News: Parish Council agrees revisions to Neighbourhood Development Plan
At an Extraordinary Meeting last night CPC agreed revisions to the NDP which will keep it current.
They also discussed parking on Branksome Close and their response to the appeal against Test Valley Borough Council’s decision on Cyma House.
With apologies from the Chair, Cllr David Hall, the Vice Chair Cllr Tony Ewer opened the meeting. He began by saying of Cllr Hall’s wife, Denise, “The Parish Council is truly sorry to hear of what Denise is going through at this terrible time, and our thoughts are with David.”
Mrs Hall is receiving palliative care at the Countess of Brecknock Hospice in Andover.
Declarations of interest
Cllr Ewer said that he had no declarations of interest in connection with any of the agenda items. Cllr Debbie Collis declared an interest connected with the proposed Cyma House development, as she lives in a neighbouring property.
Neighbourhood Development Plan
Cllr Martin Watson said that he and the CNDP rewrite team had taken Sarah Hughes, Neighbourhood Planning Officer at TVBC, through their proposed revisions. Some she had rejected as too substantial for a minor rewrite, others she accepted.
Cllr Watson and Fiona Barrie took the meeting through the agreed revisions, which were accepted by Councillors.
The process of examining the new NDP would take some twenty weeks: six to eight weeks of consultation, six weeks with the Examiner, followed by a further two weeks of consultation. Once “made”, the NDP would not need to be reviewed until 2034.
On the issue of funding the rewrite, Cllr Watson said that it might be that the Parish Council would have to cover the costs of the process.
Cllr Ewer observed that Community Infrastructure Levy payments from the developers of Test Valley Farm, the two homes at the site of the former Fenstanton on Coley Lane and the solar farm in Wherwell could be used to cover those costs.
Cllr Ewer thanked the NDP rewrite team saying that their work had been “smartly done, neatly done.”
Parking on Branksome Close
Following his report from the Highways Safety working group at the last meeting, Cllr Watson said that he had held a meeting of residents of Branksome Close to discuss their concerns with parking there.
Describing the meeting as “quite lively”, he said that two issues had arisen. The first, a conflict between residents there, was not something the Parish Council could do anything about. He said it was “an issue for Aster.”
The second, concerns over parking, was largely centred around the maisonette area. Discussion with residents had identified two hedges which could be removed. Tarmacking that area would provide additional “herring bone” parking spaces.
The safety of vulnerable road users could also be highlighted by placing a sign at the end of the road saying that there were children playing.
Cllr Ewer said that when land had been sold in Branksome Close, monies had passed to both Aster and TVBC. He thought it might amount to £1.3 million.
It was agreed that Cllr Watson would draft an email from the Parish Council to Aster asking them to pay for the work to create more parking spaces.
Cyma House
The meeting briefly discussed the developer’s appeal over refusal of proposed development of Cyma House. It was agreed that Cllr Sue Larcombe would draft a response to be circulated to Councillors.
Test Valley Farm
A resident raised the issue of further erosion on Little Drove Road due to heavy vehicles to and from Test Valley Farm. It was getting worse even after trees were felled there.
Stop Chilbolton Overdevelopment members agreed that they would continue recording the erosion and would contact news organisations to publicise the problem.