Branksome Park, Canford Cliffs & District Residents’ Association Founded 1958
Minutes of the Meeting on 11th.October 2017 at St Aldhelms Meeting Room, Lindsay Road at 7.30 p.m.
Present Bob Reid Chairman
Mike Parkin Membership Secretary Roger Allen Magazine Advertising Dugald Eadie Planning Officer
Cllr May Haines Cllr Mohan Iyengar
Approximately 20 members Apologies and Welcome
The chair welcomed new members/ visitors, the two Ward Councillors, and noted apologies from
John Gunton, Magazine Editor.
Carol Parkin, Secretary and Minute Secretary. Paul Fernley, Treasurer.
Stan Alfert, Dawn Goodson, Andrew Kileen, Steph Stevenson.
Minutes of September Meeting
The minutes were accepted as a true account of the last meeting.
Matters Arising
There was an update on the illegal incursions of Travellers in Car Parks since it was discussed in Parliament. John Sprackling had heard the debate on TV and thought that our MP Robert Syms contributed well but regretted R.S. did not inform local people whom he represents, beforehand that the debate was going to take place. It was felt that it is at Parliamentary level that solutions to this difficulty can be solved. A member thought the time freed up by Brexit could be used to change Legislation on the rights of Gypsies and Travellers.
As Steph Stevenson was not able to attend the last meeting to present the work being carried out in the Canford Cliffs Forum the chair welcomed her colleague Victoria Edwards to the meeting and invited her to present the ideas and plans which have been drawn up to date.
V.E. informed the meeting of progress including the Tesco application. Which M.I. confirmed is going ahead but no actual date to start work on the empty shops has been announced by Tesco.
V.E. showed some display boards of proposed plans for the road improvements, including benches, possible 20 mph speed limit and the planting of small ornamental trees.
The Association is supporting the plans and the bid for funding from the Community Infrastructure Levy, CIL. The chair agreed that the Executive would consider an actual financial contribution to assist the CIL bid.
The chair thanked V.E. for her time and the presentation.
Mobile 07531357938 Landline 01202 761380
Web: pinesandchines.co.uk email bob.reid.BPCCRA@gmail.com
ROBERT REID
Branksome Park, Canford Cliffs & District Residents’ Association Founded 1958
Abandoned, illegally parked vehicles, anti-social behaviour.
The Chair saidthis has become an increasing problem and where somevehicleswhich are lived in used to park at the end of Western Road they have moved to more residential areas due to the Parking Meters. JS confirmed that the two vans had been removed. M. H. informed that the occupiers of some vehicles had been offered alternative accommodation but could not be forced to take it.
JS thought the main reason for slow action lay with the Driver Vehicle Licencing Agency not having the capacity to take quick action.
A member (Adrian) knew of a vehicle which was left for 6 weeks even after it had been reported. R.A. pointed out that other people get booked very quickly so that should happen to all illegal or illegally parked vehicles.
When people live in them this is more difficult.
Beach Road Car Park
The chair reminded members present about the plan to build on the Beach Road Car Park which was first announced in a Draft Development Brief published in November 2016.
Roy Pointer updated the meeting on progress with the Association’s objections. RP explained that objection had been made at all stages:
Car park underuse due to poor signage, when on-road parking was proposed; Car park needed to support the seafront strategy for Poole beaches;
Council’s Proposed Development Brief in Jan 17;
Inclusion in the draft Local Plan revision (site A11);
Inclusion in the Pre-submission of Local Plan (site U8) to the Planning Inspectorate.
In the last case we have requested the opportunity to represent to the Inspector in person. That will be towards the year-end or early next year. Regret that the Council Cabinet persists with its development proposals despite significant and continuing objection from residents.
Council now seeks relief from the onerous covenants attached to the site and has sought ‘commercial confidential’ protection from sharing information. We have used FOI Requests to both Council and Justice Dept. as a result, we now understand that:
Council has applied to Justice Dept. for covenant relief;
Council has been instructed to consult with owners/occupiers of land within a 200m radius of the site;
Council proposes to place Notices in Echo and at site on 13th October giving details of its request to Justice Dept.
We knowthat when the car park proposal was included in theDraft Local Plan consultation, it received one of the largest numbers of responses of all the sites. Of the 62 responses, 53 were against, the remaining 9 were equivocal. Nevertheless, the site was carried forward to the eventual plan with a suggested scope for around 60 dwellings.
Association proposes to continue to object and seeks the support of Members to do so. Detailed strategy will be discussed at meeting of the Steering Group early next week.
Chris Stracey expressed his outrage that the council are attempting to overturn the covenants. He thought the Association should take legal advice on the council’s proposal as it affected more than the people living within the 200 metres of the park.
He referred to the case of Blake Dene Road where a site had covenants overturned.
Mobile 07531357938 Landline 01202 761380
Web: pinesandchines.co.uk email bob.reid.BPCCRA@gmail.com
ROBERT REID
Branksome Park, Canford Cliffs & District Residents’ Association Founded 1958
He suggested the hidden agenda of the council has been to keep this carpark difficult to find by poor signage and overgrown just to give the impression it is no longer viable. Like the Beehive Pub which was allowed to be rundown. He thought the whole handling of the car park was a “scam”.
He suggested the association notify everyone and pointed out that many consultation meetings take place during the working day.
He felt very strongly that the car park should remain.
Adrian thought that the BPCCRA should find out from other Associations if this is happening to them and warn them.
The council owns the land, but it is not known how the land was transferred without changing the covenants.
C.S. Said there is a strong feeling that the council is ignoring local opinion and ride roughshod over our opinions and don’t care about what people feel.
There was discussion on what legal advice might cost and it was agreed unanimously that the BPCCRA could seek legal advice up to £3,000 to defend the covenants and retain the Car Park as it is.
R.P. Reminded the meeting that once these notices are issued there is a time clock running. D.E. felt our main purpose is to look after covenants on our boundary areas.
Once permission is granted there will be a release fee and covenants being released is not new.
M.I. explained that the council must save a huge amount of money and while we want to protect our interests that he and the other two ward councillors are only 3 of the 42 councillors and Canford Cliffs ward will be affected by the cuts in some way.
He pointed out that anything that is non-statutory for the council may be cut, such as The Lighthouse, Street Maintenance, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Libraries.
He thought it would be hard to make the case for retaining the car park as it is when development would still leave 140 spaces which could be improved and of a high standard.
C.S. said this is another example of why this area is no longer attractive to tourists.
R.A. said the reality of life is that the council is under colossal pressure as explained my M.I. and there would still be 140 spaces.
Many agreed that the council tax should be increased to pay for the services we want and that most people would be happy to do this. There were several comments on the top rate of council tax not reflecting the properties not worth several million pounds and blocks of flats are paying a greater share than the more valuable houses on large plots of land.
R.P. remarked that if the council was business and was consolidating in the merger with Bournemouth and Christchurch there would be the ability to save a considerable amount of money.
M.I. Reminded everyone that the council has commitments to their workers who have pension rights and union representation. And we are waiting for the Secretary of State to confirm that the mergers can go ahead although some services are already sharing and combining between Bournemouth and Poole.
M.H. reminded us the delay has been caused by the election and events such as the Grenfell Tower disaster.
Planning Applications
D.E. The Planning Officer, Drew the meetings attention to those which were new or were of concern. APP/17/01531/P 26/09/2017
6 Pinewood Road.
Following refusal of previous application, new one for block of 5 flats to replace bungalow. No objections yet.
Mobile 07531357938 Landline 01202 761380
Web: pinesandchines.co.uk email bob.reid.BPCCRA@gmail.com
ROBERT REID
Branksome Park, Canford Cliffs & District Residents’ Association Founded 1958
APP/17/01470/P 18/09/2017 1 De Mauley Road.
Demolish existing house and replace with 3 storey block of 8 flats. No objections yet.
APP/17/01005/F 24/08/2017 2a Martello Park (Martello Lodge)
Increase existing approved 4 storey block to 5 storeys. Neighbours in South Lodge, having accepted the original plan, are not happy with the extra floor. All blocks around that area are 4 storeys. Red card is expected. Over 20 objections, including BPCCRA.
APP/17/01157/F 23/08/2017 1-5 Lindsay Road
McCarthy & Stone proposal for 37 retirement apartments to replace 3 bungalows. Advance consultation has already taken place. 18 letters, including at least 3 “approvals”. Objection from BPCCRA. Evidence that applicant does not realise implications of Conservation Area.
APP/17/01114/F 15/08/2017 43 Western Road
Replace existing 5 bedroom house with three blocks of flats (10 in total) Difficult to see how this can be justified in Conservation Area (existing house is listed in Poole Council documents). 26 objections – Dover Road residents quite active, objection from BPCCRA
APP/17/01164/F 9/08/2017 1,1A Canford Cliffs Avenue
Demolish existing bungalow and erect two 4-bed detached houses. See comments on 5 Canford Cliffs Avenue below. 4 objections from immediate neighbours, particularly concerned about impact on road, which has a cultivated central reservation. Also, a complete change to the style of the properties.
APP/17/01070/P 20/07/2017 9 Martello Road South
Demolish existing bungalow and replace with three dwellings. Further increase in density of housing in this area. Main objection from neighbour in Oratory Gardens, worried about overlooking windows and impact of basement construction. Now going to October Planning Committee meeting.
APP/17/00997/F 10/07/2017 5 Canford Cliffs Avenue
Demolish existing house and replace with 2 detached houses. 8 letters of objection – appears to be a threat to the whole stretch of land to Widdicombe Road. Several neighbours say that there are “covenants” which should prevent this.
APP/17/00785/F 13/06/2017 11 Martello Road South
Demolish existing house and erect block of 14 flats. This is an expansion of the existing approved plan for 9 flats. 4 letters of objection, but note that residents already tried hard to prevent original application, and will probably do less now. On 28 July 2017, Robert Syms MP wrote to the Chief Executive of Poole Borough Council to object to this proposal. There are some amendments to the plans.
We will be objecting to this application. DECISIONS
Mobile 07531357938 Landline 01202 761380
Web: pinesandchines.co.uk email bob.reid.BPCCRA@gmail.com
ROBERT REID
Branksome Park, Canford Cliffs & District Residents’ Association Founded 1958
APP/17/00957/F 3/07/2017 19 Wilderton Road
Demolish existing house and erect block of 6 flats. Refused 22/09/2017
Refused due to several issues, including parking, bin collection, pedestrian access, not suitable site for flats. Simply not appropriate for Conservation Area.
APP/17/01069/F 20/07/2017 109 Lilliput Road
Replacement of existing house with block of 3 flats, with flat roof including pond and seating area. Refused 5/10/2017
No objection to concept of flats, but actual proposal is not consistent with the rest of the road.
Community Working Group meeting held on 27th September.
The chair explained that he has attended the last two meetings of this group at the Civic Centre and gave a brief account of some of the discussions which had taken place. He pointed out that the minutes of the AGM were available, and the September ones were due soon.
He asked if someone would like to take over representing BPCCRA on this group as he did not have time to attend. They are quarterly and D.E. agreed to consider attending on our behalf.
As there was no Other Business the meeting closed 9.15 pm.
The next meeting is on the 8th November
Mobile 07531357938 Landline 01202 761380
Web: pinesandchines.co.uk email bob.reid.BPCCRA@gmail.com
ROBERT REID