ARLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL

A QUALITY COUNCIL

(QC –12-06-00359)

Tel: 01323 811870

www.arlington-parish-council.org.uk

Minutes of a meeting of Arlington Parish Council held in Upper Dicker Village Hall at 7.30 pm on Thursday 15^th October 2009 (Paragraphs 09.108 – 09.118)

PRESENT: Councillors Mike Garner (Chairman), Ed Dickie, Paula Ertl, Doreen Goodchild, Carolyn McCutchan and Helen Proctor.

In attendance: Katrina Larkin (Clerk); District Councillor David White; one member of the public throughout, and two further members of the public for items 09.112 – 09.114 inclusive.

09.108 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: County Councillor Nick Bennett.

09.109 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: None.

09.110 MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING. The Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 17^th September 2009 were confirmed and signed.

09.111 MATTERS ARISING. The following matters were reported and noted.

Item 09.97 Speed data measurement in Wickstreet: the results were not yet known. Residents were enquiring as to when the signs would be installed. The Clerk would make enquiries.

Item 09.100(f) Adoption of red telephone kiosk. The electricity supply would be disconnected without charge to the parish when the kiosk was decommissioned.

Item 09.103 LARAC. Work was in hand to repair/replace the vandalised padlock to the main gate on the recreation ground. The Cricket Pavilion had also been vandalised and entered; the Cricket Club was aware.

Item 09.107 Repairs on the green: Work was still held up because of lack of a second quotation, though one had been sought from Howard Fencing and Decking in Hailsham; PB Fencing in East Hoathly could also be approached by the Clerk. Cllr Dickie would follow up some local contacts.

09.112 PUBLIC ADJOURNMENT. A member of the public commented that the Give Way traffic signs either side of Michelham Priory Bridge still were not complemented by markings on the road, as had been expected. Furthermore the hedge on the north side of Michelham Priory Road between Park Mead School and the Priory entrance still required trimming. The Clerk would follow up both matters.

09.113 REPORT FROM DISTRICT COUNCILLOR. Cllr White reported that the Stud House planning application WD/2009/1332 had been approved by the WDC Planning Committee (South). The Committee had made a strong recommendation to ESCC that a Road Safety Audit be carried out and that the speed limit outside Park Mead School be reduced to 20 mph; this commendation would take the form of a condition attached to the planning permission. The Committee would also impose a so-called ‘Grampian condition’ requiring a new pedestrian route to be provided to the north of the site (not forming part of the site but deemed essential to the use of the site), this route to be available on the first occasion of use of the new buildings, and always thereafter. The Committee had also considered a third condition, namely a requirement that the Dorter building be demolished, but this had not been accepted because under the terms of the current s.106 Agreement the school was already required to take the building down, within a ten year period which was still running. The Headmaster of St Bede’s had spoken of the preparation of a new Masterplan, on which the parish and all councillors would be fully consulted. The next phase of the school’s development would be one of consolidation rather than expansion.

The LDF process might be affected if there were a change of government at the next general election, and a consequent change of regional spatial planning policy. If so, publication of the Core Strategy might have to be deferred to the summer of 2010, with a view to adoption in 2011. However, there was already an enforceable obligation on Wealden to provide 8000 houses under the Local Area Agreement, and the Planning Advisory Service had indicated that the South East Plan would still be fairly important.

The Cabinet had drawn up a Transformation Programme intended to save at least £1.3 million pounds, though £2.5 million was real, and rather ambitious target.

More information on SHLAA might be available after the next meeting on 23^rd October.

09.114 PLANNING

(a) New applications:

WD/2855/CC. Park Mead School, Michelham Priory Road, Upper Dicker. Creation of additional hard play area and two canopies to the south east of the school site. Consultation by East Sussex County Council under Article 13 of the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995. It was resolved that this application should be SUPPORTED.

WD/2009/1846/F. Robin Post Stables, Arlington Road West, Hailsham BN27 3RA. Erection of bungalow for use in association with equine business. In the interest of consistency, the council referred back to the Minutes of the meeting held on 27th November 2008 when there was an Appeal pending against a previous refusal of planning permission for a dwelling on this site (APP/C1435/A/08/2075633/NWF); and the Minutes of the meeting held on 23rd April 2009 when a revised application was put forward (WD/2009/0777, subsequently withdrawn).

They noted that this was the fifth application for a new dwelling on this property. They also had before them a draft of the objection to the application which was to be considered by the Arlington Road West, The Glade and Robin Post Lane (North) Residents' Association that same evening, and a copy of the actual letter of objection submitted to WDC by Mr R Collins. Considerable sympathy was expressed for the residents of neighbouring properties faced with this succession of applications.

A member of the public requested a brief public adjournment, which the Chairman permitted. The point was then made that no building should take place outside the domestic curtilage, as in the case of Private J Townsend’s bungalow, and that here there was no domestic curtilage at all.

The meeting resumed. It was noted that the current application showed a clear attempt to address some of the problems raised against its predecessors. In particular, the current proposal did not seek to make a new and independent access for the proposed new dwelling onto Robin Post Lane, thereby addressing some of the road safety issues which had previously been identified as serious. The new application also moved the proposed bungalow closer to the stables which its occupant was supposed to monitor and keep secure - thereby responding to another major objection raised against the previous application.

However, there were still serious concerns. First, although the building was described in the written particulars as 'a modest building' with 'a primary residential element of 150 square metres or less', it appeared from the drawings to be bigger than its description, with a fairly large footprint (including office space etc. which was presumably not part of the primary residential element), and ample roofspace for conversion to a chalet if later required. It was therefore felt that the size of the proposed building was unjustified and was still a major problem. Secondly, it was noted that the provision of a new domestic dwelling on agricultural land in the countryside did require very special justification, and councillors were still not satisfied that enough of a case had been made for this one.

When a vote was taken, three councillors felt there were still sufficient grounds for formally opposing the application. Two councillors felt that the application might narrowly be acceptable, though one was still not satisfied with the precise positioning of the proposed bungalow, which would bring it closer to neighboring dwellings than the previous application. One councillor abstained. APC therefore recorded a MIXED RESPONSE.

WD/2009/1932/F. High Barn, High Barn Road, Upper Dicker BN27 3QJ. Change of use from holiday let to granny annexe for elderly relative. In discussion there was support for keeping holiday lets which met a demand and provided employment opportunities. There was also a reluctance to see ‘dwelling creep’ occur. However, the council did not wish to refuse a properly based application, and resolved by a majority to SUPPORT the application, on the condition that when the property was no longer required as a granny annexe it should revert to holiday use.

WD/2009/2032/LB. Endlewick House, Wilbees Road, Arlington BN26 6RU. To install secondary glazing to the rooms upstairs with a hardwood frame, aluminium profile and mullions to suit existing windows so that no additional profile can be seen when viewed from the outside. APC resolved to SUPPORT this application.

(b) Applications approved by WDC:

WD/2009/1591/F. Farmland adjoining High Barn Road, Upper Dicker. Erection of new Farm Building to provide livestock housing and fodder storage. The Council took note.

WD/2009/1698/F. Charleston Buildings, St Bede’s School, Upper Dicker BN27 3QR. Retention of two school buildings and change of use to classrooms. The council took note.

WD/2009/1603/F. Knockhatch Adventure Park, Hempstead Lane, Hailsham BN27 3GD. New wardens accommodation. The Council took note.

09.115 FINANCE

The bank reconciliation for the period ended 30 September was approved.

The following accounts were approved for payment:

15.10.09	101165	Hailsham CAB	Grant	£150
15.10.09	101166	Polegate TC	Photocopying	£31.28
15.10.09	101167	Mrs K Larkin	October expenses	£81.50

Expenditure of £53.60 on the new (8^th) edition of Local Council Administration by Charles Arnold Baker, published by LexisNexis, was also approved.

09.116 LARAC

APC took note of the Minutes of the LARAC meeting held on 29.09.09. Regarding the works still pending around the green, it was agreed that the preferred wording of the sign was ‘CAUTION – CHILDREN AT PLAY’; the Clerk should notify the contractor. Cllr Dickie would speak to the shop owner about the placing of the sign. He reported that St Bede’s houseparents had been notified that a complaint had been received about football being played in the fairly confined space of the green, and that the school had offered to reinstate the sign discouraging pedestrians from wearing a footpath across the green, especially in winter. APC welcomed this helpful initiative. As to the bins around the green, the school was under the impression that these were council property, but had nevertheless kindly agreed to sort the matter of the last missing lid. The time was not right for bringing up the matter of resurfacing the road down to the shop, but it could be borne in mind for the future.

The contractor was ready to remove the asbestos from the derelict shed on the recreation ground, but would not be able to dismantle and remove the remains of the shed within the original quote of £600 plus VAT. Because the shed was built from pre-stressed and reinforced concrete panels, it could not be broken up, and the removal of the slabs with a combined weight of eight tons would require special equipment and cost a further £400 plus VAT. It was agreed that the contractor should instead be asked to dismantle the shed and lay it down, which could be done at no extra cost. Cllr Dickie reported that St Bede’s had heavy landscaping equipment at its Eastbourne site, and that it would be prepared to re-landscape and re-seed the site when the equipment was eventually moved to Arlington. Councillors agreed that this was a generous and welcome offer.

As to the play project, the quote from Timberline had come in at £37,000, and the Kompan quote at £49,000. An Expression of Interest Form was on its way to the South East England Development Agency, with a view to obtaining LEADER funding. A second grant application was under consideration. A generous donation of £87 had been received from Mrs Fradd-Gilbert of behalf of the parents’ group towards the cost of the project. Further excellent news was that St Bede’s was contemplating making a contribution by preparing the site, including removal of the old equipment and levelling of the ground required for the new equipment. It was to be understood that the school wanted to contribute with positive action and make a practical contribution.

09.117 CLERK’S REPORT

Village shop – a request had been received from Mrs Flower for support in her application to obtain SEEDA funding for improvements at Upper Dicker Village Shop, enabling her to implement her ‘Local Products for Local People’ initiative. It was agreed that APC should strongly support the grant application.

Village green – Mrs Flower had also requested permission to put a Christmas tree on the green in 2009. This was approved.

Dicker Calendar – Mrs Flower had enquired whether a ‘Dicker Calendar’ could be included on the parish website. It was agreed in discussion that such a calendar would best go on the Villages Website, but could be given publicity in APC’s Newsletter.

East Sussex Fire Authority – consultation on service planning prioritisation. The Clerk had sent a ‘holding response’ to the latest round of consultation at short notice, and had requested that Arlington be included on the register of current consultees.

09.118 ITEMS OF INFORMATION

AiRS autumn workshop, ‘Heart of the Village’: 18^th November, Cllr Goodchild would attend.

Parish Tree Planting – BBC record attempt: 5^th December, APC would be interested.

WDC Planning Training Session – the training session on 13^th October had been attended by some twenty councillors from a number of parishes, and had proved very useful. The Chairman especially thanked Cllr Goodchild and Cllr McCutchan for organising the refreshments at no cost to the parish.

The meeting closed at 9.30 pm

Katrina Larkin, Parish Clerk, 23^rd October 2009 Signed…………………………………………..Chairman