ALBRIGHTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Planning Meeting

Thursday 1st September 2011 at 7.15 pm in the Red House

 

Minutes of the Albrighton Parish Council planning meeting held on 1st September 2011 at 7.15 pm in the Red House.

 

PRESENT:  Cllrs. D Beechey (Chairman), G Beechey, R Blincoe, N Hester, M Holden, P Illes,

D Johnson, P Lusk, J MacLachlan, J Nelson.

 

Clerk: M Ward

 

PUBLIC SESSION:

 

Nine members of the public were in attendance. The Parish Council was thanked by one member of the public for helping to reverse the decision to close and demolish Sheldon Court. Cllr. M Pate was also thanked for his efforts on behalf of the residents. Several residents expressed their concern over the proposal to close Sheldon Court without first informing the Parish Council and with no consultation with local people. Cllrs. Lusk and MacLachlan who attended the meeting called by Shropshire Council said that there was no strategic plan evident and the whole matter was deeply regrettable. Cllr. Nelson said that the market value of the enterprise was questionable even if the garages at Ashgrove were included. Their demolition would cause further problems of parking in an area that was already experiencing many parking difficulties. A member of the Ashgrove Resident’s Association asked for the painting of white lines on existing parking areas to maximise the space available. Members were urged to seek a letter of apology from the Leader of the Council to the residents of Sheldon Court for the distress this exercise had caused them.

 

A resident of Meeson Close spoke against planning application 11/01346/FUL saying that the proposed garage would prove overbearing, was out of scale with other buildings and would put her garden into considerable shade, particularly during winter months. Photographs of the garden in question were distributed to illustrate this point.

 

A member of the Albrighton Traders Association informed members that a grant request to the Market Towns Rural Challenge Fund had been refused but a second round was scheduled for the autumn. The application was rejected on the grounds that there was insufficient match funding and the Council was accordingly asked to increase its contribution from £1,500 to £4,000.

 

1.      APOLOGIES:

 

Cllrs. M Pate (on holiday), S Pate (on holiday), Murray (on holiday), Pledger (on holiday) Brown (family reasons).

 

Each apology was accepted by the Council.

 

 

2.      DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:

 

Personal:

 

Cllr. D Beechey declared a personal interest in agenda item 3 re planning application 11/02960/FUL and the request by Albrighton Traders Association for an increased grant for their application to the Rural Challenge Fund.

 

Prejudicial:

 

Cllr. Blincoe declared a prejudicial interest in agenda item 9.

 

3.      PLANNING:

 

Planning applications:

 

11/01346/FUL Amendments to the proposal for the erection of two storey extension to side elevation and detached garage, 10 Meeson Close, Albrighton.

 

Cllr. G Beechey would represent the Parish Council at the planning meeting on 6th September and Cllr. Holden would attend the site visit during the morning of 6th September. Members raised objections to the application on the grounds that the structure was overbearing and out of scale with other buildings and would take light from the neighbouring property.

 

11/03069/FUL Erection of detached three bedroom dwelling following demolition of existing single garage, 6 Loak Road, Albrighton.

 

Members raised objections to the application on the grounds that the proposed building was too big and out of scale with surrounding properties.

 

 11/02690/FUL Erection of a single storey dwelling, 51 Albert Road, Albrighton.

 

No objection.

 

Grant permission:

 

11/02432/FUL  Erection of two storey extensions to front and rear elevations; alterations to roof line to create first floor accommodation; erection of a single garage, 22 Bush Close, Albrighton.

 

Received and noted.

 

 

 

11/03007/TPO To remove overhanging branches of one Fagu Sylvatica protected by Shropshire Council (Land at and to the west of Church Road, Albrighton) TPO 2010, 24 Delaware Avenue, Albrighton.

 

Received and noted.

 

Permission refused:

 

11/01637/FUL Erection of one detached dwelling following demolition of existing lock up garage/storage units, rear of 41 High Street, Albrighton.

 

Received and noted.

 

4.      FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF THE EMAIL FROM Mr J BEESTON, SHROPSHIRE COUNCIL ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, RE THE DISPUTED FENCE ON THE CORNER OF WINDSOR ROAD/BUSHFIELD ROAD.

 

The Chairman read out the email dated 10th June 2011 from Mr Beeston in which he stated that the owners of the property had been informed that planning permission was required for a fence in excess of one metre in height. Given that no planning application had been received between June and September members agreed that Mr Beeston should be contacted to take further action.

 

Action: the Clerk to write to Mr Beeston asking him to take enforcement action regarding the fence at the property on the corner of Windsor Road and Bushfield Road.

 

5.      CONSIDERATION OF TWO QUOTATIONS FOR COUNCIL WEBSITE/TOURISM WEBSITE:

 

The Chairman briefly outlined the background to the two proposals which had been copied to members. Cllr. MacLachlan stated that she had not been asked to attend any meetings of the tourism group and she was concerned that no specification had been drawn up in advance of what should be a tendering procedure. Of the two models made available she felt that the one from Shropshire Tourism was preferable. Cllr. Nelson suggested that the matter should be referred back to the tourism group but Cllr. Lusk urged members to proceed as quickly as possible as discussions had been ongoing for several months. He too favoured the Shropshire Tourism version although Cllr. Blincoe, who had worked with Mr Fletcher in the past, said that he had provided a very good service.

 

Cllr. Lusk proposed that the Council should opt for the Shropshire Tourism website which was seconded by Cllr. MacLachlan and agreed by Council.

 

Action: The Clerk to contact Shropshire Tourism and ask them to proceed with a new website as outlined in their proposals.

 

 

 

6.      CONSIDERATION OF A QUOTATION FOR A REPLACEMENT NOTICE BOARD BY MR MICHAEL STACK:

 

Members agreed that further prices were required for a replacement notice board in Station Road and Cllr. Blincoe provided the details of another local craftsman in Shifnal who could be consulted. Councillors decided to defer the matter until information was available from a second source.

 

Action: the Clerk to write to Timber Products of Shifnal, obtain further quotations and bring the matter back to Council.

 

7.      APPOINTMENT OF A REPRESENTATIVE TO THE ACTION FOR TOWNS NATIONAL CONVENTION IN LUDLOW 12/13TH OCTOBER 2011.

 

The letter regarding the conference was read out by the Chairman. It was agreed that the Clerk would attend on behalf of the Council and report back.

 

8.      DISCUSSION OF SHROPSHIRE COUNCIL’S PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT OF SHELDON COURT FOR 2014.

 

Considerable disquiet was voiced by members who had attended the meeting called by Shropshire Council to inform residents of future policy. Questions were raised over the competence of those leading the debate, the lack of a strategic vision for the facility, the failure to appreciate the population needs in Albrighton, the lack of consultation and the failure to maximise the potential of the home by having vacant accommodation. Cllr Holden felt that someone should visit residents to apologise for their distress and the Area Director should be directly involved in any apology. Cllr. Lusk supported all of these reservations and drew attention to the parking problems in Ashgrove which would be exacerbated by the demolition of the garages. 

 

Action: the Clerk to write to the Area Director expressing the Council’s concerns.

 

9.      RECONSIDERATION OF THE GRANT TO THE ALBRIGHTON TRADERS FOLLOWING THE REJECTION OF THEIR APPLICATION TO THE RURAL CHALLENGE FUND:

 

Cllr. Blincoe left the meeting for this item.

 

The Chairman informed members of the sums already agreed in support of the Albrighton Traders’ application and the revised sums that would be needed in a second round application. He said that the value of volunteers’ time could be counted in match funding calculations but the grant request from the Parish Council was now £4,000 instead of the £1,500 already agreed. Cllr. Nelson proposed that the funding should be increased as requested, which was seconded by Cllr. Holden, but he was concerned that the LJC grant could not be paid, if agreed, before November. An amendment was proposed and seconded that the Council should increase its contribution to £4,000 and underwrite the suggested LJC grant in order to preserve the integrity of the application. The amendment was agreed by Council, together with the main proposal.  

 

Cllr. Blincoe returned for the rest of the meeting.

 

10.  RESPONSE BY E.0N WITH REGARD TO THE POWER CUT EMERGENCY PACK:

 

The Chairman informed members that the emergency pack was not available for purchase as an item but the contents were available from a number of suppliers. Cllr. MacLachlan said that it would be useful to have the pack demonstrated at the Melville Club and perhaps Mrs Brown might agree to do this.

 

11.  CORRESPONDENCE:

 

For information only:

 

·         Mr M Pritchard MP – letter regarding plans for DCAE Cosford.

 

The Chairman read out the letter from Mr Pritchard in full.

 

·         Art Alive in Shropshire and Herefordshire.

 

Received and noted.

 

·         Royal Horticultural Society – Britain in Bloom

 

Received and noted.

 

·         Barcham Tree Specialists – The Big Tree Plant.

 

Received and noted.

 

·         Shropshire Council – Notice of carriageway resurfacing in Mayfield Road, Albrighton.

 

Received and noted.

 

·         Countryside Voice magazine – summer 2011.

 

Received and noted.

 

·         Shropshire Council – copy of the Adopted Shropshire Core Strategy 2006-2026

 

Received and noted.

 

·         Ministry of Defence – letter regarding plans for DCAE Cosford.

 

The Chairman read out the letter from the Ministry in full.

 

 

12.  TIMES AND DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS:

 

·         Approbation meeting Saturday 10th September 2011 at 11.00 am in Ashfields.

·         Parish Council meeting Thursday 15th September 2011 at 7.15 pm in the Red House.

·         Parish Council planning meeting Thursday 6th October 2011 at 7.15 pm in the Red House.

 

There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.10 pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Signed...........................................................................Date.......................................................Chairman