After a long and tortuous process to get approval from Uttlesford, which was finally achieved on 12^th February, construction work on the Community & Sports Centre began the very next day.

It then seemed to take no time at all for most of the plantation to disappear and for the roadside banking to be cleared to make way for the new site entrance. No-one can have failed to notice the dramatic change in the landscape at the northern end of our village.

Pelham Structures, our developer, brought in some very large, eye-catching machines to do all this work and to begin moving the enormous amounts of earth needed to prepare the new sports pitches. As the work proceeds the new houses and the community building will take shape more slowly. We have, however, asked Pelham Structures to begin planting the new trees soon to give them a good, early start. In the end there will be nearly three times more new trees than have been taken away.

A word of warning: construction sites are dangerous places. Please will all parents ensure that their children know that their children are not allowed within the fenced area of the site. If anyone has concerns about the construction work at any time, please contact Pelham Structures’ site manager, James Dignan (07815 120463) or Kate Singleton, Pelham Structures’ Operations Manager (01799 551261) or Les Atkinson from the Project Steering Group (01279 813668).

The plan is to complete the houses and the community building by February next year. The new football pitches should be available for use by September next year and we are hoping to see cricket being played in Manuden again in the 2014 season.