News Bytes

Here are recent news stories about Duston. The headings show the date the item first appeared on this website.

25/5/08

New Owner & Name for the Rifle Butt

Lorraine Wager hopes to be taking over the Rifle Butt on 17th June, She is hoping to bring the pub back into the community, having a mums and tots group, pensioners mornings and afternoons, as well as getting the darts and pool teams back, she will also be changing the name of the pub to The Hart of Duston, all groups are welcome, she wants to get this pub back on its feet.  Lorriane's mobile number is 07786946514 all suggestions are welcome

22/2/07

Flood fears for Upton Lodge

The Herald & Post describes the consultation on the plan to build 2500 homes, businesses, a primary school and park-and-ride scheme at Upton Lodge. A councillor expressed fears that the development has not taken into account the increased risk of flooding it could cause. To find out more, see Herald & Post: Plan Sparks Flood Fears.

Road signs a blot on A428?

Apparently there are more than 140 road signs on the three-mile stretch of the A428 from East Haddon to Duston. A member of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRA) has claimed that they detract from the beautiful countryside along the route. To find out more, see BBC News: Signs Spoil the Countryside Claim.

9/2/07

Your Chance to Object to Plans for Millway School Site

About 80 new homes have been proposed for the Millway School site, which are among more than 1000 planned for former middle school sites by the West Northampton Development Corporation (WNDC). The Herald & Post reports that "hundreds of people have raised objections over plans to build housing on some of Northampton's surplus school sites. The WNDC is consulting on outline planning applications submitted for some of the former school sites in the town. ... The applications will go to the WNDC planning committee on Tuesday, February 13, from 5pm in the Sturtridge Suite at Franklins Gardens, Northampton. It is an open meeting and anyone who would like to speak needs to register by Monday, February 12, by calling on (01604) 586602." To find out more, see Herald & Post: Objections to Homes on Former School Sites.

 

2/2/07

New Homes on Millway School Site

About 80 new homes are proposed for the Millway School site. This is part of plans for more than 1000 homes on sites of former middle schools unveiled by the West Northampton Development Corporation. The proposal will go before Northampton Borough Council on Tuesday 6 February 2007. To find out more, see BBC Website: 1000 Homes for Old School Sites.

13/10/06

Ap-peal for Bell Hits the Right Note

The seventeenth century bell stolen from the bell tower of St Francis Church in Eastfield Road in Duston on 28 September has been returned after scrap metal merchants European Metal Recycling found the bell in a job lot. The bell was slightly damaged with its clapper and securing cross bar missing. It appeared that the thieves had tried to break it up using an angle grinder without success. The church will be handing the bell over to specialists for repair and rehanging.

3/10/06

Ancient Bell Stolen From St Francis Church

A seventeenth century bell weighing about 25 kilos has been stolen from the bell tower of St Francis Church in Eastfield Road, Duston. The bell was originally obtained from St Michael's Church Upton when that church was decommisioned. The incident occurred on 28/29 September. Please inform Northampton police if you noticed any suspicious activity around the church on that evening - the crime reference is WB21338-06.

11/8/06

Makeover proposed for Sandy Lane

A new wider single carriageway road is planned to be built in March 2007 next to Sandy Lane. The new road, alongside the St Giles Park estate, will be part of the lorry route between Junction 16 of the M1 and the Lodge Farm Industrial Estate. It will include a bridge with a cutting to allow the new road to pass under Port Road. The existing Sandy Lane will be turned into a shared footway and cycleway. To find out more, and to comment on the scheme, you can attend the Public Exhibition by Northamptonshire County Council at the Folk Centre in The Duston School 10am to 8pm on Wednesday 23 August and Thursday 24 August 2006. Information about the scheme will be available after the exhibition at www.northamptonshire.gov.uk.

16/6/06

Have your say on plans for Dallington Grange, Lodge Farm & Kings Heath

Public consultation plans have been announced for our area, covering development proposals for Dallington Grange and possible improvements in Lodge Farm, Kings Heath and Tresham Green. The site developers are preparing a new plan called an Interim Planning Statement (IPS) and are undertaking a major public consultation on it, asking local people what they want to see for the future of the area. This programme begins shortly with a series of public exhibitions:

From Monday 19th June, you can find further information at www.dallingtongrange.com. You can also put questions, comments and suggestions by calling 0845 602 5026.

The IPS document is being drawn up by site developers Persimmon Homes and David Wilson Homes in consultation with the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC) and Northampton Borough Council, and will provide a framework for the future of the area. It will cover a wide range of issues, including housing growth, transport, employment provision, community facilities, design standards, public spaces and environmental protection.

The IPS will cover the Dallington Grange site, which is allocated for residential-led mixed use development, as well as the Kings Heath Estate, Lodge Farm Industrial Estate and Tresham Green. It will guide the development proposals for the Dallington Grange site and identify future improvements to the surrounding areas.

24/3/06

Rock Concert at The Duston School

The Duston School is well into its own ten-week Rock School with outstanding music being produced. The students are getting ready for their first rock concert which is being held on 22nd March at 7pm in the school’s main hall. Tickets for this event are available from the school. Contact office@thedustonschool.northants.sch.uk or phone 01604 460004 for details.

26/2/06

The Duston School out of special measures and still improving

In September 2005 The Duston School had been in special measures for 4½ years. The new leadership team set out to raise morale, improve the learning environment and increase levels of respect. The January 06 Ofsted report lifts the school out of special measures and acknowledges the huge improvements made to date.

The report comments, 'Under the highly effective leadership of new senior managers many aspects of the school’s work have been improved… Pupils’ behaviour and their attitudes to learning are much better as a result of improved teaching and greater care and guidance.' The report goes on to say, 'The new headteacher’s outstanding leadership has raised the expectations of the whole school community. She has bought coherence to the work of all managers and led significant improvements in teaching, learning, behaviour and care.'

Negative behaviour patterns had sunk the school into a downward spiral and it was clear that attitudes needed to be changed – and quickly. In September 2005 the new leadership team was appointed to the school, headed by Jane Herriman. It has taken the new team, working in conjunction with students, teachers and parents, 14 weeks and 2 days to lift the school out of special measures.

See also

News Bytes 1/7/03-2005

News Bytes 1/1/03 - 30/6/03

News Bytes 2002