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 Working Party Meeting

held on Wednesday 14th January 2009, 11.00 am.

The Weeks Room, Winscombe Community Centre

 

To consider Land off Well Close, Winscombe

 

Councillors Present:    Steve Bridges (SB), Roy Jones (RJ), Geoff Luckett (GLu), Mike Williamson (MW),

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

                                                Victoria Kay (VK)                       NSC Housing

                                                Richard Mead (RM)                    Summerfield Developments

Clerk:                           Lynne Rampton (LR)     

 

*                   Apologies for absence were received from Mr C Sampson

*              LD and Chris Winter (of Summerfield Developments) are to attend the Parish Council meeting to be held on 15th Jan to present a preliminary schematic plan of the proposed development for 30 homes to the Parish Council. Design drawings and a draft press release will be issued to all Councillors.

*              A3 & A4 posters along with flyers advertising the 26th January public consultation were supplied to LR by RM for display around the Parish. The press release (to be provided to Council members 15th Jan) will be sent to local press by LD week commencing 19th Jan in time for publication prior to the consultation event.

*              Flyers will be sent to Winscombe & Sandford Primary Schools to send home with all pupils in their book-bags advising of both consultation events.

*              Key stakeholders including near neighbours to the possible development will be invited to the public consultation event held at Winscombe Community Centre on 26th January from 2.30pm with this being open to the wider community from 3.30pm until 7pm.

*              A representative of the steering group will be present throughout the consultation events on 26th January at Winscombe Community Centre & 4th February at Winscombe Woodborough Primary School.

*              RM gave a progress report on planning and other issues for the site:

a.              Plans for the site hope to alleviate and maybe improve historic flood problems for the school.

b.              A meeting has taken place with NSC Highways Officer Mike Schneider who appears to be satisfied with plans for access arrangements to the development.

c.              Footpath linkage within the field will be improved.

d.              Construction methods will be chosen to cause minimal disruption to ground water levels. This is currently a residential area and guidance notes are shortly expected by Summerfield from Richard Bore of the Environment Agency in this regard.

e.              Landscape and design of the site will be carefully considered for the proposed development within the AONB.

f.                The ‘land-take’ from this 6.5 acre field will be around one third of the site and the near level area to the bottom of the site has been chosen to minimalise impact from other surrounding areas.

g.              The NSC landscape Officer is involved in early discussions. Vince Russett, NSC County Archaeologist has advised the site does not appear to be an area of archaeological interest although a ‘watching-brief’ will be maintained throughout any development works.

h.              Careful consideration has been given to the siting of the proposed homes to minimise impact for the existing residences close by.

i.                All major services are available adjacent to the site.

j.                Ground stability will be assessed to determine footing levels of homes.

k.              There is scope to consider the remaining 4 acres of field for alternative use. Consideration may be given to pond or reed bed on the low land that would assist with historic flood issues with the remainder of the land being either leased or gifted to the Parish for community use.

l.                NSC Ecology Officer, Nick Michael is being consulted regarding wildlife issues

*                                                                                                   Other potential sites for affordable housing as identified by NSC Planning Department have been explored although at the present time in some instances, ideas of the price of land outside the settlement boundary appear somewhat inflated. Evidence of this will be provided to NSC by ERHA and these land sites are currently in abeyance.

 

Meeting Closed:                       11.55 a.m.