Draft Minutes 17th November 2015

DRAFT MINUTES OF ELTON PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD IN THE HIGHGATE HALL ON

TUESDAY 17^TH NOVEMBER 2015

 

 

            Present: Cllrs Donoyou, Gentry, Holman, Porter, Rankmore, Smith and Strowbridge

 

            In attendance: Mrs W Gray Parish Clerk, Mrs L Jepson, Mr B Emmerson, Mr J Douglas

 

1. Apologies for Absence: Cllrs Cummins, Owen, District Cllr R Mathews, County Cllr M MacGuire

 

1. Declaration of Interest: Cllr Holman item 13

 

1. Mr D Adams – Overgrown Hedge: As Mr Adams was not in attendance for this item it was unanimously agreed that we would write to him requesting that the hedge is cut back within 14 days in accordance with section 154 of the Highways Act 1980 and a copy of letter to be forwarded to Highways, Cambridgeshire County Council.

 

1. Minutes of 20^th October 2015:

Cllr Donoyou proposed, seconded Cllr Rankmore that above minutes were signed as a true and accurate record of meeting, all in agreement.

 

1. Matters Arising from above minutes – update:

Kerb at Mill House – potholes, these have been reported to highways.

 

1. YTD/monthly accounts v budget:

Year to date figures and balances reported (undermentioned payments also taken out).

 

1. Precept 2016-2017

Budget Spreadsheet produced by Cllr Rankmore has been circulated to all Cllrs prior to meeting.  Spreadsheet self explanatory from which we were able to determine what Precept to ask for in the next financial year.

 

Cllr Donoyou proposed, seconded Cllr Smith that the Precept for 2016-2017 is kept at £13,000 the same as last year, all in agreement.

 

1. Authorisation of Payments:

6.11.2015 – SCUK – Street Light Survey	£1,044.00
K & M Lighting Services – Maint November 2015	£61.15
Wendy Gray – Salary October 2015	£240.00
Wendy Gray – Tax October 2015	£60.00

 

Cllrs Donoyou, Porter and Strowbridge approved the above invoices for payment.

 

1. Street Lighting:

Email received from Cllr Cummins outlining current situation, awaiting survey report.  Cllr Donoyou reported

that the PC has applied for a transport grant which will include provision for new street lights.

 

Question for Mr Douglas to raise with EE – when is planning application for Black Horse Car Park going to          proceed?

 

1. A605 Junction:

Response received from office of Shailesh Vara MP to our recent letter.  Copy forwarded to Emma Murden, Highways, CCC.  Keep as an agenda item.

 

1. Planning:

15/01807/HHFUL – Single Storey extension to the South West of the property and new bathroom window to North West Elevation at 11 Middle Street, Elton PE8 6RA – no objections raised.

 

15/01896/FUL and 15/01897/LBC  – Single Storey rear extension, glazed link and minor internal alteration works at 10 Duck Street, Elton PE8 6RQ – the Parish Council is aware that the usual approach for listed buildings is for designs in sympathy with the historic building and the conservation area generally and using local stone and replica collyweston slate.  The approach of this design is very different and unashamedly modern, using modern glass and steel and relying on the judgement that it constitutes “good modern design”.  The parish council is aware that a number of recent applications involving extensions to historic buildings have raised similar issues and the district council have invariably sought plans which better reflect a “design in sympathy” approach.  The parish council has some difficulties explaining the architectural basis for modern architecture for additions to listed buildings and in this instance would recommend the more traditional basis, using traditional local materials since this approach minimises the risks of architectural experimentation on the character and appearance of the conservation area and avoids the likelihood of creating a precedent for future extensions to other nearby historic buildings.

 

15/0211/FUL – This comprises the demolition of an existing bungalow and replacement by a three storey 6 bedroom house. Greenhill Road –

The PC were unanimous that the proposed development should be REFUSED ON DESIGN GROUNDS for the following reasons

1. The building is totally disproportionate in size (and in particular the width) of the plot. The plan form is so large that it leaves little space around the building. From front wall to rear, the width of the building is some 10m…longer than the frontage of most houses.  This very deep plan form gives rise to an excessive and awkward roof size and shape which will be visible from distant views from public roads and rights of way.
2. The design of the dwelling is very poor and totally unsympathetic to other buildings on Greenhill or to the general character of buildings in the nearby conservation area. For example, the rear elevation is composed entirely of glazing on the ground and first floor with a random arrangement of different roof lights on the roof.  The front elevation and garage designs are equally ill-thought through and undesirably suburban in character and form.

In addition, the accommodation is all set within one large and ungainly mass, unrelieved by any articulation of walls and verge and ridge heights.  THE PARISH COUNCIL IS OF THE VIEW THAT ANY BUILDING OR BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTED ON THIS SITE SHOULD CONTAIN A SERIES OF MORE MODEST FORMS WITH ARTIVULATION IN BUILDING WIDTHS AND HEIGHTS SO CREATING VARIATION AND INTEREST IN FRONTAGE LINES AND EAVES, VERGE AND RIDGE HEIGHTS.

3. Due to the size of the building, the garages are placed to the front of the property, thus encouraging the main public view to be of parked cars and tarmac. It is acknowledged that the adjoining plot has garaging to the front (albeit with the doors and parking / manoeuvring spaces hidden).  However, this is part of an overall design.  In the current case, the garages are to the front simply in an attempt to maximise dwelling floor space.   It has to be acknowledged that there is a strong possibility that, in the coming years, the other more modest post war bungalows will also be redeveloped.  If they all have garages to the front, this will change the street scene to the great detriment of character and appearance of Greenhill.

THE PARISH COUNCIL STRONGLY RECOMMENDS THE GARAGES SHOULD BE TO THE SIDE OR REAR OF THE PROPOSED DWELLING.

4. The rear elevation and particularly the balcony to the bedrooms will allow direct overlooking of adjoining dwellings and gardens TO AN UNACCEPTABLE DEGREE.
5. The materials stated – bricks and concrete roof tiles give rise to the possibility of cheap and unattractive materials being used on a potentially large and imposing building. THE PARISH COUNCIL IS OF THE VIEW THAT ANY DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SITE AND ESPECIALLIY LARGE AND IMPOSING BUIDINGS SHOULD BE IN COMMENSUTATE MATERIALS SUITED TO THE LOCALITY – IN THIS INSTANCE STONE AND REPLICA COLLYWESTON SLATE.
6. The design and access statement is simplistic to the point of meaninglessness.
7. The continuous array of glazing on the due south facing rear elevation will lead to unsatisfactory heat gain and loss…even if solar glass is used and / or require the installation of air conditioning – hardly sustainable development.
8. Should the application be APPROVED, the parish council would wish to see CIL raised against the development with a contribution made toward traditional type street lighting made in a location which has inadequate street lighting.
9. Over the last 10 years, the applicant has progressively felled all trees on a once well wooded site with the exception of the large horse chestnut made subject to a TPO. The plans do not show this tree in relation to the development nor make reference to any specific methods to ensure its proper protection during any building works.

IN CONCLUSION, THE PARISH COUNCIL WOULD WISH TO SEE THIS APPLICATION REJECTED BUT ARE OF THE VIEW THAT A SINGLE MORE MODEST DWELLING IN LOCAL NATURAL MATERIALS (+ REPLICA COLLYWESTON SLATE) AND TO A FAR HIGHER STANDARD OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN WHICH MAKES REFERENCE TO THE LOCATION, ON THE FRINGES OF A STONE VILLAGE IN A STRONGLY LIMESTONE AREA.  THE PARISH COUNCIL WOULD SEEK CIL ON THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT TO UPGRADE THE INADEQUATE TRADITIONAL TYPE STREET LIGHTING ON GREENHILL.

 

 

Elton C of E School – we would like to see the following implemented within the plans:

 

1. Commitment on limitation of numbers of children enrolled at school.

 

2. A school transport plan built into the application and for that plan to be implemented BEFORE the development is occupied.

 

3. Additional plan involves felling 4 Ash and 1 Sycamore tree ON THE SOUTH BOUNDARY BESIDE THE PLAYGROUND. If these trees are felled the PC would like to see provision for a hedge to be planted WITH APPROPRIATE ROOT BARRIER AND IN SUITABLE SPECIES AND MAINTAINED TO A MINIMUM HEIGHT OF 3M. HORNBEAN AND BEECH WOULD PROBABLY BE APPROPRIATE SPECIES GIVEN THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF YOUNG CHILDREN.

 

1. Trees/Verges and Footpaths: 

Update on the Spinney Scheme – planting currently going on in the Spinney, Cllr Strowbridge would like to put on record a big thank you to Cllrs Donoyou, Holman, Porter and Smith, labour from members of Elton Society, Kevin from Overend for the excellent work that has been done.

 

Cllr Smith reported more still to be done, more to be planted, more area to be cleared i.e. possibly half a day to complete rest of planting.  Need to do some further clearing at some stage (use digger again sometime in the future) to scrape off further soil that needs to be disposed of – 12/18 month project.

 

Footpath Issues –

Iron Bridge and Warmington Footpath, Cllr Donoyou proposed that he write to Heather Smith and request that we have 15 mins of her time i.e. we will meet with her.  Cllr Donoyou will make contact.

 

Cllr Donoyou invited to meeting at East Northants in December about strategy for Greenway Project on other side of the river.

 

1. Elton Bonfire Club:

Cllr Donoyou took over as Chair at this point in the meeting.

 

Cllr Holman provided a resume on reason why the Bonfire was cancelled this year.  Cllrs requested that a full report on possible way forward is brought to the next meeting.

 

1. Telephone Mast:

Cllr Smith had read an article in newspaper re provision of mobile phone signal in rural areas.  Cllr Smith subsequently wrote and asked for information and response received –

 

“The state aid approval for the project meant that it could only be aimed at areas where there is no coverage from any mobile operator at present, known as ‘total not spots’.  We were not able to consider areas where there may be a degree of coverage from one operator but not from others, although such an area might be a ‘not spot’ to anyone on the wrong network.

 

The ‘total not spot’ data was provided to us by Ofcom who derived it from coverage date provided by the four mobile network operators – Vodafone, O2, ‘3’  and EE.

 

The data did not show any ‘total not spots’ in the vicinity of Elton and so we were unable to plan to put a mast there.  In any event the MIP is scheduled to come to an end in March 2016 which means that we are now at a stage where no further masts can be planned”.

 

1. Correspondence:

Electoral Review of Cambridgeshire: Further Limited Consultation for Cambridge – final recommendations will now be published on 9^th February 2016 and not 17^th November 2015 as originally planned.

 

1. Reports from Councillors:

Community information (newsletter to the village) – Cllrs Gentry and Smith reported that they had not yet had opportunity to get together to look at options but would approach magazine to see if we can secure 1-2 pages to report relevant information.

 

Further planting in Spinney – do we have any further dates in mind?

 

1. Date of Next Meeting:

Tuesday 15^th December 2015

 

Meeting closed at 9.45 p.m.

 

Signed: ………………………………                             Date: ……………………..