There are three community events coming up over the next few months that are well worth attending:

Sunday 21st March 2010 - Nether Edge Farmers’ Market

This long-running successful event organised by Nether Edge Neighbourhood Group, includes entertainment, food and craft stalls and many other things.  It is held at the bottom of Nether Edge Road and round the corner in to Glen Road between noon and 4pm.  You can download a flyer here.  Find a map of the location here.

Sunday 18th April 2010 - Sharrow Vale Market Day

This is once again being organised by Sharrow Vale Community Association and is held on Sharrow Vale Road between Hunter’s Bar and Cowlishaw Road.  It includes a huge variety of stalls and will run from noon until 4pm.  More details available here.  Find a map of the location here.

Saturday 17th July 2010 - Banner Cross Summer Festival

This is the first big event organised by the recently formed Banner Cross Neighbourhood Group.  It will be a major family fun day for the community with all sorts of activities, including craft stalls, childrens’ activities, food and many other things besides.  It is being held at Banner Cross Methodist Church on Ecclesall Road South from 10am to 4pm.  Find a map of the location here.

The Banner Cross Campaign Group have organised another meeting to discuss the future of the former Gilders site at the junction of Ecclesall Road South and Psalter Lane.  I understand the meeting will also include a discussion about the former Sheffield Hallam University site on Psalter Lane.

The meeting will take place on Monday 2nd November 2009 at 7pm in Banner Cross Methodist Church.

Cllr Colin France & Anders Hanson examine traffic problems around the Gilders site

Many residents in the Banner Cross area will be pleased with the decision by the council’s planning board to reject the proposed food store and housing on the former Gilders site on Ecclesall Road South.  This was a good example of local residents working hard with local councillors and MPs of all parties to affect a decision made about the local community.

However, understandably Gilders cannot leave the site as it is and so I am pleased that their Managing Director Gary Scotting has offered to sit down with local residents to discuss the future options for the site.  Thank you to those residents who have got in touch with me with their suggestions.  Cllr Colin France and I have also knocked on a lot of doors in the area to find out the opinions of people in the area.

With the current economic difficulties it is understandable that Gilders need some return on their sale of their site.  However, it is also important that any plans do not generate extra traffic and damage the quality of life of existing residents.  There is also the affect that any new supermarket may have on local retailers in Banner Cross and Greystones.  I understand that there is however a possibility that the site could be put back in to use as a car showroom, rather than being sold.  So there are a number of options for the site.

The new Banner Cross Campaign Group is hoping to organise a meeting  later in September or at the start of October.  Your local Liberal Democrat team will make sure that as many people are aware of the date, time and venue for the meeting as possible.