MINUTES OF THE BRANKSOME PARK, CANFORD CLIFFS & DISTRICT RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
EXECUTIVE & WARDENS MEETING HELD ON 11TH FEBRUARY 2009 at 7.30pm
IN THE LOUNGE, BRANKSOME ST. ALDHELM’S PARISH CENTRE
PRESENT:
John Sprackling Chairman
John Defty Treasurer
Michael Bond Membership Secretary
Keith Alcroft Planning Officer
Stan Alfert Data Protection Officer
John Gunton Magazine Editor
Bob Young Magazine Advertising Manager
Val Short Minutes Secretary
Cllr Neil Sorton Ward Councillor
15 Members/Wardens
Welcomes: JS welcomed Cllr Sorton and all those present.
1. APOLOGIES AND ACCURACY OF MINUTES (14 JANUARY 2009)
Apologies: Cllr Mrs May Haines, Terry Stewart, Ben Hurley & Richard Dimbleby
Accuracy: Bob Young has pointed out that, At the last meeting Keith Alcroft had said that the Association was to oppose the 2 Martello Park application, and the letter was going out the next day. Also, Councillor Deas said that she had red-carded the same Application. This was omitted from the Minutes but JS confirmed that a letter of objection was registered on 15/01/09.
Stan Alfert also said he had attended last month’s meeting but his presence had not been recorded.
JS said that, subject to these amendments, he would sign the Minutes as a true and accurate record of the meetings held on 14 January 2009.
2. MATTERS ARISING :
Poole Pottery/Old Orchard/Quay Thistle Hotel sites update: JS reported that…
1. Quayside (former) Dolphin Quays development – No further developments
2. Poole Pottery factory buildings in Sopers Lane – JS was advised by the Planning Inspectorate on 19/01/09 that “At this time we are still deciding whether or not this case (Metnor Property Group PLC v SSCLG & Borough of Poole Council) is to be defended. This process will be completed soon, as the High Court has scheduled the hearing for 2nd March 2009.”
3. Former Poole Pottery & Swan Inn site – No further developments
4. Quay Thistle Hotel site – JS still awaiting a copy of the draft Planning Performance Agreement. NS said that he would follow this up.
NS said he would also check when the Frequently Asked Questions about the 2nd Harbour Crossing were going to be posted on the BoP website.
5. Old Orchard House. 39-61. High Street – the 1st Employment Contribution of £50,000 due on 01/01/09 was paid on 20/01/09. At last night’s Cabinet meeting, in his report on Car parking income – Forecast out-turn 2008/09, the Head of Transportation Services said that “…the original budget for 2008/09 assumed £34,000 for income from the Orchard Plaza development… The £34,000 relating to the Orchard Plaza has been removed from the budget for 2009/10″
Planning Enforcement, TPOs/Tree replacements – update:
Flat 6, 20 Flaghead Road – Gee Developments were informed on 14/11/08 stating that they had one month from that date to install the glazing – yet, two months later, the glazing still has not been installed. NS was asked if he might look at this.
13 Branksome Towers – Unauthorised High Fence was due to be removed on or about 19/01/09
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Fitzmor Homes Ltd sites at 49 & 49a Haven Road & 7 Balcombe Road & 18
Balcombe Road (Oversize ‘For Sale’ board) – No further developments.
75 Canford Cliffs Road – Application for alterations and extension to garage granted on 16/12/08. Stop Notice served on 14/08/08. Enforcement Notice re the formation of an unauthorised vehicular entrance subject to ‘Written representations’ Appeal
(APP/Q1255/C/08/2086204) Date for Final comments was 24/12/08
116 Panorama Road – JS said that it had been reported in the Daily Echo that a Branksome Park resident had been convicted of attempting to destroy the protected tree in Sandbanks and was fined £7500, including costs and victim surcharge at Wimborne Magistrates Court on 26/01/09.
The Chairman of the Planning Committee had written to JS to ask why it was proposed to “exclude the individual from publicity and criticism in circumstances which would have seen the full blast of publicity had the offence been committed by someone else?”
After a short discussion, it was agreed that the Assn. very much regrets that one of its former members was involved but as the locality in which the offence occurred is not within the area covered by this Assn. no further action would be taken.
Sir Michael Pitt’s independent review of planning matters in Poole – JS reported
on the meeting with Sir Michael Pitt on 29/01/09 at which representatives of five Residents Assns were present.
NS stressed that Sir Michael’s report had found no trace of corruption within the Planning Dept.
There had been an article in the Daily Echo in which a representative of a Hamworthy Residents’ Assn. put forward an unreasonable point of view regarding people being in post too long leading to allegations of corruption.-
JS said that he would include his notes of the meeting in the Minutes (See below)
Sir Michael, in his introduction, said that…
- · He was about 80% through the investigation
- · He has found “absolutely no evidence of corruption”
- · He will be coming forward with recommendations to improve development control
- · The ‘end game’ is to produce the final report in draft form, “written in measured terms”, which will be presented to officers for correction of any factual errors but they will not be permitted change outcomes. There will then be a private presentation to Members and the report will then be placed in the public domain
- · The Police enquiry in (?) 2006 lasted six months and 13 different lines of complaint were investigated. Some witnesses were questioned under caution. Sir Michael sat in police station and read every page of the reports. He commented that the investigating officers had been extraordinarily thorough.
- · He is studying every paper he has received. He has been surprised by volume.
- · He said that Planning Design & Control Services needs to be viewed against a good council which is functioning well.
Sir Michael had asked, prior to the meeting, for considered views on the way Borough Council might be improve the way it engages with residents and developers and undertakes its development control responsibilities and the following suggestions were made but not necessarily in the order set out below.
- · Chairmanship of Planning Committee to have a fixed term, say 4 years.
- · No Cabinet member to be Chairman of the Planning Committee.
- · Increase the membership of the Committee to include one member from each Ward.
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- · Committee meeting minutes to be more detailed and record how each Member voted.
- · Section 106 money to be kept separate and used only for planning related infrastructure.
- · All meetings, including Pre-application consultations, between developers and representatives of the Planning Department to be recorded and minuted.
- · More robust approach to ‘Retrospective’ applications and Non-Compliance with Planning Conditions
- · Take action over inconsistencies in planning decisions
Poole Beaches and Coastal Defences: JS said that Roy Pointer had agreed to take over from Peter Jackson as the Assn’s representative on this item.
JS reported that a meeting about the Poole & Christchurch Bays Shoreline Management Plan Review had been fixed for next month
Chairman’s note: The first Key Stakeholder Group has been set for 23rd March 2009 at 18:00.at Bournemouth Town Hall.
Council Tax 2009/10 & Financial Monitoring report: William Mutlow reported that the Financial Monitoring Report for the period 01/04/08 to 31/12/08 predicts a surplus of £1,680,000 (see below), plus Capital savings of £1,200,000 largely made up by not having to spend as much as forecast in various areas
(£850,000) Treasury Management, Investment Income, Borrowing costs
(£780,000) Adult Social Services (Residential and Homecare costs)
(£470,000) National Concessionary Fares Scheme
(£140,000) Transportation Services (Energy costs, savings, efficiencies)
(£100,000) Children’s Services (Children Looked After etc)
(£40,000) Net other variations
£190,000 Parking Services Income (including decriminalized parking income)
£250,000 Planning Application Fees (net of Planning Delivery Grant reserve)
£260,000 Land Charges Income
(£1,680,000) Current predicted surplus
The projection £1.6m could be less due to extra costs in Planning and with almost 40% of the budget to be spent in the last quarter, the system is very volatile (which WM had forecast some time ago). £2m worth of Capital items had been re-profiled to next year, and the projections for next year are too close to this year, e.g. cost of concessionary bus passes is under for this year due to the poor weather, the cost for next year could be higher if the weather is good.
NS reported a difference of £1m between the cost of the concessionary bus fares and the Government grant, this scheme would work better in ‘holiday’ areas if it were limited to local residents only.
If a journey requires catching two buses, or ‘hopping on and off’ on a long stretch of road such as Ashley Road in Parkstone, then two charges are generated, an additional problem caused by the large number of tourists using bus passes is that local people are often unable to get on the buses, especially those going to Swanage.
KA suggested that the Council should make representations to Central Government about winter/summer charges. NS said that, specialist transport consultants, the TAS Partnership, have been jointly commissioned by Poole and Bournemouth Borough Councils to review the reimbursement rate paid to bus operators for concessionary passengers in the light of uptake and usage during 2008/09..There are now over 31,000 passes in circulation in Poole Poole, a take up of 79% of the over-60s.
NS said that the drop in planning application fee and land search fee income of £½m is due to slump in housing.
Chairman’s Note: As mentioned at the meeting, the Head of Planning Design & Control Services wrote to me following Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting. I quote…
“The 40% (reduction in Planning Applications reported by Cllr Parker) was an assumption based on potential fall off in application activity. To date the actual reduction is closer to 15% with the main impact falling on the high fee earning areas. Since the start of 2008 we have seen 3 full-time DC officer posts deleted/frozen on
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the establishment – that is equivalent to a 25% reduction in case officers. Our current forecast for income is a £430k reduction”
JS reported that at last night’s meeting the Cabinet agreed to recommend to Council an increase in Council Tax of 4.8% for 2009/10.
Poole Partnership: JS reported that the Poole Partnership Website Communication Sub-committee met on 27/01/09 and a new Website will be set up shortly. This will include a list of Residents’ Assns.
‘A Joint Response’ meeting involving Bournemouth & Poole Partnerships is being held tomorrow (12/02/09) at AFC Bournemouth to look at actions which might be taken in this time of recession.
The next Poole Partnership Steering Group meeting is due to take place on 02/03/09.
Stronger Communities Partnership meets on 18/03/09 and the Agenda is likely to include discussion of the Council’s response to Sustainable Communities Act.
Lindsay Road to Station Road Corridor/Speeding: – No further developments.
Canford Cliffs Village & proposal to plant trees in Haven Road: KA reported that various Council officer staff holidays are delaying the matter. KA will monitor.
Bella Rosa – JS reported that MH had spoken to one of the Planning Enforcement Officers on 04/02/09 about Bella Rosa. Both this officer and an officer from Transportation Services have visited the site. It was agreed that the line of sight is obscured. the Planning Enforcement Officer spoke to the owners of Bella Rosa who have agreed to put in a planning application for the screening that has been erected. They have 2 weeks from Monday 2nd Feb to submit the application. If not, an enforcement notice will be issued.
Public Rights of Way:
Westminster Road end of Dalkeith Road – nothing new to report.
Buccleuch Road to Lakeside Road – ditto
Bessborough Road – ditto
Possible Charitable Status for Assn: JS has still to set up a small Sub-Committee to look at this.
Canford Cliffs Chine: MH was due to speak to Cllr Peter Adams but JS said that he had heard nothing further.
3. NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
KA reported…
2 Tower Road (Conservation area application to demolish existing dwelling & erect 3
detached dwellings with associated parking) Application registered 17/12/08. Letter of objection lodged on behalf of Assn on 23/01/09.
Land adj. 2 Mornish Road (Conservation area application to erect a 5-bed detached house with integral garage, access from Mornish Road (Revised scheme) – Application refused on 28/01/09.
21 Western Avenue (Conservation area application to demolish existing dwelling and erect single detached dwelling with garaging. (Revised scheme) – Application refused on 28/01/09.
2 Martello Park (Demolish existing bungalow and erect a block of flats with associated parking and bin store) – To be determined by Planning Committee tomorrow (12/02/09) Chairman’s note: Application was granted.
Wind Turbine application at Tesco, Branksome – To be determined by Planning Committee tomorrow (12/02/09) Chairman’s note: Application was granted.
14 Nairn Road (a) Demolish existing bungalow and erect a four storey 6 bed house) – Subject to Appeal Hearing (APP/Q1255/A/09/2094445). Date for final comments is 25/03/09.
(b) Demolish existing bungalow and erect a four storey 5 bed house. (Revised
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Scheme) – Application registered on 06/01/09. Local concerns. NS has ‘red-carded’
the application.
7A Bury Road (Demolish existing and erect replacement 2 storey dwelling with basement (revised scheme). Date Registered: 22/01/09. Local concerns. NS has offered to ‘red-card’ the application.
JS reported that the Judicial Review Hearing re 1, 2 & 3 Alington Close & 2a & 2b Shore Road (Demolish existing and erect 6 x two/ three storey blocks comprising 32 flats with basement car parking, accessed off Alington Close and associated works and landscaping) (Amended scheme) to be heard in High Court on 17/03/09.
JS said that the Inspector’s Report into the Core Strategy is available via <http://www.boroughofpoole.com/downloads/assets/Inspectors_Final_Report.pdf>
and he would include he principal changes in the Minutes (See below)
a) The North Poole area to remain as safeguarded land
b) The threshold for affordable housing to be set at 6+ dwellings
c) A commitment to prepare a Flood Risk Management Strategy
d) The deletion of locally based carbon reduction requirements
e) A rejigging and expansion of the Implementation and Monitoring section, including the inclusion of more details of infrastructure projects.
Other current planning issues
11 Leicester Road Outline application to demolish existing dwelling and associated outbuildings. Erect a 59 bedroom care home, bin and cycle store and associated parking (15 spaces) with some matters reserved) – Letter of objection lodged on behalf of Assn on 12/01/09.
62 Haven Road (Erect 3 x 4-bed houses) – Awaiting outcome of Planning Inquiry (APP/Q1255/A/08/2081952) held on 03/02/09
31A Western Avenue (Demolish existing dwelling and erect a five bed detached dwelling) – Application registered on 05/01/09. Local concerns.
Victoria School, 12 Lindsay Road (Erect modular classroom building comprising 3 classrooms, entrance hall and toilet facilities) – .Local concerns
16-18 Durrant Road (Demolish existing and erect 2 blocks of 6 flats (12 total) with
single linked basement garage) – application granted by Planning Committee on 17/04/08 and subject to complaint by local residents to Local Government Ombudsman (LGO). The LGO’s provisional findings received on 08/11/08 were that the Council did nothing wrong but final decision is still awaited.
Canford Cliffs, Promenade 2 (a) Construction of 18 new beach huts) – Application
No: 08/24380/005/F & (b) Conservation Area application to demolish 8 beach huts (nos 99-106) adjacent to Canford Cliffs Chine. Application No: 08/24380/007/U The applications were registered as long ago as 22/01/08 &13/02/08 respectively. MH will keep the Assn advised of any further developments.
19 Sandbourne Road (Demolish existing and erect 5 apartments over 3 storeys with
basement parking and associated cycle and bin store) – Amended plans lodged on 11/12/08..
8 Shore Road – BPCCRA will continue to monitor possible tree work application. An
entrance has been created on the Haven Road side of this property.
1 Over Links Drive (Sever land and erect a detached house with integral garage) – application withdrawn on 27/03/08. Awaiting revised application.
60A Kings Avenue (Tree Replacement Notices to replant 3 Scots Pines) –
Confirmation awaited that the Council’s Arboriculturist visited both 60 and 60a to check tree issues and that letters sent to the owners requesting planting under Treework/Planning conditions.
4. REPORT ON SOUTHERN POOLE CHAIRMENS’ LIAISON GROUP MEETING (26/01/09)
JS reported that TS has been appointed Chairman to succeed Ken Pottle who has held the position for 10 years. Matters discussed included…
- Concern about the expenditure of £220,000 on the portacabins at Whitecliff Recreation Ground which are due to be removed shortly.
NS is on a committee to decide what best use can be made of the
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portacabins for the benefit of council tax payers.
- The Local Government Ombudsman has ruled that he has not seen any evidence that procedural fault by the Council has caused Dorset Lake Residents’ Assn any injustice in relation to 1 – 3 Compton Avenue (Demolish existing and erect a block of 11 flats & 1 maisonette with basement parking Revised Scheme) which was granted by Planning Committee on 17/04/08. However, the Council have accepted DLRA’s complaint that it exceeded the Stage 2 timescales for handling their complaint. The Strategic Director has apologised for the delay and officers have been reminded to follow published procedures.
5. REPORT ON CANFORD CLIFFS & PENN HILL AREA COMMITTEE MEETING (04/02/09) – JS said he had not attended the meeting but had been told that the six Councillors present outnumbered the members of the public who attended. Agenda items were covered in 20 mins, and a discussion on the Safer Partnerships and how to get more publicity then followed.
6. ACCOUNTS TO DATE – JD reported that current funds at end of January are £33,450. Of the 81 blocks of flats invoiced as bulk subscriptions there has already been an 80% take up.
A letter of thanks had been received from the Canford Cliffs Traders for the £500 donation towards the Christmas Lights.
JS has still to write to Key Drummond and CountryWide Property Management as non-payers from the Spring issue of our magazine.
7. ANY OTHER BUSINESS –
Premises Licence application for ‘Orton Rigg’ 53 Cliff Drive, Canford Cliffs –
Environmental & Consumer Protection Services have received calls from local residents in regard to this application and have received letters of representation. The application has, therefore, been referred to a Licensing Sub-committee. The meeting is to be held on 26/02/09. The general rule is that only those living within 100 metres may object, but this is only a guide.
NS offered to investigate the ‘planning’side.
Informal meeting with Residents’ Association representatives on 30/01/09: The officer
responsible for circulating the notes of the meeting, including the questions and answer hopes to distribute these this week as soon as she has the responses to Mr Cook’s questions, which due to an error on the Council’s part, were not included on the list of questions that morning. She has yet also to be provided with the response given by some Councillors at the Meeting.
BPCCRA AGM on Saturday 2nd May 2009 at All Saints Church Hall, Branksome Park – JS has invited Stephen Thorne, RD ADC BTp, MRTPI, currently Head of Development Services, Salisbury District Council who has been appointed as Poole’s Head of Planning and Regeneration to be our Guest Speaker.
If Mr Thorne is unable to be the Guest Speaker. NS suggested that we might like to try Liz Wilkinson, Poole’s Head of Financial Services and if we do ask Ms Wilkinson you could say that NS had suggested it.
JG asked if he could have material for the Spring 2009 Magazine by the end of this month.
JS closed the meeting at 8.30pm.
Date of next Meeting: The next meeting is on Wednesday 11th March 2009 in the
Main Hall at Branksome St Aldhelm’s Parish Centre (Entrance via Lindsay Road)