BROOMWOOD COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

 MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON  28TH  APRIL  2003

 

Paul Huxley opened the meeting at 6.40 p.m.

ITEM ONE – APOLOGIES 

Apologies were received from:  Veta Gordon,  Dave Nunns  and  Ruth Speight 

ITEM TWO – MINUTES OF LAST MEETING 

The minutes were agreed as a correct record by Kath Warrington, seconded by Mr. O’Hara. 

ITEM THREE – MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES

The next edition of the Broomwood Voice is due out in 2 weeks, please forward any articles to Paul Huxley. 

Electricity cards – the owners of the Hardware Shop are currently considering selling these, details will be included in the newsletter when there is any news.

ITEM FOUR – WELCOME TO: www.broomwoodvoice.com

Daniel Stirling did a presentation on the new website which has been set up, showing us what is already on the site.   

Paul said that the Health Survey Report results will go on the website, and he also hopes to include the Planning For Real results.  Comments had been made on the negative aspect of the photographs of problem areas on the website. We intend to include positive photos too, such as the Jubilee celebrations. We hope to include a page for Vincent to produce a VCAT Report, and hope that Friends of Brooks Drive will also include a Report. We hope to update the website regularly, there is a feedback page where you can contact us and we will get back to you.

 ITEM FIVE – KENTMERE ROAD DEVELOPMENT - APP. H/ARM/56178

Grant McKenzie spoke on this, pointing out that the plans included so many houses that it is proposed to divert and culvert Fairywell Brook, which is unacceptable.     Our local councillors are calling the plan, to put it before the planning committee.  There has been a total lack of consultation, as neither the Broomwood Partnership,  Broomwood Community Association or Friends of Brookes Drive had been involved in any consultation.  TMBC say they value Brookes Drive, yet applications keep coming up that alter the nature of it.  In 1984 the Unitary Development Plan - Public Inquiry conducted by HM Government Inspector (Mr Peake) ruled that salients, gaps of green land in Timperley and Broadheath. Should be retained. We do need to really consider the health of the community and not take away all the open, unstructured recreation areas etc. 

Ray Bowker then responded to this by first saying that they value Brookes Drive too.

However, in Unitary Development Plan (forward plan for the next 8/10 years) the land where Bottings Nursery was had been passed in a former UDP as being able to be developed for housing, so this cannot now be altered.  The new plans are for 123 properties, which is more than in the original plan, so we can object to the increased volume of properties on the land. We could try to get the UDP reversed, but this will not be easy. The reason none of the agencies mentioned before have been consulted is because planning was agreed 8/10 years ago. Tony Fishwick is on the planning committee, and all the Liberal Democrat councillors will fight for fewer houses on this development.  The original figure was 90 houses.   

The question was raised as to why we are building on green belt land, such as the Aimson Road development?      Ray Bowker responded that the Tories originally wanted to build a supermarket on this site, when a Liberal Democrat survey showed this was not wanted. Labour then wanted to build housing on all of the land, but the Liberal Democrats had the balance of power and managed to get a smaller housing development, with a park and green space.           The point was then made about the area at the shops which the Lib Dems had fought for to be developed as a green area at a cost of £50,000, has now been ripped up.

We would also like to know where the two benches went, as the BCA wanted these to go to the school, to stay in our community.  

Reg Temple’s fight for Booths Field not to be developed on was then brought up, and that he had been threatened with court action whilst fighting to save this green area.  In this new development 15 large houses will be built on Booths Field, and the remaining 108 houses will be crammed onto Bottings Field. 

Tony Fishwick pointed out that when outline planning permission was granted the ratio was 26 units per hectare, the government has increased this to 40 units per hectare.  He assured us that the Brook is being diverted, not culverted.  He will fight this application vigorously on the grounds of increased density of properties, and traffic problems.   

Mary Eastwood said that the plan is for big Dallas type houses on Booths Field, and asked that if the land has to go for housing then can it be family housing for local people instead of big houses for rich people moving into the area. Grant pointed out that in the plans 10% of the properties are for social housing. People will buy these properties because of the beauty of the area, with the brook, however if you remove green spaces then it devalues property in the area anyway.  

Graham Stringer commented that he had been told that if the development goes ahead then the gate on Brookes Drive may need to be opened for access. 

Ray Bowker said the best way to proceed to fight this is with individual letters, as they carry more weight than a petition.  If we do a petition as well, we need to take care with the wording at the top, stating problems with density, loss of amenities, increased traffic.  We have about 5 weeks to proceed with this.  An article will be put in the Broomwood Voice.  

Concern was raised about flats overlooking houses on Kentmere Road. Tony said this will be considered by the planning committee, there are restrictions on this.  He also mentioned that in the proposed new boundary changes Christ Church and Cloverlea school will be taken out of Village Ward.  

ITEM SIX – CAR PARKING FOR SHOPS 

We had 14 shops on the estate originally, and now have 4, which we are in danger of losing if they lose business due to lack of parking facilities. A resident pointed out that disabled people who live in the flats have no where to park, which causes immense problems for them. Ray Bowker has previously asked IVHA to utilise the land at the back of the shops, putting a ramp on it to make a temporary car park, but they queried the cost of this, and nothing has been done to address this issue to date.  Cars are parking in the road at the back of the shops and are driving across the pavement on Mainwood Road to get onto the road – this is damaging the pavement and is also dangerous to pedestrians.  Consultation between IVHA and BCA has increased the amount of parking when the development is complete, but there is a problem in the meantime.

Alan Bailey from IVHA will follow this temporary parking problem up, and will also find out where the benches went. 

ITEM SEVEN – WORK ON BROOMWOOD 

This was not discussed as a separate issue. 

ITEM EIGHT – PORCHES ON REDBROOK ROAD 

Following concerns raised about the standard of work being carried out on the new porches, flyers were distributed to the households this involved.  The flyers only went out at the weekend and we have had 5 back already, listing various complaints.  BCA will forward these complaints and any further we receive to the appropriate people at TMBC.

ITEM NINE – BROOMWOOD PARTNERSHIP MINUTES

These minutes are not available at present.  It was agreed that the Management Committee would read them at the next Management Meeting, and will discuss  any relevant points at the next BCA meeting. 

ITEM TEN – ANY OTHER BUSINESS 

The Broomwood Voice is not being properly delivered, some roads are being missed out, and one lady had 21 copies dumped behind her gate.  It was agreed that we need a representative from each road to deliver them, and people were asked to volunteer. 

Mrs. Worgan offered to deliver to Fairview Road,

Mrs. Lloyd will deliver on Mainwood Road, and

Mrs. Bell will deliver on Eldercroft Road.

A request was made for  Speed humps on Greystoke Avenue. This has been discussed recently, and Greystoke does not meet the criteria for traffic calming measures.  The police are aware that there is a problem with speeding on this road.  

House fire on Redbrook Road – who is going to pay for the repairs to this house, and what will become of it.  The response was that an insurance claim will have to go through to cover the cost of repairs, it is likely that it will remain a large property instead of being split back into two smaller ones, as there is a need for large properties. 

The new play area – will it contain better equipment than the old park?    At the last Partnership meeting we were informed that the plans for this have been agreed, we will try to get the information for the next BCA meeting. 

Mrs. Davidson thanked Tina, Paul and helpers for the tremendous work they had done with the children of the estate in the holidays.  Concern was expressed that they were being denied the use of the Scout Hut, as funding for this had been raised by the local residents after the first one was burned down, and local residents also did the labour for free, so it belongs to the community.  There will be consultation about what happens to this area of land , and the BCA will endeavour to ensure that this consultation is as wide as possible. 

Graham Stringer was asked about his police check taking so long.  He informed us that the original one got lost, and this has led to the delay.  He was asked if there was a hidden agenda, that the council wanted him to job share and not be on here 5 days a week.  He is not aware of this, but pointed out that wardens on mopeds cannot work in their motorbike gear, and also cannot carry tools, so it makes more sense for 2 people to use a vehicle.  They can clear fly tipping whereas a lone warden would have to call it in. He agreed to take forward the issue of clearing the derelict area at the shops as we have requested in the past.  

Coniston Walk – the warden has noticed hypodermic needles pushed through the fencing at the back of the portakabins, and they have also been found on Brooks Drive. BCA will ask for the portakabins to be moved into a more central position on the car park to make the area more open.  The police were also asked to keep an eye on this area, and Graham Stringer to check the area when he is on the estate. 

Vincent Walsh handed out his report on Healthy Living Project, Youth Centre gym, Healthy Walks, Bike Right, Youth (and Community?) Centre, and the Sunshine Cafι on Sale West.  He also distributed a leaflet about the first Healthy walk, to take place on 16tth May 2003, to be followed by a free lunch. Contact him if you wish to go on this as he needs to know numbers.  The Gym is open Wednesday and Saturday from 10.00 – 12.00 a.m., it will possibly open more if we use it enough.  

Gareth was introduced to the meeting, he is going to be a Police Community Support Office for Timperley.  He has limited powers, but will act as the eyes and ears of the estate. He can also address issues such as dog fouling, and will relay back to the police problems that he cannot deal with himself, so if you see him about let him know of anything that concerns you. 

There is a free computer course being run in the school computer suite, speak to Paul if you are interested in this.  

The meeting was closed at 8.00 p.m. 

The next meeting will be at Broomwood Primary School on 19th May at 6.30 p.m.

 

These Minutes were reformatted for BCA in HTML on - 21st September 2003