Ilmer Past

Parish Council Minutes

PRESENT

Cllr Mrs Valerie McPherson (Chairman)

Cllrs Ian Walker, Graham Walters, Mrs Jane Rogers, Rolf van Apeldoorn and Sally Whitworth

Mrs Caroline Page (Acting Clerk)

County Cllr Bill Bendyshe-Brown

2 Members of Public

1/ APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies were received and accepted from Cllr B Richards.

2/ MINUTES

The Minutes of the previous meeting of the Parish Council on the 15th July 2014, having been circulated were approved by the Meeting and signed by the Chairman.

3/ DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members were asked to declare any personal interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. None were declared.

4/ A REPORT FROM CLLR BENDYSHE-BROWN (BCC) ON MATTERS CONCERNING LONGWICK-CUM-ILMER PARISH COUNCIL

A report was received from Cllr B Bendyshe-Brown on roads and footpaths in the parish. The Chairman has received complaints that the footway in Chestnut Way is too narrow and uneven, and asked if the tarmac section could be widened. Cllr Bendyshe-Brown suggested that she send an email to Madeleine Howe at BCC to ask for this to be considered under LAF delegated funding. The Clerk was requested to arrange for the cutting back of undergrowth which is obscuring the 30mph signs at the end of Summerleys Road.

5/ MATTERS ARISING NOT OTHERWISE ON THE AGENDA

The Chairman advised the members that Cllr B Bendyshe-Brown wishes to arrange a meeting between himself, the Clerk and herself concerning the footpath from the end of Dorrells Road via the Scout Hut leading to the Village Hall Car Park to try to resolve the issue. It was agreed to investigate the cost of adding public liability insurance to the Parish Council policy so that the Council may consider maintaining responsibility for the footpath.

6/ FINANCE

A/ Payments

Cheque Item Description Net VAT Total
144 Risk Assessment K Dobson - Risk Inspection August 2014 £15.58 £15.58
145 Ground Maintenance Manor Estates – grass cutting August 2014 £369.07 £73.81 £442.88
146 Annual Play inspection WDC – annual play inspection and risk assessment at Longwick Playing Field £64.00 £12.80 £76.80
147 External Audit Mazars LLP – external audit work year ended 31 March 2014 £100.00 £20.00 £120.00
148 Expenses Claim Cllr Sally Whitworth – expenses re WDALC Basic Planning Forum £11.25 £11.25
149 Hall Hire Princes Centre – 2 hours hall hire 7th August 2014 £20.00 £20.00
150 NI Contribution HMRC – Employer's NI Contribution 6th July – 5th October 2014 £5.60 £5.60

B/ Receipts £ Nil

C/ Bank Balance £13,917.69 (allowing for the above cheques)

The expenditure for August was examined by the Council. All present agreed that the necessary cheques be signed.

7/ CAPITAL ITEMS AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES

A. Playing Field. There were no medium or high risk issues highlighted in the Risk Inspection Report for June 2014.

B. Children's play area. There were no medium or high risk issues highlighted in the Risk Inspection Report for June 2014.

8/ ROADS, VERGES AND RIGHTS OF WAY

The Clerk was requested report the following to BCC Transport for Bucks: the chevron sign at the junction of the road from Owlswick and the bridle path known as Green Lane has been hit by a car and damaged; there is a 30mph sign in the hedge on the road approaching Owlswick from Longwick; the hedges need trimming on the Thame Road A4129 entering Longwick from the roundabout on the right hand side, just past the roundabout, as they are encroaching on the footpath.

9/ CORRESPONDENCE

Email from Risborough Rangers Junior Football Club requesting permission to rent the Playing Fields for training on Saturday mornings for 2 hours. It was agreed to permit this but to point out that the Parish Council does not mark out the field or provide goal posts. No rent would be payable.

Proposed layout for Longwick Public Consultation Event on 7th October 2014. Cllr G Walters outlined the plans for the event, which is being promoted by WDC.

10/ UPDATING THE PARISH COUNCIL WEBSITE

It was agreed not to proceed with the free questionnaire offered by mh-p. The banner advertising the public meeting on 9th September should be removed. Cllr G Walters will draft a replacement.

11. ON THE COST AND DESIGN OF THE REPLY PAID ENVELOPE FOR THE ROYAL MAIL LICENCE

It was agreed to use pre paid envelopes with the questionnaire which will be distributed with the newsletter. The Clerk was requested to ascertain the prices and procedure for the pre paid envelopes.

12. ON THE CONTENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF A COMMUNICATIONS QUESTIONNAIRE

The questionnaire has now been completed and will be distributed with the next newsletter. Deadline for copy for the newsletter is 19th September 2014.

13. ON WHETHER TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED B.C.C. DEVOLUTION PROGRAMME FOR A TRIAL PERIOD OF ONE YEAR (Cllr Jane Rogers)

Cllr J Rogers proposed proceeding with inclusion in the proposed B.C.C. devolution programme for a trial period of one year. A show of hands was taken and all present agreed.

14. ON THE ACTION TO BE TAKEN CONCERNING THE AMOUNT OF DOG WASTE ON THE PLAYING FIELD. (Cllr Rolf van Apeldoorn)

It was agreed that the Clerk should write to BALC for advice on putting bye-laws in place. The Clerk was also requested to investigate the cost of obtaining signs to be erected in the car parking area next to the Playing Field. These may be available from the Dog Warden at WDC. Cllr R van Apeldoorn offered to write an article on dog fouling for the next newsletter.

15/ PLANNING APPLICATIONS

To consider New Planning Applications

The Parish Council objects to this application, or the following reasons:

  1. Increase in Traffic and risk to Road Safety. If this development goes ahead as proposed, traffic could be expected to increase to about six times the current rates at the access to the site via the junction of Chestnut Way and Boxer Road. Onward traffic must use junctions at one or the other end of Chestnut Way. These are already problematic as noted by many other objectors. Increasing traffic at these two junctions with Chestnut Way, without any design improvements, would be likely to significantly increase risk of accidents, and congestion. Boxer Road and Barn Road seem narrow to deal with all the extra traffic. Construction traffic over the predicted 4 to 5 year period will pose both a real annoyance to those living along this access route and additional risk.
  2. NOT Sustainable development. Existing bus services do not provide for travel in peak hours. Neither the A4129 route to Princes Risborough, nor the B4444 route to the rail station provides a reasonable and safe way for cyclists or pedestrians. Census shows that almost 70% travel to work by car in the Parish. The application overplays the local employment opportunities available. Without real improvements in safe and timely alternatives to car use, most new residents are likely to need access to and use a car to move around.
  3. Water Issues. The Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) submitted accepts that the site has potentially a high risk of surface water and ground water flooding, and that there is potential for the development to increase the risk of flooding from sewers. The FRA proposes "disposal to watercourse with on-site attenuation". The watercourse mentioned runs parallel to the eastern boundary of the application site, but not within the site at any point. The Parish Council considers that no storm/surface water must be discharged on any property outside the site boundary, or other attempt made to dispose of water in to this watercourse. Thames Water has identified the inability of the existing waste water infrastructure to accommodate the needs of this application. The Parish Council has no confidence that the water issues have been properly considered, and fears the development, if permitted without these issues being addressed, could cause increased problems with flooding in the village.
  4. Changing the Character of the Village. Longwick is currently a quite small, generally linear village, where immediate neighbours are few. It has only 366 residential addresses within the defined settlement, and a further 72 within the surrounding 500 metres. The proposal of 175 additional dwellings represents a significant increase, of about 40%. The Parish Council considers that this would completely change the character of the village. Although to some extent the site would be hidden from view, anyone who visits the popular Parish Recreation Ground and Village Hall would be well aware of the change of surroundings. The Parish Council accepts that some modest development could be welcome within the village, but this scheme is far too large.
  5. Biodiversity. The assessments submitted for biodiversity for the site are mostly desk-based. Little effort seems to have been given to this. Part of the site already serves as an informal nature reserve. The Parish Council considers that a better plan for the site would be to facilitate its retention and management for nature and quiet appreciation more formally, as an asset for the village.
  6. Prematurity. Determination of this application should not be made until the planning authority has considered whether Longwick is an appropriate place to meet any housing needs, let alone a scheme of this magnitude. Further, if investigations do show that some development around the village is appropriate, then it may be that other sites are more suitable, with less adverse implications.
  7. Summary of Objections. This application should be strongly resisted on the grounds that the tests for the presumption in favour of sustainable development are not met. The application would not be sustainable, and the adverse impacts would be significant.
  8. If Wycombe DC is minded to approve this outline application. If however, the planning authority is considering approval, the Parish Council request that consideration is given to securing by legal agreement or condition, the applicant (or future developer) to fund or contribute to all of the following:
  9. (a) an alternative means of access to the site, other than as proposed; (b) otherwise, junction improvements at each end of Chestnut Way (such as a roundabout at the Red Lion junction with Thame Road; and visibility improvements at Wellington House junction); (c) shared cycleway and footway along Lower Icknield Way and Summerleys Road (for access to station and Princes Risborough via Manor Park Avenue); (d) widening and surface improvements to the footway along Longwick Road to Princes Risborough (A4129); (e) significant surface improvements to Longwick-cum-Ilmer Bridleways 5 and 6 as access to, and contributions to Sustrans for maintenance of the Phoenix Trail (as recommended by BCC Access Officer); (f) peak-time bus services to Princes Risborough rail station and Princes Risborough town (for connecting bus services); (g) costs of education provision to serve the development; (h) costs of play area provision, its replacement and maintenance over a thirty year period. The Parish Council considers that extension to the facilities on the Parish Recreation Ground would be better than creating another facility a short distance away. This should include fitness equipment and play equipment; (i) costs and maintenance of informal open space and landscape planting within the site. The Parish Council considers that the overall extent provided should be greater and should include a walk through from Barn Road to the Recreation Ground. This should also be designed to better mitigate the visual and other proximity effects to existing neighbouring properties, at reserved matters stage; (j) costs of disposing of all surface water on site to SUDs and not to the nearby watercourse to the east of the site.

Notice of Planning Applications Approved

To Receive Notice of Planning Applications Refused

None.

15/ AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING.

To discuss and decide on feedback received from the Public Consultation meeting on 7th October 2014.

16/ NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Parish Council will take place on Tuesday 21st October 2014 in Longwick Village Hall at 8.00pm.

There being no further business to discuss the Meeting closed at 10.20 pm.