I have just completed my latest report about my work as a Cornwall Councillor. It covers the time period: 21st October – 24th November 2019 and is as follows:
Listed below are some examples of the activities that I have been involved with over the last month.
1.0 Council meetings and related activities
I attended a number of formal meetings and briefings at Cornwall Council. A considerable amount of my time was again taken up with the Community Governance Review (of Parish boundaries and governance) through the Electoral Review Panel, of which I am vice-chairman. There were three all-day meetings, as well as four preparatory meetings. In addition, I attended a meeting of the Environment Growth and Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee, plus two all-day meetings of an associated review into private sector housing, the latest China Clay Area Network meeting and a workshop on Cornwall Council’s investment strategy. There have also been informal meetings with a range of officers at the unitary authority and I have attended three meetings of St Enoder Parish Council.
2.0 Neighbourhood Development Plan for St Enoder
As previously reported, the finalised Neighbourhood Plan for St Enoder Parish, was submitted to Cornwall Council earlier this year, and the unitary authority held a formal consultation on the document between 20th June and 1st August. I believe that we did our best to produce a document which reflects the views of local residents, but it has been a long and, at times quite a stressful, process. Some developers objected strongly to elements of the Plan, with one firm even raising the possibility of taking legal action against it.
A government examiner has since reviewed the document and considered the objections to it. The document has passed through the examination process though the examiner has made a number of changes to it. Sometime in early 2020, the revised Plan will be the subject of a local referendum.
The finalised document can be viewed on the Cornwall Council website at:
https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/planning/neighbourhood-planning/neighbourhood-planning-in-cornwall/tab-placeholder/s/st-enoder-neighbourhood-development-plan/
3. Road safety, traffic and related issues
3.1 Indian Queens School
In my last monthly report, I gave a detailed update on the work I am doing to get improvements in the vicinity of Indian Queens School.
In terms of the proposed new pathway to be constructed across the field to the west of the School to the Harvenna Heights estate, I can confirm that I met a representative of Ocean Housing to discuss where and how the pathway would join their estate. I am following this up at the moment.
3.2 Marks and Spencers at Kingsley Village
Over the last month, the Parish Clerk and I have received a large number of complaints relating to parking and related problems in the area around Kingsley Village, following the opening of the Marks and Spencer store.
We have been monitoring the situation and have been in contact with a range of people including the planning and highway teams at Cornwall Council, CORMAC, the Police and CPG (the owners of the complex). I am continuing to make a lot of representations to those who I feel should take responsibility for dealing with the problems. I am continuing to seek formal meetings with, and between, all engaged parties.
3.3 Sea View Terrace
I have been contacted by residents from Sea View Terrace to the south of Fraddon following an accident. There have been a number of previous incidents and I am following up the resident’s concerns about the speed of traffic past their homes. Traffic speeds were last reviewed in 2015 and I have formally requested that some fresh speed recordings are undertaken.
4.0 Coastline Housing development near Mitchell
Coastline Housing are presently building out their scheme of 26 affordable properties in the most western part of St Enoder Parish, immediately adjacent to the village of Mitchell (which lies in Newlyn East Parish) on the site of the Mitchell Fruit Farm. I have asked for an update from the registered provider. They have confirmed the following for local residents:
· Eighteen of the units will be for affordable rent and the mix will be as follows - four 1-bed flats, eight 2-bed houses, four 3-bed houses and two 4-bed houses. In addition, eight properties will be available for shared ownership. These will comprise four 2-bed houses and four 3-bed houses.
· People interested in renting or purchasing one of these new homes must have a local connection to either St Enoder Parish or St Newlyn East Parish.
· In order to be able to bid for one of the rental units, households need to be registered on the Homechoice system, which can be found on the Cornwall Housing website at: https://www.cornwallhousing.org.
· And in order to be considered for one of the shared ownership properties, households need to be registered with Help to Buy South West, which can be found at: https://www.helptobuysw.org.uk.
At this time, it is anticipated that the development will be completed in Spring 2020. For further updates, it would be sensible to monitor the Coastline Housing website at: http://www.coastlinehousing.co.uk.
5.0 Water main in Parka Road
As previously reported, throughout the summer, there were a number of breaks in the water main in Parka Road, Fraddon. This caused significant problems in the local area, both in terms of water supply and traffic congestion. A number of residents made representations to South West Water, along with the Parish Council, CORMAC and the local MP.
Along with many other people, I am really grateful to SWW for taking the complaints seriously and commencing work on the replacement of the main on 4th November. I am also grateful that the contractor has, as requested, put in sensible traffic management measures with traffic lights.
6.0 Planning matters
6.1 Two bungalows to rear of Harvenna Close, Fraddon
As noted previously, due to the considerable opposition to the proposals for new properties in the gardens of two properties on Harvenna Close (PA19/03258 and PA19/03266), but which would exit onto Grovewood Court, I have referred the decision to a meeting of the Central Sub-Area Planning Committee. The meeting is to take place on 25th November.
6.2 Indian Queens Industrial Estate
There has also been considerable opposition to a proposal to create a new access, from Moorland Road, into Unit 2 of Indian Queens Industrial Estate for an area of additional car parking (PA19/05975). I have challenged the basis for the proposal as the original planning permission included a condition that vehicular access to the various employment units should be through the central Lodge Way road within the estate. It had been my understanding that the application would also be considered at the Central Planning Committee on 25th November. However, the planners have noted various groundworks on site and other areas of new parking. For this reason, they are not taking the application forward to the committee meeting at this time, but are seeking further information from the applicants about what they are doing.
6.3 Higher Fraddon pig farm
At the last meeting of the Parish Council on 12th November, the owners of the derelict pig farm unit on the right-hand side of the road through Higher Fraddon gave a presentation about possible options to redevelop the site. Options included the provision of nine live-work units.
At the meeting, on behalf of the Council and local residents, I agreed to seek guidance from Cornwall Council about the policy basis for what might be acceptable on the site.
6.4 Café at Chapel Town, Summercourt
There is also a planning application for a café at Chapel Town Business Park, Summercourt, (PA19/06652), but it opened before any planning permission had been secured. I have received a number of complaints and the planning officers at the unitary authority are presently seeking further information from the applicant about the nature of their proposals.
7.0 Community Governance Review
As part of the Community Governance Review, St Newlyn East Parish Council has requested that the land around Mitchell Fruit Farm and the new Coastline Housing estate adjacent to Mitchell be incorporated into their parish. I was pleased to attend a meeting, last week, with the Parish Clerk and Cllrs Michael Bunyan and Ross Wimberley to discuss options with representatives from St Newlyn East. This will be discussed at Tuesday’s meeting.
8.0 Remembrance Sunday
It was a privilege to be a part of the annual remembrance service at St Enoder Church and to read out the names of the fallen from First and Second World Wars at the memorial.
9.0 Inquiries
During the last month, I have helped numerous people with guidance on a range of issues.
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