 years of working and sometimes campaigning to ensure that our village remains a jewel in the crown of Wharfedale. The Society has supported and worked with other local groups to help enhance village amenities and prevent developments and activities which would be detrimental to the overall quality of life of residents. This special Newsletter also coincides with the regional Yorkshire and the Humber Civic Society Week.

DID YOU KNOW …….

To preserve the unique architectural character a large part of the village was created a Conservation Area in the 1970’s.
That a campaign for a bypass began as early as the 1920’s. It was not until the 1970’s that a cohesive campaign by the Civic Society, Parish Council and other groups finally succeeded.
Addingham once had a Museum of Gateposts. Where are they now ……?
Until the late 1960’s the centre of the village was dominated by a huge railway arch.
The Civic Society had an “Adopt a Stream” initiative from 1989 where members monitored the condition of local streams.
The new bypass, completed in October 1990 put an end to the Fell Race across to the Moorside which had been a popular feature of the annual village gala.
The Civic Society worked with other groups over a two year period to prevent building on Manor Garth.
Under the Bradford Unitary Development Plan the proposed development for Addingham would have doubled the size of the village and created an industrial park between the cricket field and the recreation ground. A local campaign prevented this and also kept other land within the Green Belt.
The lovely wall-hanging in the Memorial Hall was a Civic Society Millennium Project. Many volunteers worked on the design and stitching over a two year period.
George Street, behind the Post Office, was resurfaced as a Civic Society Millennium Project with most of the £9000 coming from local sources.
Local Volunteers planted around 800 trees and shrubs at the Parish Council’s new Marchup Gill Nature Reserve in 2004.
In 2007 the Civic Society had its 25th annual village cleanup and litter pick.

THE FUTURE ……..

Earlier this year the Civic Society carried out a Members Survey (sending out a questionnaire to each household which had one or more members of the Society) to find out their views and priorities on the village and its amenities. We were very pleased to get 72 responses from our members.

The questions in the survey closely followed the issues highlighted in the Village Design Statement produced by the Parish Council in 2001 and were in accordance with the aims of the Society:

? To stimulate public interest in Addingham.
? To promote high standards of architecture and planning.
? To secure the preservation, development and improvement of features of historical interest and general public amenity.

Of greatest importance to those who completed and returned the questionnaires was the topic of Conservation. Of the statements in this category, high or very-high importance was given to protecting existing open spaces, keeping existing footpaths open and maintained, protecting mature trees, and developing a code of conduct to guide sympathetic building work to properties.

The second highest scoring topic was The Future of the Village. Here greatest importance was given to encouraging new shops and businesses, encouraging diversity for any new housing, the use of brown field sites for any new building, and encouraging local adult education provision.

Concerning Transport and Traffic, greater provision of short term parking for shoppers and better timing of bus links to Ilkley Railway Station and Airedale Hospital were identified as the important issues. Indeed many of the additional comments made by members concerned parking provision and congestion in the village.

In the Village & its Facilities, a multi-purpose sports pavilion & footpath access rate quite highly.

The findings of the survey will form the basis of future Civic Society activities and initiatives.

Our next major initiative is the publication of a new book, “Addingham : a View From the Moorside”, which has been jointly written by local historians Alison Armstrong, Malcolm Birdsall and Arnold Pacey. The book is priced at only £10 and will be available from September. It will be a very useful companion to our current book “Addingham : from Brigantes to By-pass” by Kate Mason.

The Civic Society always welcomes new members and at £5 per year, or £9 for two people in the same household, you will receive ten newsletters full of Society news, and free entry to nine speaker meetings. Anyone joining the Society now will receive six months membership free, and will not have to pay again until January 2010.

We would also welcome volunteers with particular skills or knowledge on issues which will help us fulfil the aims of the Society and who can give a few hours a month to help the Executive Committee. To find out more about the Civic Society please visit our web site at www.civicsociety.addingham.info - or visit our stand at the Village Gala in July. To join the Society or to volunteer to help, please contact Mike Bolton (Tel : 01943-831117) or Catherine Snape (Tel : 01943-831769).

THIS IS YOUR VILLAGE. PLEASE HELP TO KEEP IT A SPECIAL PLACE TO LIVE.