ACE Meeting 22nd May 2025
Meeting Title: ACE Monmouth Monthly Meeting
Meeting date and time: 22nd May, at 7:30pm
Venue Details: Zoom
Present: Charles Emes, Sarah Read, Mark McManus, Rebecca Cunningham, Fiona Wilcock, Jem Jenkins-Jones, Clare Catto, Jess Long, Katherine Pitts-Tucker, Nichola James
Apologies: Vivien Mitchell, Cherry Taylor, Sue Parkinson
Agenda and Notes
1. Welcome and apologies for absence
2. Dixton Road Development
Rebecca Cunningham gave a presentation on the proposed Leesbrook (HA4) development on Dixton Road, raising serious environmental and planning concerns.
- MCC has confirmed a full Environmental Impact Assessment is now required due to proximity to Newton Court SSSI, a known bat corridor, and objections from the Wye Valley AONB, CADW, and from within MCC itself.
- Rebecca highlighted recent chemical spraying of the site despite the presence of protected species. Reports to authorities (NRW and police) received no substantive action.
- Existing ecological assessments (from 2018–2021) are outdated. Citizen science surveys indicate bat activity not previously recorded, as well as the presence of other species not previously recorded.
- MCC has withheld supporting documents and delayed responses to FOI requests, raising concerns about transparency.
Action: Rebecca encouraged ACE to call for updated ecological surveys, full transparency in MCC’s planning decisions and a clear justification for prioritising HA4 over less environmentally sensitive sites
3. Square Farm Open Day – Sunday 8th June
Square Farm is holding an open day on Sunday 8th June, as part of national Open Farm Sunday.
There will be guided farm tours (pre-booking recommended) with Rob and the showcasing of sustainable techniques such as biochar and the Johnson-Su composting bioreactor.
There will also be activities for kids and a hog roast too (vegetarian option available), and the farm shop will be open as usual.
Tour times and more details can be found here.
Action: Volunteers needed for tea/coffee stall, car parking, and tour check-in. Please email info@acemonmouth.org if you can help.
4. Haberdashers Sustainability Conference – Monday 30th June
Nichola provided an overview of the sustainability conference planned for this year. The event will involve between 200-250 primary-aged children, aiming to engage them in long term collaborative projects based around 8 sustainability topics, which would be facilitated by local groups. Groups already confirmed are Bees for Development, and Friends of the Lower Wye, and contacts at other local groups who could participate were discussed.
5. Climate Festival – Sunday 14th September
This year’s climate festival will be held on Sunday 14th September between 10am-4pm. It will have a ‘Make Do and Mend’ theme reflecting 1940s wartime ethos, and include activities centered on repair and sustainability, with initiatives such as the Repair Cafe and Benthyg being involved.
The aim is to hire the Shire Hall and the cobblestones outside for the event, and entertainment such as local choirs and youth drama groups performing songs and readings, continuing the tradition from previous festivals was discussed. Jem confirmed that Catherine from the Shire Hall will lend ACE some make do and mend materials used in schools which could be displayed on a stand.
Action: Please get in touch if you would like to be part of this year’s festival. Volunteers are needed to help plan and staff the event, especially with entertainment coordination.
6. AOB
This year’s Bee Festival will be held in Nelson Gardens on 14th June between 12-4pm (more details here: ) ACE will have a stand there.
Action: Volunteers to help on the stand are needed – please get in touch if you would like to help out!
7. Date of next meeting
Thursday 19th June, 7:30pm, via Zoom.