Sudbury Mercury  - 4th December 2008

SUPPORTERS of a scheme aimed at creating a greener lifestyle for Lavenham residents have devised an action plan.                                                                             

Encouraging people to grow and buy locally- produced food, using locally-grown willow for heating fuel and developing a market garden culture within the village are among the ideas included.

The plan was developed following a meeting of around 80 people held in the Lavenham Guildhall last month, which was attended by residents and council representatives. The initiative is being championed by Lavenham Community Council member Carroll Reeve under the banner of Transition Lavenham. Mr Reeve hopes to work towards reducing local dependency on energy sources such as oil, gas and electricity and promote sustainability. He said: "We have come up with some initial aims and have formed a steering group to look into how we can start getting projects off the ground. None of what we are looking at is rocket science and all the things we want to achieve require established ideas and technologies."

Mr Reeve said he was also investigating how far planning regulation would effect the installation of green technologies, such a solar panels and secondary glazing, among Lavenham's famous listed buildings. He added: "We have to be sensitive to Lavenham's environment but also recognise we must work towards reducing our reliance on the global energy and food markets." 

The Transition Town movement was started in Totnes in Devon in 2005 and has since spread to more than 700 towns world wide. The initiative has even led to some towns, such as Lewes in East Sussex, creating their own currency that can only be exchanged in local, independent shops.