Church · Rous · Ab · Atch · Sheriffs
Saturday, 17 October 2026
Worcestershire is stockpiling 17,000 tonnes of salt and has a fleet of 36 gritters ready as highways bosses prepare for winter storms. Read more at Evesham Journal →
Worcestershire County Council has begun setting its 2027/28 budget, warning of tough choices ahead as it works to close an £85m funding gap. Read more at Evesham Journal →
Dear Parishioners
As of October 1st, we have moved into the formal Examination stage of the South Lenches Neighbourhood Development Plan.
You will recall from our previous update that an independent Examiner is appointed by Wychavon District Council to review and examine our current Neighbourhood Plan. What this means in practice is that he looks at the Planning law that governs our Parish - in our case, this is the South Worcestershire Development Plan Review 2026 (the Local Plan) and then the National Planning Policy Framework agreement. His job is to examine our Plan in the context of the Local and National planning laws.
Our Examiner is reading the Policies we have developed and written in the Plan, along with all the corresponding local context and evidence. He is examining to ensure that our Policies are in agreement with the Planning law and guidance laid out in the Local Plan and the National Planning policy Framework. All the detailed documents including the Submission version of our Neighbourhood Plan and Appendices are available for your review on the Wychavon website for the South Lenches Neighbourhood Plan, through this link.
You will also find the formal letter written by our Examiner on his examination process which he is ensuring is transparent and open.
We expect his Examination to take around 4 - 6 weeks, after which point the Parish Council and Wychavon District Council will receive a formal report. We will be updating the Neighbourhood Development Plan with the Examiner's comments and then publishing the Main Modifications to the Neighbourhood Plan. We hope to be able to publish the Main Modifications by early January 2027.
With genuine enthusiasm, we can see the finalised Neighbourhood Development Plan being ready to come to the Parish for a formal Referendum on its adoption by next Spring.
Should you have any questions about the Neighbourhood Plan process, please do make contact and I will be happy to share my knowledge and understanding of this work.
Councillor Carolyn Hodges, chodges@southlenchesparishcouncil.org South Lenches Neighbourhood Plan on Wychavon →
The Lenches Pre-school has its woodland hut back in action and has thanked everyone involved in the project. The restored hut gives the children a versatile space for outdoor learning, complete with nature charts for spotting birds and wildlife. Via The Lenches Community Facebook group.
The Heart of England Forest has begun turning the former 47-hectare golf course at Manor Farm, Anchor Lane, Harvington, into woodland, wetland and wildflower meadow, with new footpaths to explore. Work started in August and is due to finish in April 2027, with 35,000 trees and 340 metres of new hedgerow planned. Low-lying areas will become wet woodland, and old bunkers and drains are being reshaped to hold water and slow flooding. Register for updates →
New-term groups meet at Harvington Baptist Chapel, £1 entry with a tuck shop: Adventurers (ages 7–10) on Thursdays 6.30–7.45pm, Explorers (10–13) on Tuesdays 6.30–8pm, and Ignite (13+) on Mondays 7–8.30pm. New volunteers are always welcome.
Sixteen club members leave on Friday 2 October for their annual tennis tour, this year to Porto, after past trips to Nice, Palma, Dubrovnik, Lisbon and Madrid. The tour is full, but anyone can still play at the club back home. The Lenches Tennis Club →
BHGS, the growing-supplies firm at Vale Park, Evesham, has gone into administration after a run of losses, but is still trading while administrators look for investment or a buyer. More from Evesham Observer →
Police appeal after night burglaries in Inkberrow area: Police have issued an appeal for information following a series of burglaries in Inkberrow and Bradley Green, in which windows were smashed to gain entry overnight. Read more at Evesham Journal →
Tree of Light — names for the scroll: St James's Church, Harvington, holds its Tree of Light service at 6.30pm on Monday 2 November (All Souls' Day), when the tree lights are switched on. To have a loved one's name written on the commemorative scroll in the church's Prayer Corner, contact Elliot Grainger at Langton House, 19 Village Street, Harvington, or elliot@barfieldgrainger.com. Email Elliot →
Severn Trent update — South Lenches: South Lenches Parish Council reports the persistent Evesham Road and Hipton Hill leaks are down to the old water main, which Severn Trent must decommission before the flow can stop; timing is still to be confirmed. Further planned works follow at Hill Furze Road, Sheriffs Lench (13–26 October) and Handgate Lane (27 October–29 November).
Autumn tennis lessons for all ages: The Tennis Club, with new partner Encompass Coaching, is running tennis lessons for children and adults this autumn — a good chance to brush up your game or start a new one. Book with Encompass →
Lenches Ladies welcomes new members: The Lenches Ladies meet on the second Tuesday evening of each month from September to July for talks, demonstrations, crafts, outings and socials, organised in turn by members. Newcomers to the area are especially welcome.
Caring Hands foodbank: Please add an extra item or two to your weekly shop for Caring Hands: toilet rolls, toiletries and tinned or dried goods are always needed. Donation boxes are in the benefice's parish churches.
Newsletter deadline: Got something for next week? Send it to website@thelenches.org.uk by the end of Wednesday.
Road closures at Church Lench: Atch Lench Road and Low Road, Church Lench, are closed until 16 October for National Grid works, with diversions in place — allow extra time when travelling locally. Check on one.network →
Road closures nearby: Planned closures in surrounding villages: Perry Mill Road and St Nicholas Road, Peopleton (2–15 October, resurfacing); Windmill Lane, Inkberrow (5–8 October); Church Lane, White Ladies Aston (5–7 October); and Church End and Church Lane, Bishampton (7–10 October, Openreach). Check on one.network →
Free, and sent every Thursday morning. To join, email website@thelenches.org.uk and ask to be added.
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