Welcome to the latest edition of Rickmansworth This Week e-news. If you would like to receive this by email, please contact me at rwstruck@gmail.com to get your own regular delivery. Feedback on this newsletter is always welcomed.

Planning decisions
Last week’s meeting of the Development Control Committee was uncontroversial, at least as far as applications in the Rickmansworth area were concerned.

An application for an extension to Comet House (on the station roundabout) was approved - the extension is within the footprint of the buildings, and will not be visible form most angles. 08/1351/FUL.

Developers have failed to overturn the decision to refuse an application for the demolition of the existing car showroom at 253 Watford Road, Croxley Green, and erection of 43 one and two bedroom apartments in 2, three/four storey blocks with basement car parking. The Planning Inspector upheld Three Rivers’ decision and dismissed the appeal. 08/1487/FUL.

Moneyhill Post Office to close
Despite hundreds of signatures on a petition (at least 1,500 in Moneyhill alone), Post Office Ltd has decided to go ahead with the closure of seven Post Offices in S W Herts, including the one in Moneyhill Parade. One has to ask whether the “consultation” was just a box-ticking exercise carried out after the decision had already been made. The consultation documentation certainly did not inspire confidence - it named the local councils for Moneyhill as Chorleywood District Council (which became part of Three Rivers in 1974) and Berkhamsted Town Council. Yes, really.
The Post Office response to the objections to closing Moneyhill includes this gem: “There are two alternative Post Office branches within a mile of Money Hill branch … Rickmansworth [and] Barnet Road.” I think they mean Tudor Parade. No wonder so many letters get lost in the post!

Heat-source system goes live
The new environmentally-friendly heat-source pumps buried underneath the Rose Garden at Three Rivers House are now in operation. The water pipes are buried two metres below ground where there is a heat level of 10 - 11 degrees Celsius. At this depth, the soil stays at a relatively constant temperature, compared to the much wider variations in air temperature. Because the ground is warmer than the air in winter and cooler than the air in summer, the closed loop system can help provide both heating and cooling at different times of the year. This saves on energy costs and reduces the Council’s carbon footprint.

Walk your way to health, Nordic style
Do you enjoy sociable, fun and easy-to-learn exercise techniques?  Fancy making every step really count towards your health? If the answer is yes, Three Rivers District Council’s brand new Nordic Walking courses could be just the thing to help you kickstart your fitness.
Nordic Walking is one of the most sociable and effective exercise techniques around, involving walking with specially designed poles to improve fitness. First used as summer training for cross-country skiers, Nordic Walking works the upper and lower body at the same time, strengthening the back, legs and arms and reducing neck and shoulder tensions; and all this whilst exercising the heart and lungs. Nordic Walking can burn up to 400 calories per hour, compared to 280 per hour for normal walking.
The District Council will be providing Nordic Walking courses for all levels of experience and fitness from Beginners to Advanced. The Beginners and Intermediate/Advanced courses cost £20 per person, including six weeks of one hour sessions with poles provided.
Free taster sessions will run on September 4, December 11 and January 8 2009 from 11.00am - 12.15pm, with participants meeting  in the main car park at the Aquadrome.
The Beginners level course will also run from the Aquadrome for six weeks, with the next course running on Thursdays from September 11 to October 16. The Advanced level course, also based at the Aquadrome, will run on Tuesdays for six weeks, with the next course running from October 28 to December 2.
Places on all courses are limited, so early booking is advisable. For further information or to book, residents can ring the Leisure department on 01923 779392.

Welcome to the latest edition of Rickmansworth This Week e-news. If you would like to receive this by email, please contact me at rwstruck@gmail.com to get your own regular delivery. Feedback on this newsletter is always welcomed.

New local plans

1 High Street, Rickmansworth (next to railway bridge)
08/1479/FUL
Proposal: Demolition of existing building and erection of single four storey residential block of 14 apartments and 14 parking spaces. A previous application for a three storey office block was refused by the Development Control Committee in May 2007, but this decision was overturned on appeal last March. The existing building was a cinema, and was converted to office use in about 1980. Site records show there used to be a brewery here.

The next issue of this newsletter will have details of any local plans on the agenda of the Development Control Committee, which meets on Thursday 21st August.

Safe Eating
With the current Rogue Restaurants series being shown on BBC-1, may I remind you that Environmental Health Officers post their Food Hygiene Ratings on local food outlets on the Three Rivers website.