The Trust, in keeping with its policy of continuing to apply for various planning permissions at Wenhaston, recently made a small application for some very simple onsite facilities for the volunteers who are looking after, and improving, the site. Thanks to advice from the officers of the Planning Department, and support from both Councillors and officers at Committee, a storage shed in the style of a grounded SR-style van body will be sited, discretely, in the woodland, towards the west end of the site. An ultra-green “composting” WC (presented as a heritage-type erection, to match the van body) will also be sited – even more discretely.
Equipment for the environmental work which the Trust continues to carry out on its land will be kept in the shed (van body): both this building (which means no more constant carrying of tools backward and forward to site), and the WC, will be very welcome indeed.

The van body will look very similar to that which we are already planning to build onto our re-gauged RNAD underframe, and will be solid and rugged enough to provide security. Many ex-BR standard gauge van bodies are to be seen locally on farms and at Southwold Harbour, so the sad fact that no SR body has survived in this way (except, of course, for the beautifully-kept body at the East Anglia Transport Museum) means that we have to re-create one. Perhaps one day we will find the real thing.
The Planning Permission is for three years, as we hope that our original 2013 application for the Wenhaston Station rebuild (which is still under consideration) will be decided, in our favour, well before that time. Suffolk Coastal District Council have re-opened the consultation on this application, so please send them letters and e-mails of support, reference C/13/0833, particularly if you live in or near Wenhaston, or have connections with the parish.

The Trust would like to thank the officers and councillors of Suffolk Coastal District Council, as well as all those members and supporters who expressed their belief – in written submissions – that this was an appropriate development for the area.

Our Volunteers’ lives are made a little easier – by the Planning Dept.!