Green Light For Elstree Eruv
The Jewish community in Elstree and Borehamwood was celebrating this week after Hertsmere Borough Council gave the green light for the construction of London's latest eruv.
Last Thursday, the local authority gave planning permission for the construction of the religious boundary, consisting of 34 sets of six-metre high poles joined by wire.
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Last week’s ruling comes after a concerted campaign from the Elstree and Borehamwood Eruv Charitable Trust. The group’s chairman, Richard Kafton, described the decision as a “momentous occasion.”
He told TJ: “We are very happy, we put a lot of work and effort into the project. It’s a momentous occasion for our community. We got through the most important part to get planning permission, now we have the challenge of getting funding.”
It is expected to cost £60,000 to erect the eruv in the first place, followed by £15,000 annually for maintenance thereafter. Organisers now plan to hold meetings to discuss fundraising ideas and the eruv is expected to be in place within the next two years.
The decision is a boost for families with disabled or elderly relatives or young children. Danny Jacobs, who has three children aged between one and six, said: “My wife and I will be able to take out our kids and carry them or put them in a pushchairs. We can go out as a family and can invite other people to us. Everyone will benefit from it.”
A Hertsmere Borough council spokesman said: “The planning department here does offer support to communities, on their issues and needs, so we had to support it. We do have to consider, however, ways in which it could affect the local community. For example there are issues in relation to trees, as some of the poles and wires are positioned very near trees and we don’t want to affect or in any way damage the local environment.
"There are also issues in relation to highways, as we want to be sure the Eruv doesn’t present any danger to traffic. There are matters on various sides that we need to consider, but generally the council welcomes the proposal.”
The north west London and Edgware eruvs were the first to be up and running in London.
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