After many years of searching we at last have secured the land for a cemetery for the Parish.  Land for a cemetery has to meet certain regulations, the Borough Council looked at several areas, and finally decided the one that would best suit and meet the regulations is the land adjacent to Audley Cricket Club on Nantwich Road.  Once the decisions was made they were followed by long negotiations to obtain the land from the County Council.

 So at long last the land is in the ownership of the Borough Council, the necessary highways work has been completed.  There has been consultation with the residents living round the area, and as soon as the preperation work is completed we will once again have a cemetery for Audley Parish residents to lay their loved ones to rest.

County Councillor Dylis Cornes

You may have been wondering what the strange new building is that has been under construction for most of this year.  Well, it is the Apedale Energy Station.

 This new Visitor Centre/Energy Station has been built to the highest standards of insulation to achieve the lowest possible running costs.  Two small wind turbines (that are now up and running as you will have seen) will provide all of the electricity needed by the building, including the power to heat it, using a ground source heat pump.  A ground source heat pump is rather like a refrigerator running backwards, it extracts heat from the surrounding ground and delivers it to the building.  The hot water requirement will be met by roof-mounted solar panels.

The distinctive kite-shaped roof is a reminder of the annual kite festival.  This is made of recycled aluminium, while sustainable-grown timber makes up the frame of the building.  Everything about it reflects the County Council’s wish to provide the best possible visitor centre of the the local community, reflecting the contribution that local people made in the past to keeping Staffordshire supplied with energy.

 As well as being a visitor centre for the park the building will be the home to the Ranger Service and the Newcastle Countryside Project.  The building is due to open in the spring when you will be very welcome to call and look round, and I am sure any questions you may have can be answered.

County Councillor Dylis Cornes