Rust Bucket - It's the Pits!

The Art World 'Gasps' at symbolic

'Concrete and Rust' exhibit!

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The Tate Modern is known for its Art ‘Installations’ by Tracey Emin and Damien Hurst, and you may already be familiar with the controversial exhibits ‘unmade bed’ and ‘Formaldehyde Sheep’. It seems that they may now have some competition in Ely...

The as yet previously unknown artist working under the Pseudonym 'Mr. T' has stormed to fame (or is that infamy?) with his latest art installation at Roswell Pits. Entitled ‘Concrete and Rust’, this larger than life exhibit takes the theme of contorting natural beauty into unspeakable man-made ugliness. – And you have to hand it to him, he does it so well!

Re-named the ‘Bittern-est pill’ by locals, it is hoped that the exhibit is just passing through. One tourist was quoted as saying “the concrete and Rust makes quite an eye-catching feature for Ely residents and tourists, has it been here long?" - I replied that as I understand it, it would be around, (or should I say in that exact position for up to 28 days) after that, the artist is going to move it 10ft further down the pit as this particular installation is only temporary!

Being a luvvy of the arts myself, and having a rather large pond in my garden, I am seriously thinking of asking Mr. T if he can lend me one of his rusting hulks, so I can re-create this vision of beauty in my own garden. I have Snipe, Mallard, Herons and even an occasional Kingfisher frequent my garden pond, and I am truly excited that with my own reproduction of Mr. T’s work, they too can have access to such a ‘work of art’ as their cousins at Roswell.

Just to keep the installation in my garden authentic, I intend to hire a JCB to dig a trench all the way around the pond (although in order to remain faithful to the original project), I will now have to wait until nesting season in spring, to ensure that I can cause maximum damage and disruption. Fortunately, I already own a chainsaw, and this weekend I will be excitedly exploring the rich contrast between ‘light and dark’ and ‘composite textures’ by chopping down the mature trees in the immediate area.

Once I have experimented with the chainsaw, I intend to follow through with ‘bonfires’, a transitional piece, where I set light to the mature broadleaf trees I have just cut down; 'bonfires' will be quickly followed by a period called 'admiration' which will basically consit of me standing around / leaning on a fork, admiring my handy work as the smoke rises from the ashes. When discussing my plan with Melvin 'Bragger' on the South Bank Show, he said; "This is truly interactive art at its best..." "Such an international piece of art in Ely will be historic...". - No - serioulsy he did!

As the icing on the cake, all that will remain is for the wildlife to move away and bada-bing - I will have almost achieved nirvirna. Next stop will be the council planning department to submit plans for a hotel, night club and executive flats. - They will debate my plans for several months, and decide that they are 'indeterminable'; in the intervening period, I will have already finished the temporary developement and will have my paying guests seated in the lounge-bar, supping large G&T's while looking out over the pond in a vain attempt to spot the now absent wildlife. - Not wishing to disapoint my guests, I can always show them pictures of all the wildlife that use to live there before I cleared the site for development. No wildlife, but lots of money, that's what makes the world go round...

As I understand it, on my own land, I can do exactly as I please... Or does that courtesy only extend to persons who can line the coffers of a small number of people against the wishes of the majority?

I WONDER HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE FOR THE COUNCIL TO VISIT ME AND OBJECT TO MY DEVELOPMENTS!

PS. Irony is close to infamy in the dictionary - As the late great Kennith Williams use to say, Infamy! Infamy! they've all got it in for me!

NB. I took a call earlier this week from an old Hollywood pal of mine the other Mr. T or B.A. as he is some times called ('BA' being short for Bad Attitude). He said he was concerned as he had heard of another man calling himself Mr. T, (who also has a bad attitude) and he did not like what he was hearing about a Marina development. Knowing him to be a thoughtful and wise kind of person, I asked him if he had any words of wisdom for us. He simply said, "When I was growing up, my family was so poor that we could not even afford to ‘pay’ attention, but now I am a Hollywood star, I just want to do what is right, so I support your campaign to stop the Marina in Ely. Thank you Mr. T you really are a star!

Hey Kids! - Mr. T has a mesasge for us all

Ely Standard - Back to Square 1

COUNCIL lawyers have spent seven weeks deciding whether work at Ely's Roswell Pits is lawful - only to agree that they can't decide. They have rejected businessman Jeremy Tyrrell's application for a Certificate of Lawfulness claiming that it is invalid. Their decision that the application is 'undeterminable' means they are back to square one, and it leaves Mr Tyrrell, whose company Jalsea Marine owns the lake and Ely's Cathedral Marina, facing the need to submit a new certificate application or a planning application.But council officers have agreed that Mr Tyrrell does not require planning permission for boats to cruise on the lake, temporary moorings for 28 days a year, a temporary hard standing for a crane, safety and security fences and gates and maintenance.
In an email from East Cambridgeshire District Council enforcement officer, Trevor Eagle, it is made clear, however, that this is only the council's 'informal' opinion. The email goes on to say that the opinion is given at officer level only and does not prejudice any decision that might be taken in the future by council planners.At the end of the email Mr Eagle adds that he is leaving his job at the end of August and directs future discussion to his successor.
The decision on the Certificate of Lawfulness has left campaigners, who have fought vehemently to protect wildlife on the site, confused and angry. "We have waited almost seven weeks for the council's response and have got nothing from it," said Liz Hunter, vice-chairman of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Ely."
It has taken the council all this time to discover that the application for a certificate is in the council's words 'invalid' and cannot be determined by the council. The application has been determined as 'undeterminable'." Our concern is to protect this precious wildlife habitat that gives such pleasure to so many people and we will continue to contest any plans for development at Roswell Pit. A proper planning application and an Environmental Impact Assessment would be the right path to follow."Giles Hughes, head of planning at East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: "I would like to stress that these decisions do not mean the developer now has the right to move forward with any work he likes. If there is future work which is deemed necessary by the owner that requires planning permission, he should submit an application. "We have consulted and used every appropriate tool under planning law regarding the work committed at this site. Where activities that require planning permission take place without consent we will take appropriate action."Alan Dover, the council's principal development control officer, added: "If work continues on the site and it exceeds what can be done under permitted development then we will have to go to enforcement.

" Jeremy Tyrrell said: "We have done our best, encouraged by the council, to make everything clear and transparent by applying for this certificate. It is not required to do the work we want to do. Aside from planning laws, however, there is a duty of care to wildlife which we continue to recognise. "We cannot say at this stage what our next move is. "We are, however, absolutely staggered that the council has released information to the press which they have not seen fit to let us know about.

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A young Kingfisher looks out over the river at Cuckoo Bridge

Membership Drive Saturday 18th August 2007

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LCPRE had a stall in Ely’s Market place today, formerly launching their membership drive. (Liz Hunter and Dr Sarah Hall Pictured operating the stall) The LCPRE's focus is of course the future of Roswell, but they have a much wider goal to secure and protect all green spaces in and around Ely. If you are serious about conservation, and protection of local wildlife habitat, then giving your support to the LCPRE is a must! Membership can be gained for as little as £1.00 (donations are of course welcome to help with running costs). I have joined the LCPRE, and wish to offer them as much support as I can. We still have a long battle ahead of us, and the more people that support this local campaign the louder our voice will be. If you would like a membership form, please visit the LCPRE website @ http://www.elywildspace.org.uk/ or contact Pat Hillman on 01353 664115

Anglia News 17th August 6:00pm

I have just got a text from Phillipa Heap of Anglia News. They have finally managed to get Mr T to say a piece to camera and it will be shown at 6:00pm on Anglia News on 17th August. It will be an edited piece and so we have no idea how long it will be (not more than 2 minutes I think) and I don't know which bits of the original interview will be included. I do know that Mr T has not broken out of character, and as anticipated has not given much away.

You will have to watch to find out. In the shortness of time if appropriate, we will post the interviews here on the blog for anyone who might miss it. A little bit of TV exposure will help raise awareness about the cause and keep the pressure on all involved parties to do the right thing.

Onwards and upwards!

Finger-Licking-Bad - The Future of Roswell?

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Saturday 11th August: Decide to take the dog for a walk at Roswell.

I have my camera in the car, but have just a short lens on...

I decided I would take it with me anyway, you never know what you might see...

With this particular lens I knew I would not get much in the way of Wildlife...

Sadly I was wrong...

It seems that Roswell has attracted a new species of wildlife. I hope they are not going to be residents...

Take a closer look at the picture and you can clearly see one of the partygoers (between the two men in the centre of the boat) throwing their unwanted chicken leg/spare ribs over the side into the water. To the young man in question: Incase you did not know, Ely is not a rubbish tip, next time take your rubbish home. I wonder how much longer it will be until the bottom of Roswell is littered with 'Stella A Twat' cans. (There is soooo much in a name you know).

As this is the first I have seen of this 'incoming species' (at this particular site), I felt it incumbent on me to give this species a name (to help with scientific classification at a later stage). I have settled on the rather lengthy name of 'Greater Spotted Booze Cruise, Chicken Leg Throwing, Motorised 'Hobo - Sapien'), - see name painted on side of boat, how appropriate?

Is this really to be the future for Roswell? Are the pits to become be a floating dustbin, with loud music, shouting, littering and motorboat pollution?

It’s a sad day for Ely, I hope the council do their duty quickly, and get this mess sorted. I am incensed that this is happening, and very fearful that things will get much worse. If you have not already made your concerns known to the council, then please do so. You can also help the fight by joining the LCPRE, you can get a membership form from their website http://www.elywildspace.org.uk/

PS. Not much health and safety going on this picture either - err... anyone ever heard of life jackets? Perhaps they slow down the drinking arm...

NB. Faces have been pixeled out.

Bittern Concerns - Cambridge Evening News

DEVELOPMENTS at an Ely wildlife haven are worrying a Government conservation body.
Diggers are now in place at Roswell Pits in Ely, clearing parts of the banks and dredging dead trees from the water to prepare moorings for boats attending the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) festival in St Ives later this month.

But Natural England, a Government body responsible for protecting the country's environment, fears rare bitterns may be disturbed by plans for more power boats on the site and says it has written to landowner Jeremy Tyrrell expressing those concerns.

Mr Tyrrell sought permission from Natural England over work at Roswell Pits, as dinosaur fossils found there make it a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). A spokeswoman for Natural England said it was pleased by Mr Tyrrell's concern for a cliff where the fossils are located, but raised queries on wildlife.

She said: "The owner has consulted with Natural England to request permission to improve the drainage of water away from the cliff, making it more stable, and we have given our written consent for this work.

"We do have concerns over his plans to increase the use of power boats for leisure use on another part of the site which is not included within the boundary of the SSSI.
"We have raised these concerns with the local planning authority and the owner. We are worried that the noise from the power boats will disturb rare bittern foraging on the site, and other important wetland birds."

Mr Tyrrell has pledged to work closely with any group interested in the welfare of the wildlife there, and he confirmed to the News he is hoping temporary moorings will be ready for the IWA festival.

Mr Tyrrell added he is awaiting a response from the council on the certificate of lawfulness he submitted a month ago. That application sought to establish whether work on temporary moorings could proceed without planning permission.

The council has previously said the moorings do not require permission, as the work is uncovering old moorings rather than creating new ones.

LCPRE Call for Membership

The LCPRE are working hard to save Roswell from the distruction of Flora and Fauna caused by the current owners of the pit. If you would like to become a member of the LCPRE, to show your support, you can use the contact details below to get a membership form.

Please visit the LCPRE website http://www.elywildspace.org.uk/ or call Pat Hillman on 01353 664115