Projects are one of the main functions of Green Ixworth. Find out more about our current projects and future plans by following the links below:
Projects are one of the main functions of Green Ixworth.
Planting
Friends of Ixworth Library
Nov. 2020 Friends of Ixworth Library planted over 300 spring bulbs at the Village Hall/Library in response to the Green Ixworth initiative, so they could create a hopeful display for the spring, for the benefit of residents and library users and to provide a small signal of the need to respond to Climate Change.
Spring 2021 the Friends established two raised beds for residents to plant and freely use the vegetables. .
Crown Lane
Nov. 2020 Crown Lane has the potential to be a useful green corridor from the A143 to the centre of Ixworth. Green Ixworth made the first planting of trees and shrubs along the south side of Crown Lane on private land donated by residents. This was followed up over the winter of 2021/22 to replace approx 15% failed planting and thicken up the hedge. with planting help from Eagle Class from the Ixworth Primary School. All told some 600 trees and shrubs have been planted. Native wild flowers and bulbs have also been planted.
The North side consists of a wide bramble bank with a few trees with an uncultivated field beyond subject to development by Persimmon. Further the A143 boundary with the field is marked by an approx. 25m wide tree boundary part of which was planted by the Parish Council in 2006/7, Green Ixworth discovered this ownership as the PC were unaware of their possession.
Protection of the hedge and boundary was threatened by the development with initial plans to reduce the width to 10m. After correspondence with Persimmon failed to exact a response a brief but widespread publicity campaign produce a request from the CEO of Persimmon for information on Green Ixworth’s requests and information on our aims. When the subsequent master plan was published our wishes had been incorporated and still stand at the time of writing in November 2022 but the plan is subject to review by West Suffolk and Persimmon.
To follow up on our plan for Natural Corridors around and within Ixworth we have suggested that the proposed Footbridge over the A143 joining the two halves of Crown Lane should be built as a Green Bridge proving for movement of wildlife as well as humans.
Energy
Feb 2021. West Suffolk Environmental Team made a Zoom presentation on enrgy usage and how to reduce Carbon emissions, for GI to our supporters and other residents of the area. This was followed in summer 2021 by the Green Champions canvassing Ixworth and providing advice to residents on cutting energy bills.
Energy Campaign
Over the winter of 2022/3 Green Ixworth is running an energy campaign with assistance from West Suffolk Council and Groundwork East (supported by Suffolk CC). Our aim is to use the energy price crisis to better enable people to look again at their energy usage and what can be done to reduce it, starting with insulation and moving on to Photo voltaics, batteries and heat pumps. We shall be providing detailed information on systems, typical costs and experience of individual suppliers plus advice on available funding and any planning constraints in a Conservation Area and with listed buildings. Also an advisor to provide sources of help for those whose energy bills exceed their available income.
The launch will be on 3rd December 2022 and opened by John Griffiths, our WSC councillor and Leader of the Council. Detailed sessions will be via break out with experts, We have arranged to borrow a heat camera, or buy one if funds are available, and offer to measure the heat signature of resident’s houses with an interpretation of insulation needs, furnishing them with a printed copy. After the launch we shall provide detailed drop in sessions in the Ixworth Library whose staff will also book requests for appointments for the heat maps.
We have already made clear to our supporters outside Ixworth and others, including Parish Councils, that we should be pleased to help them with advice and materials for any similar projects in their own area.
We have established an expert group to prepare information panels and written material to take away as well as web access points for further information.
Pollution
Nitrous Oxides. January 2021 saw the installation, at our request, of NOx meters near the Mulley’s roundabout and Ixworth High Street by WSC. The installations have now been made permanent. The first results showed no breach of UK pollution regulations but above those of the World Health Organisation.
Noise. The noise issue from the Bypass has been widely raised and was one of the features justifying the retention of hedges and boundary wood. The Noise Abatement Act specifically excludes road noise from its protections. We continue to raise the issue in planning applications and the WSC Plan.
Planning
We have completed extensive comments or objections to planning applications making use of the WSC policies and Environment Policy. Our objections to the Government’s proposed changes to planning regulations was used by the Ixworth and Ixworth Thorpe Parish Council as basis for their own contribution. Our comments on the WSC Plan 2nd stage focused among other features on a failure, made largely by government, on poor design criteria for new properties addressing Climate Change and temperature rises and water stress.
Green Ixworth instituted a successful campaign to object to the design of Equestrian Barriers on the to be refurbished 16Century Hempyard Bridge over the river. The approved design was minus the 1.8m high barriers.
A143
The A143 forms a boundary to Ixworth with a roundabout at each end. A development in Stanton required an alteration to one the roundabouts over which there was no consultation in the village. The Parish Council was concerned and met with Stanton to develop a policy. GI realised that with some 3,000 plus houses and commercial development taking place NE of Bury St Edmunds along the route of the road it needed a strategic approach to avoid a host of minor improvements to deal with road capacity. GI proposed the PC call on other PC’s whose residents made use of the road to work together to apply pressure on SCC Highways and Roads England to discuss that strategy. The PC seemed keen to do this but after correspondence with other PC’s, little support was forthcoming. After approval of a draft letter to the other PC,s by Green Ixworth from the Ixworth PC Chair, good support was received from the PC’s. Unfortunately Ixworth PC made it clear that it would talk to Stanton and no other. However the effort made and the subsequent comments on the WSC Plan referring to the road were passed to the other PC’s and advice provided where requested.
Footpaths
We have argued for more footpaths within the village and that seems to be bearing fruit as the Langridge Development should bring with it a riverside walk and extended paths on the north side of the A1088, accessed by the existing farm underpass.
The Black Bourn
The river is one of the great natural assets of Ixworth. We are developing a plan for the river which started with a “Vision” document which has been well received, including by the larger Riparian owners. There is little or no public access to the river in Ixworth other than where Riparians have not implemented their rights by Hempyard Bridge.
Some initial work was done in Summer 2021 to clear a channel both sides of Ixworth Bridge. It appears that in the Parish efforts were made to reduce flooding by widening the river and this led to slower currents with silt being deposited and plants blocking the channel. This rare Chalk Stream should have gravel bottom essential for a healthy water body with a full range of invertebrates but with farm and field and road run off it is highly polluted. Further 20 sewage works upstream discharge into the river, some with “storm overflows” which have regularly sent raw sewage into the river.
Before any serious work can start a detailed map of the river needs to be developed. We are about to start (winter 2022) with a drone survey to help produce a multi layer map to which residents can contribute sightings or problems with the river. We have consulted all the Riparian Owners about the drone work and received very positive comments. The initial area covered will be from Bailey Pool Bridge to Broadwater.
Evidence of otters and water voles is scarce, so a project involving citizen science has started with a workshop to make small rafts from kits we made, used to detect water voles. Riparian owners are using them and others with access to secluded river bank are invited to do so from up or downstream. We have plenty of spares already made up.
During the drought of 2022 we were concerned at the low water levels. Using our media contacts we were able to secure interviews with BBC, ITV, Danish TV, Radio Suffolk and the press alerting them to the problems of a river nearly devoid of life. (access to the video)? Anglian Water will be halving the water abstracted from the Ixworth Water Works in 2024, thus improving river flow. We also worked with the trust running Pakenham Water Mill to arouse attention for the need to manage our water supplies better.
We are most grateful for the advice and assistance provided by Suffolk Wildlife Trust ( in particular their River Officer and Area Manager), River Lark Catchment Partnership, RiverFly, Thetford River Group, Brecks Fen and Edge Rivers, the Little Ouse Headwaters Project (LOHP), Anglian Water, Ixworth Anglers Club, Rivers Trust and CamEO an official River basin group plus a host of individuals.
Primary School
We have established a good relationship with the primary School and worked in the following ways:
- Helped arrange a presentation of the senior class proposal for action on the environment to and by the Parish Council which has been agreed.
- Escorted a walk and visit to Robbins Copse with explanations of the trees and shrubs.
- Eagle Class helped to plant the last tranche of trees in Crown Lane in record time.
- Have provided materials and plants for the development of the school pond and bog garden.
Agriculture/food
Ixworth is fortunate in having Dairy Farm which has taken its responsibilities to the environment seriously. Approximately one third of the land alongside the river has been modified from just rough wet pasture to a mix of flood land and scrapes with many waders using it. A further third is being farmed regeneratively and the other third awaits sustainable solutions for growing root crops. An SSSI wood is being sustainably managed and a further 10 acre wood has been planted East of the A143. The results of these actions has been to substantially improve biodiversity and encourage wildlife which we welcome. It is on this land that the promised footpaths will be developed.
Communications
We have regularly presented our work to the Annual Parish Meeting.
We publish an approximately monthly emailed Newsletter with primarily local news, activities and events, circulation approx 150 including a number of PCs. Regular Facebook postings on a number of the local villages sites. Good media connections with regional TV, Radio Suffolk and newspapers. Now being asked to contribute. We have a website for longer articles, news and contact us.
We formally meet our members 4 times a year with a short business meeting then a speaker of interest. Sir Kenneth Carlyle, of the nature friendly Wyken Estate, was speaker at our inaugural meeting
Funding and Support
Apart from the groups above we have also developed relationships with Elmswild, Langham Hall Gardens, a number of Parish Councils in West and Mid Suffolk, SWT, Ramblers Association, Risby, Groundwork East
We also welcome the valuable advice and assistance from West Suffolk Council, Environment, Community and Planning departments.
Further we have received funding to purchase materials and equipment from West Suffolk Councillor John Griffiths, Suffolk County Councillor Joanne Spicer, Environmental award winning Denny Bros. Printers plus a number of individuals, materials from Clarkes of Walsham and Eco-Insulation.
