Clerk: Mrs. L Rampton

Parish Council Office,

Winscombe Community Centre,

11 Sandford Road, Winscombe,

North Somerset BS25 1JA

Tel: 01934 844257   Fax: 01934 844292

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Notes of the Affordable Housing Key Stakeholder Meeting

held on Tuesday 2nd December 2008,  10.30 am.

The Weeks Room, Winscombe Community Centre

 

To consider Land off Well Close, Winscombe

 

Present:           Louise Davidson (LD)                                          Regional Development Manager, English Rural Housing Assoc.

                        Chris Sampson (CS) & Steve Bridges (SB)           Parish Council Representatives

                        Tony Lake (TL)                                                   NSC Ward Councillor

                        Victoria Kay (VK) & Will Bryant (WB)                  NSC Housing

                        Neil Underhay (NU)                                            NSC Development Control Planning Department

                        Chris Ashcroft (CA)                                            NSC Asset Management

                        Richard Mead (RM)                                            Summerfield Developments

                        Matthew Bollen (MB)                                          BBA Architects

                        Linda Grogan (LG)                                              Head Teacher, Winscombe Woodborough Primary School.

                       

Clerk:   Lynne Rampton (LR)     

 

1.       A welcome and introduction was given by SB, member of Winscombe & Sandford Parish Council Affordable Housing Working Party.

 

2.       Those present introduced themselves to the meeting. TL advised that following legal advice, his presence at the meeting does not indicate approval of any scheme that may be considered but is to keep abreast of developments.

 

3.       Policy Background and housing need – LD supplied the meeting with the history of ERHA’s involvement with Winscombe & Sandford Parish Council to date including a scheme that assisted two families in the Parish by use of monies commuted from developer ‘106’ Agreements. A detailed survey was delivered to each household in the Parish early 2008 and the responses of this survey clearly show a large need for affordable housing. This resulted in the formation of a Parish Council working party that identified seventeen potential sites for consideration in accordance with policy H5 of the NS Replacement Local Plan that would allow affordable housing to be built on sites not normally attracting planning permission.

 

4.       Sequential Site Search - Planning Policy Department within NSC have confirmed to ERHA that the correct process has been undertaken and sites are now being explored within planning department for affordable housing both inside and outside the settlement boundary. Four sites have been identified for detailed exploration by NSC.  Summerfield Developments, owners of one potential site have approached ERHA to consider working together on a scheme in Winscombe. Negotiations are currently taking place with owners of the three other potential sites with a view to implementing a number of schemes to address the need for the Parish.

 

5.       Proposed Affordable Housing Development off Well Close, Winscombe – RM described the background of Summerfield Developments and the involvement of the company with other local authorities in providing affordable housing for local people. The ‘My Home’ product was detailed as a scheme that allows a home to be sold at a discount of 20-30% of market value with a protection of this discount in perpetuity. This scheme does not require public subsidy.

          The site of just over six acres, situated at the end of Well Close does not have access issues and is in a central location adjacent to residential properties and the primary school.  Initial ideas for a mixed tenure scheme of around 30 homes (possibly 4 apartments and 26 homes) are being explored with consideration of the remainder of the land being given back to the community for the benefit of the parish. The mix of tenure for the homes could vary to reflect market conditions at that time.

          NU outlined constraints for development of this land in the AONB and ground water source protection area. If issues were successfully addressed, attention to landscaping and quality of materials used must be high. The land at Well Close is in the top four potential sites identified for the Parish although the possibilities for the remaining three sites must continue as they would attract less planning constraints. It is not considered unusual for an exception site to attract a number of planning conditions and geographically, land at the top of Well Close is a good site.

          LG expressed general support for the idea of Affordable Housing in the Parish but raised a number of concerns should the land adjacent to the primary school be developed:

1.       The footway to the top of Well Close forms part of the safe access to school route - consideration should be given to a new crossing.

2.       The school boundary is the stile and not the hedge.

3.       The double field gate allows emergency and maintenance access to the school and this access must be preserved.

4.       Traffic at peak school drop off/collection times should be addressed.

5.       Drainage issues currently exist with two culverts outside the school boundary being constantly blocked. This diverts water over the field with high risk of flooding to the school.

Louise Davidson advised that full flood & drainage risk assessments would be required for any development and consultation will take place with parents and children of the school to alleviate concerns at an early stage.

 

6.              Arrangements for public consultation – a draft schematic site layout will be prepared with a public consultation event agreed for Monday 26th January 2009 3.30 – 7pm at Winscombe Community Centre. Immediate near neighbours and key stakeholders would be invited to attend this event exclusively for the first hour with other Parishioners and interested parties welcome after this initial period. A further consultation event for the school was scheduled for 4th February 2.30 – 4pm to be held in the school hall. It was considered beneficial if Ward Members were able to attend the consultation events to listen to views of those attending. LD will arrange for posters and flyers advertising the events to be produced and email an advert for inclusion in press and local publications to LR. A more detailed survey will be completed following the public consultation event to establish a detailed picture of potential applicants to any scheme.

 

7.                   During open discussion the following points were considered:

*                   The Parish Council was encouraged to formulate a list of possible consultees for RM

*         Affordable housing for the elderly is not being considered in this potential scheme as this is being addressed by the care village currently under construction in Sandford.

*         The provision of Affordable Homes in any site development for The Chestnuts could still be a number of years away.

*         CA further explained access issues for the site.

 

8.                   Next Steps –

*         The design team commissioned by the land owners should progress schematic site plans for the public consultation event.

*         A meeting of the Parish Council Steering Group should be arranged for early in the New Year with both WB & VK invited to attend.

*         LD & RM should attend the meeting of the full Parish Council to be held on 15th January 2009 to deliver a presentation on the potential Well Close scheme.

*         Public consultation events are to be held 26th January & 4th February 2009.

         

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meeting Closed:                       11.25 a.m.      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes by: LR     Confirmed by: LD