Minutes of the FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE
Meeting held on Wednesday March 10th 2021, at 7.00 p.m. online.
PRESENT: Cllr M Attridge (Committee Chair), B Barker, A Bush, R Carswell, M Colvey, A Huggins, K Korenevsky, K Morgan, P Webb and Mr T Watton (Parish Clerk).
Three members of the public were in attendance.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: There was none.
Apologies:A Cottman.
Declarations of Pecuniary Interest – and consideration of requests for Special Dispensations under Section 33 of the Localism Act 2011.There were none.
To receive and approve minutes of the Finance & Policy Committee meeting held on 10th February 2021.
The minutes were ACCEPTEDas a true record, subject to minor corrections at minute 4 ii (typo) and 4 v. They will be forwarded to the meeting chair to sign and return.
To receive and consider reports of past subject matters.
The following matters were included in the Clerk’s report of past subject matters. [nb: comments made or decisions taken at the meeting are shown in italics]
i. F&GP Cttee 14 October 2020, Minute 7. Allotments hedge trimming (inside). A local contractor was approached to quote for this task and has responded with the following:
(a) Cut sides of hedge line, approx. 200m, from the inside of the allotments, back to wire fence
(b) All arisings to be chipped back into hedge
Total price of £2,950.00 + Vat
A quote from another contractor was requested but it was reported that that the contractor judged the ground conditions adjacent to the hedge to be too wet / boggy to undertake this work effectively. In discussion between the Parish Clerk and Chairman it was decided to postpone this work until immediately after the summer end of the bird nesting season. The above was noted by members and the Clerk was asked to schedule this onto the September F&GP agenda. DEFERRED. Action: Parish Clerk to schedule this item onto the September draft agenda accordingly.
ii. F&GP Cttee 14 October 2020, Minute 8. Parish Clerk to speak to the Gardening Contactor about undertaking 2 days pavement clearing with weed brush machine. At the January meeting it was agreed to put this initiative on hold. DEFERRED.
iii. F&GP Cttee 14 October 2020, Minute 9. Possible art project by Lytchett Minster School students to eliminate graffiti on Skate Park. This project is shelved until Covid restrictions are lifted. DEFERRED until after Easter
iv. F&GP Cttee 14 October 2020, Minute 11. Development of draft agreement for Defibrillator “hosts”. This matter was completed and both a hosting agreement was approved, and the monitoring arrangements were noted at the February Full Council meeting. DISCHARGED
v. F&GP Cttee 10th Feb 2021, Minute 7 – proposal to re-lay and repair Astro near joint end-to-end and undertake pitch assessment.
An assessment visit was undertaken by Replay Maintenance. The Chairman summarised what the assessor had found during the visit. The assessor had commented that if the seam is completely re-laid he estimates the surface to be useable for about a further 5 years. It was noted that the technical report and the quote for the remedial work has not yet been received. The Parish Clerk will forward this to the Chairman when it is received.
vi. F&GP Cttee Planning application responses sent to the DC Planning Team:
Planning application 6/2019/0530 Lewis Wyatt (Construction) Limited. Land off Flowers Drove, Lytchett Matravers. Change of use of land to Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) & associated car park. DC planning portal shows that this application has still not yet been determined. Mr Collins (Planning Officer) advised that the Section 106 legal agreement is being drawn up. When this agreement has been signed the application can be issued.
Planning application 6/2020/0213 Selbys Yard, Huntick Road, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, BH16 6BB. Change of use of site to light industrial (use class B1), general industrial (use class B2) and storage and distribution (use class B8). Erect 15 industrial and storage units and a ‘welfare unit’ to serve the site. DC planning portal shows that this application has still not yet been determined.
Planning application 6/2020/0292. Land at New Park Farm, Dolmans Hill, Lytchett Matravers, BH16 6HP. Erect temporary agricultural workers dwelling. DC planning portal shows that this application has now been approved.
Planning application 6/2020/0422 Harbour View, Middle Road, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, BH16 6HJ. Erect 2 storey front extension with first floor terrace. Construct rear dormers & new chimneys. DC planning portal shows that this application has still not yet been determined.
Planning application 6/2020/0459 Land off Eddy Green Road, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, BH16 6HL. 6/2020/0459 Demolish existing outbuildings & erect a new dwelling with associated parking and access.DC planning portal shows that this application has still not yet been determined.
Planning application 6/2020/0576 13 Gibbs Green, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, BH16 6ND. Extend roof and form rooms in roof-space. DC planning portal shows that this application has not yet been determined.
Planning application 6/2020/0592 10 Spy Close, Lytchett Matravers, BH16 6DQ. Demolish conservatory and erect new rear extension. DC planning portal shows that this application has not yet been determined.
Planning application 6/2020/0514 10 Hopmans Close, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, BH16 6AY. Proposed first floor front extension over existing integral garage & convert garage to form habitable accommodation. DC planning portal shows that this application has not yet been determined.
Planning application 6/2020/0578 12 Foxhills Crescent, Lytchett Matravers, BH16 6BE. Demolish rear conservatory, erect two storey rear extension and convert loft to habitable accommodation. DC planning portal shows no status at all against this application. DC Planning Admin have been informed and asked to correct this failing.
To receive and note the latest 2020-21 bank reconciliation (for purposes of report only).
A copy of the bank reconciliation is attached at Appendix 1 to these minutes. Members had also been sent copies of the relevant bank statements. It was RESOLVED to accept and approve this reconciliation.
To receive and consider a report covering latest 2020-21 council income and EXPENDITURE (FOR PURPOSES OF REPORT ONLY).
The report was circulated to all members by the Parish Clerk. It was RESOLVED to accept and approve this. The income and expenditure report is included in Appendix 1 to these minutes.
To receive an update on Superfast Broadband and proposal to commit to submit application for the project for upgrade of the Openreach infrastructure of the North side of the village (for purposes of information only).
Cllr Huggins referred to the contents of a report which had been made available to all members ahead of this meeting. A copy of Cllr Huggins’ report is included at appendix 2 to these minutes.
To review a proposal to demolish the disused bus shelter opposite the war memorial, Lime Kiln Road.
The Parish Clerk reminded members that this matter had been raised by the same local resident previously. Members discussed the matter and unanimously decided that it would not be effective use of public money to demolish and remove the shelter and that such money could be better spent in other ways for the benefit of the whole community. It was also noted that if the shelter were to be removed, a concrete plinth would be left which would represent a tripping hazard. As an alternative it was suggested that both Dorset Council and the local bus company be approached to see if they would be willing to replace the shelter with an up-to-date one.
Annual review of burial records – nomination of reviewers.
Cllr Attridge referred to the report which had been made available to all members ahead of this meeting. It was noted that, following a clarification by the Parish Clerk, all records were found to be accurate. A copy of Cllr Attridge’s report is associated at Appendix 3 to these minutes.
REPORT back on the Annual review of insurance cover.
Members were reminded that Cllrs Huggins and Carswell indicated that they would be willing to undertake this review and report back on it. The Parish Clerk clarified that the insurance renewal date is 1st June 2021 and so it was noted that the report back on this item will be in the new financial year.
To receive and consider the Parish Council response to the Dorset Local Plan
Cllr Bush referred to the paper which had been made available to the members ahead of this meeting. A copy is associated at Appendix 4 to these minutes. He explained that the paper is made up of a series of notes which will form the basis of the Council’s submission unless members feel any areas need to be further strengthened or clarified.
Cllr Morgan added that in addition to the consultation response itself, a single covering document would also be provided, setting out the Council’s views on:
· The poor timing of the consultation
· The inaccurate / unreasonable assumptions used in preparing the draft plan – e.g. target numbers for housing / compromising of the Green Belt
· That the priority should be sustainability
It was suggested that a point should also be made emphasising that P&TCs were advised that the Purbeck Local Plan (PLP) would form the Purbeck element of the Dorset Local Plan; so some criticism of how the PLP has actually been treated is also required.
Cllr Attridge stressed the poor timing, pointing to the effects of Covid etc on trends towards reductions in required office space and the numbers of unoccupied retail units – none of which had been factored into the plan assumptions. This point about a significant shift in demographics was also supported by Cllr Morgan.
Cllr Colvey reported that he had discovered that, unlike Dorset, six other Local Authorities had chosen not to adhere to the Government methodology for preparation local plans but instead had challenged the targets and assumptions, etc because they felt that their areas had exceptional circumstances. He felt it was very disappointing to see that Dorset had not done the same.
Members were encouraged to also prepare their own individual submissions as residents.
To receive and consider a report on the status of Lytchett Matravers Sports Club
Cllr Bush referred to a report which had been made available to all members ahead of the meeting. A copy is associated at Appendix 5 to these minutes.
He explained that the Sports Club is the umbrella organisation, looking after the pavilion the field and the Astro facilities for the various user groups. He also explained that when the Climate Change Working Group began pursuing a grant to improve the pavilion it became clear that the application had to be owned by the Parish Council so that the benefits could be seen to be coming directly back to the community as a whole. Consequently, in line with this it is logical that the Parish Council continues to own the pavilion and recreation ground and re-establishes lease arrangements with the Sports Club for the pavilion and the sports pitches area of the recreation ground.
To consider a recommendation to lease the Sports Pavilion and Recreation Ground Pitch Area to Lytchett Matravers Sports Club.
The parish council noted the recommendation for a 25 year lease at a nominal sum, to be reviewed annually. A break clause was also suggested, perhaps on a notice period of up to one year.
Cllr Morgan remarked that the Village Environment Working Group will be discussing enhancement schemes for parts of the recreation ground – such as additional recreational facilities and equipment. It was confirmed that the lease arrangement would ensure that the Parish Council retained the rights to do this.
It was resolved to RECOMMEND to Full Council the lease for the sports pavilion and recreation ground pitch area; and that this recommendation will include the full terms and conditions when it considered by Full Council.
14. To consider planning application 6/2020/0642 113 Wareham Road, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, BH16 6DZ. Construction of dwelling with associated access, parking and landscaping.
The Parish Council wished to register an OBJECTION to this proposal on the following grounds:
1. Harm to the setting of a Listed Building (PLP Policy LHH)
Prospect Cottage is a charming, detached thatched house, listed Gd II, one of only a handful of listed properties within this substantial, largely late 20thC village. It is reasonable to suggest that this is probably the most attractive building, save only for St Marys Church, in the whole of the parish.
The 1888 + 1901 OS maps show the curtilage extended back along Eldons Drove, taking in what is now a driveway and garage serving ‘Blue Hills’ together with the site of a 1960s bungalow, Purbeck Villa, fronting Eldons Drove. Those 2x severances were of the orchard at the north west end of the Prospect Cottage, leaving the garden curtilage intact. That garden curtilage provides the setting for the Listed Building and as such, is an integral part of the property’s heritage significance.
Prospect Cottage is clearly prominent and valuable in the context of Wareham Road. But moreover, the property sits within an angled corner plot, allowing the whole of Prospect Cottage’s rear west elevation to be shown off to advantage across its garden setting, from Eldons Drove.
The proposed severance of this garden setting with the interposition of a mundane chalet bungalow will irretrievably harm the setting of the Listed Building.
Any ‘harm’ to a protected heritage asset can only be justified with significant mitigation or wider benefit. The only justification offered with this proposal is an addition to the village housing stock. This cannot be supported. The village has doubled its housing stock to c1600 dwellings in the last 40 years. Approximately 50 new dwellings are currently under construction, numerous other village infill and ‘backland’ sites are being promoted, 150 new sites are designated in the final version of the Purbeck Local Plan and a further 200 new sites are promoted by the LPA in the Dorset Consultative Draft LP. There is no reason whatsoever to harm and detract from one of only 7 Listed Buildings within the village boundary.
2. Harm to the street scene (PLP Policy LHH)
Purbeck District Council adopted as SPD a Lytchett Matravers Character Appraisal in 2012. Within what was defined as a generally ‘unremarkable’ village, the Appraisal identified Eldons Drove as one of several ‘Village Lanes’, notable and valued for their ‘very rural character, retaining verges, embankments, ditches and hedges’. The lush hedgerow fronting the Prospect Cottage garden onto Eldons Drove is particularly identified as a ‘Visually Significant Hedge’. That character was very recently seriously damaged by the development of 2 x cramped houses 55m from the application site, each of which was to have been fronted by grass verges, narrow driveway entrances and plated front gardens. In practice they were constructed with no grass verges, widened double car width driveways and minimal planting relief. The applicant for the current proposal is the same developer and there is every reason to anticipate that this frontage will similarly be opened and hard paved to the considerable detriment of Eldons Drove’s special character.
3. SW Flood Risk (PLP Policy FR)
The Pl Application proposes to dispose of SW run off by soakaway. Local experience has shown that soakaways will be ineffective in this location. SW run off to Eldons Drove will follow. Parking congestion at this end of Eldons Drove causes damage and blockage of the shallow highway ditch running alongside Prospect Cottage. This in turn has a history of overtopping and run off causing flooding to Elderton Lodge on the opposite side of Eldons Drove.
15. To consider planning application 6/2020/0610 42 Charborough Close, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, BH16 6DH. Erect two storey side extension.
NO OBJECTION
16. To consider planning application 6/2020/0374 (Revised Proposal). The Cottage, Foxhills Road, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, BH16 6BD. Sever plot and erect 2 detached houses with access & parking.
The Parish Council wishes to register an OBJECTION to this proposal on the following grounds:
This site was not developed when Landers Reach was first constructed. Landers Reach was developed as a residential road, essentially a cul-de-sac, with similarly designed houses on either side. However, this site was not included in the development at that time.
Now the site in question needs to be integrated with Landers Reach, not made separate.
· Principally, the orientation needs to be reversed. The new development should front on to Landers Reach, not Foxhills Road. Landers Reach is the community road; Foxhills Road is a lane unsuitable for additional exit points.
· Landers Reach was orientated as is to ensure that Foxhills Road forms a significant green edge to the settlement abutting the Green Belt and the removal of the green frontage would be detrimental to this important landscape principle.
· The design of the development should be complimentary to Landers Reach and establish a continuity with the neighbouring houses.
· Residents of the new development would want to establish community links with their neighbours within Landers Reach itself – i.e. to integrate, not be separated.
Regarding the oak tree which has a TPO and should be retained, this revised application creates an unacceptable juxtaposition of house and tree which will lead to loss of light and potential harm to the building fabric. There will inevitably be pressure from future occupiers to remove the TPO protected tree.
The massive Leylandii is an aberration in the overall Landers Reach design and street view and should be removed.
17. To consider planning application 6/2020/0555. Castle Farm House, Castle Farm Road, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, BH16 6BZ. Provision for renewable energy & alterations & repairs.
NO OBJECTION
18. To consider planning application 6/2020/0556. Castle Farm House, Castle Farm Road, Lytchett Matravers, BH16 6BZ. Provision for renewable energy, doors, windows & new conservatory roof.
NO OBJECTION
19. To consider planning application 6/2020/ 0614 10 Old Chapel Drive, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, BH16 6HA. Build retaining wall along part of boundary to provide parking to side of house.
NO OBJECTION
20. To consider items for the next Parish Magazine
Discussion took place concerning the next Parish Magazine article. It was agreed that Cllrs Bush and Barker would prepare a piece setting out what the Parish Council included in its consultation response on the DLP.
21. To note correspondence received.
Cllr Morgan commented on the brochure from the Lytchett Matravers Angels which has evidently been widely distributed around the village. This seems to indicate some element of commercial sponsorship – particularly with regards to offering prizes / a lottery draw. Members wondered about the fit between this and the organisation’s purpose; and also about how the recent £1000 grant award from the Parish Council had been used. The Parish Clerk was tasked with approaching the Lytchett Matravers Angels to confirm how the recent grant award had been spent. Action: Parish Clerk to contact Lytchett Matravers Angels accordingly.
Cllr Bush referred to contact with an allotment holder who had drawn attention to a number of fly tipping incidents at the allotments. Particular attention was drawn to former plot 32 which has become an informal rubbish dump. He indicated that a plan should be developed to clear it. Action: Parish Clerk to add this to the allotments report accordingly.
Cllr Attridge referred to correspondence from a local resident regarding a letter she had written which had been published in the Bournemouth & Poole Echo about the Dorset Local Plan.
The meeting closed at 20:45
Annotated by/on ………………………….Approved by/on ………………………
Appendix 2
Superfast Broadband Working Group – Summary Report Mar 2021
Working Group Objective:
To improve Broadband connections for the properties in the village who have slower Broadband connections, but coordinating a Rural Gigabit Voucher Scheme.
Working Group Participants:
Andrew Huggins
Details:
1. Having been approached by some Lytchett residents who reported their broadband speed is pitifully slow, I worked with Dorset Superfast to identify properties with the slower connections.
2. Properties with currently <30MB must sign up to >30MB for 12 months. Properties with >30MB musy sign up to a service which doubles their currently maximum, for 12 months.
3. The Rural Gigabit scheme, which has Dorset Council topup, provides £2500 per residential property (of which £1000 is from DC) and £6500 for each property where a business operates (incl £3000 from DC). Cutoff for applications 30 March 2021.
4. Mailshot to all properties in the High Street, most Roads to the North of it, and Huntick estate and Palmers Orchard and Vineyard Close.
5. Openreach have quoted £274500 to provide FTTP to up to 457 identified properties.
Dependencies:
· We need enough residents to sign up to cover the scheme cost.
· Parish Council, as a “Legal Entity” has to apply for the scheme and be prepared to underwrite any shortfall if households do not ultimately take out the required service (contract for 12 months).
· If we get interest which equates to vouchers to the value of an extra >30% of the project cost (ie 130% of £274500 = £356850) then the Parish council is NOT required to underwrite the project.
Status/Next Steps:
· I learned on Thursday 4th March that the scheme has been so popular that the Government (DCMS) have closed it to new applicants 3 weeks early. So the End of March target is gone.
· I have spoken to Openreach and Dorset Superfast who say that the Govt is about to release a new scheme which is expected to be broadly similar to the last, but the voucher values are not yet known.
· I am still collecting more addresses/expression of interest. I currently have 125 addresses of which 11 are businesses. With the current vouchers this would have given us £412000 of vouchers. But now we must wait for details of the new scheme.
· In the meantime, as we have a few “rural” properties on Huntick Road which would like a scheme, I will make enquiries with Openreach about “bolting them on” to the main project. Openreach have advised that whilst we have a bit of time, it is worth submitting scheme options to Openreach for costing to see how best to serve our population.
· I will request that Mark Gracey puts an update on the LMPC website explaining that the scheme closing date was brought forward and as of that date we wouldn’t have had enough properties’ interest, but we now have. However we are still gathering addresses pending a new scheme and we’ll apply as soon as that opens.
Financial Forecast:
(£000’s, excluding VAT) |
2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 |
Expense to date | |||
Forecast | 0 | 0 | |
Total | 0 | 0 |
Appendix 3
Report of the annual review of burial records
At February F&GP I was asked to undertake the annual review of burial records. I have now received the records for 2020 and attended Row Park Cemetery on Saturday 6 March 2021.
There were eight burials listed for 2020. I can confirm all eight records were accurate with what I found in person.
I consider the annual review complete and recommend F&GP consider the record accurate and the action closed.
Councillor Attridge, March 2021
Appendix 4
Dorset Local Plan – Parish Council Response February 2021
The following is a summary of the PC responses to the consultation and is a collation of both councillor views and those expressed by the residents at PC meetings.
General:
· The plan must be sustainable. New houses should go with new jobs with a minimum travel time.
· Dorset Council declared a climate emergency. Where is the commitment to getting the Swanage rail link fully open to maximise travel infrastructure? Why have we put money into this project for so many years and still no regular service.
· Dorset has no motorways and has regularly jammed roads. The rail service (main Weymouth/London line and Swanage line) should be the backbone of a sustainable plan, for local people, for travelling to work and for tourists. Housing development should be aligned along that infrastructure.
· There is no analysis of any new employment mapping (apart from a reference to Longham) and the consequent impact on travel pollution and GHG emission.
· There is no reference to reported falling demand due to the impact of Brexit. According to the ONS, it is dangerous to base predictions on the past and the falling population growth points to a levelling-off of demand for housing and not a continual increase.
· The plan does not challenge the Government methodology on which housing numbers have been arrived at. No account appears to have been taken of the change in shopping habits and the clearing out of much retail space and offices in town centres which should be re-purposed for housing before building on land that comprises open countryside, green belt and adjacent to large areas of environmentally protected land.
· The increase in employment envisaged in the plan does not justify the number of houses proposed. It is folly to think that by building more houses they will become more affordable for local people. All that will happen is a migration of people from outside the county who will pay strong asking prices.
Green Belt
NPPF states that, once established, Green Belt boundaries should only be altered where very exceptional circumstances are fully evidenced and justified (~143). Inappropriate development is not by definition harmful. Any proposal must show that this inappropriateness is clearly outweighed by other considerations (~144).
Lytchett Matravers lies within the South East Dorset Green Belt, which ‘in Purbeck serves to prevent coalescence of settlements through a westward sprawl of the Poole / Bournemouth conurbation’. This Green Belt designation was only established in 1980 and fully surrounds Lytchett Matravers as well as other villages to prevent that westward sprawl.
Since 1980, the village of Lytchett Matravers has doubled in size from around 800 homes to over 1,600 homes. Clearly, the Green Belt designation established in 1980 has systematically been ignored and eroded.
This, despite the fact that there are few current employment opportunities within Lytchett Matravers and the Dorset Local Plan has no plans to increase this.
There are no new identified employment opportunities close to Lytchett Matravers, so every new resident will be travelling to work.
This plan for Lytchett Matravers is not sustainable and does not align with the Climate Emergency declaration.
The report prepared by Land Use Consultants (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council and Dorset Council Strategic Green Belt Assessment – Stage 1 Study Final report – December 2020) repeatedly mis-classifies Lytchett Matravers as a town. In section 2.16, it classifies Lytchett Matravers as one of the ‘larger towns within Dorset’. Clearly this report is a paper exercise and these consultants did not actually visit the scene of their study.
Lytchett Matravers is a rural Dorset village and this bias has allowed the report to justify its erosion of the Green Belt by incorrectly assigning ratings that are not aligned with a rural Dorset village.
The report lists all the parcels of land surrounding Lytchett Matravers and assigns them ratings against the 5 Purposes.
· For all 27 parcels of land Purpose 1 (to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas) the rating is Weak/No.
· For all 27 parcels of land Purpose 2 (to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another) the rating is Weak/No.
This is illogical; expansion in all directions cannot all be rated as Weak/No.
The report states that ‘the 1980 Structure Plan set out that Green Belt was established for the following two purposes:
1. to protect the separate physical identity of individual settlements in the area by maintaining wedges and corridors of open land between them; and
2. to maintain an area of open land around the conurbation’.
Therefore, development of land to the east or south-east of Lytchett Matravers is in contravention of the purposes of the 1980 Green Belt legislation. Lytchett Matravers has a gap of around 2 miles to the developed edge of Corfe Mullen and around the same gap of 2 miles to the developed edge of Upton. That means that the land parcels LY7 to LY18 inclusive, which have an east or south-east facing boundary, have been incorrectly rated. Those parcels all have an east or south-east facing boundary and will erode the land between Lytchett Matravers and the conurbation.
This ‘Google Maps’ based report perpetuates the slice by slice approach of all the previous studies as its justification for the erosion and removal of Green Belt. This slice by slice approach is without any doubt narrowing the gap to the conurbation.
Section 19 – Lytchett Matravers and Lytchett Minster
Summary of LMPC’s previous response to Purbeck Local Plan:
Emphasised the need to maintain the Green Belt gap between the village and the conurbation of Poole, so no development to the east, south east and south.
Emphasised the criteria to be applied to all new planned development:
· Must be sustainable and environmentally friendly. i.e., close to the village centre and within walking distance of local amenities
· Minimum of 40% affordable housing; residents with established village connection to get priority
· Maximum density of 25 dwellings per hectare to match the existing density of LM
· Minimum of 2 off road parking spaces
· Include safe pedestrian 20 mph home zones within new developments
· Include integrated green spaces/tree planting within each development
· Include easy access links to the surrounding countryside and village walks
· Promotion of new houses suitable for downsizing to allow older residents to remain in the village, thereby freeing up larger family properties
· Contribution to improved village infrastructure/amenities, sporting and recreation facilities and walking/cycling routes to both Poole and Wareham.
· To promote and contribute to new employment opportunities within the parish.
Paragraph | Comments |
19.1.2 | The level of self-containment is medium. In addition to the amenity list given, the village also has a highly active sports club/pavilion/3G pitch, Scout Hut, Youth Club, farmers market and a central large recreation ground. |
19.2.1 | The Lytchett Matravers Neighbourhood Plan was not permitted to promote any new development |
19.3.1 | There should not be any development to the south; this would be in contravention of Purpose 2 of the Strategic Green Belt Assessment published December 2020. |
19.4.2 | LM has a small parade of shops for principally local use. This parade is not a town centre and does not have the space for any significant enhancement. The addition of 400+ more houses will not justify new shops in the village and only lead to more shopping journeys to local towns or increased numbers of delivery vans. |
19.5.2 | The approval for the Huntick Road site did not provide a SANG. |
19.5.3 | There is no provision in the approved application for a new public right of way on this site |
LYMT2 | This site is in the emerging PLP and requires a nearby SANG. The proposed SANG is in Flowers Drove, which is more than 2k away and is therefore of no value or merit. |
LYMT3 | This site is in the emerging PLP and requires a nearby SANG. The proposed SANG is in Flowers Drove, but is only marginally sufficient in size. |
LYMT4 | This site is in the emerging PLP and requires a nearby SANG. The proposed SANG is in Flowers Drove, but is only marginally sufficient in size.
Access to this site should be via Flowers Drove into to integrate into the townscape of that road. It would be in contravention of the LMNP to have back garden fences opposite established housing. |
LYMT5 | This site is outside the 30 mph limit and is situated on a dangerous bend.
The site is bounded by the existing Jubilee Walk and access will be required. In addition, directly opposite is the access to the SANG proposed for LYMT2/3/4 and a safe pedestrian crossing is required to connect to that SANG. Pedestrian access is required to Wareham Road alongside Freeland Park for access to village centre. |
19.5.16 | This valley is subject to frequent flooding. In addition, there is a chronic history of the pumping station downstream being overloaded and allowing sewage to flow into the adjacent fields.
The landowner has already removed the described band of trees that did not have a TPO. |
LYMT6 | This would be in contravention of Purpose 2 of the Strategic Green Belt Assessment published December 2020.
No consideration has been given to the inadequate capacity of the foul and surface drainage of the site, which regularly overflows today. This site would need pedestrian links to Deans Drove, Wareham Road, Glebe Road and Foxhills Road. This site would require integrated green spaces, playgrounds and recreational facilities. |
19.5.18 | The LM plan for the site adjacent to the school will contain an additional full size pitch, a half size pitch, a 3G 5-a-side pitch, 2 tennis courts with a sports pavilion with changing rooms, refreshment and leisure facilities. This complex will be linked to the school facilities to provide an additional sporting and leisure centre for the village. It will also provide car parking for both school/parent use during school times and parking for sports/leisure facility users during evenings/weekends. |
LYMT7 | This site to include car parking for 30+ cars.
Pedestrian access to Eldons Drove to link with the LM Safe Route to School. Contribution to the planned to the sports/leisure facilities described above. |
Employment
New houses need to go with new jobs. There is a passing reference to Longham which is 11 miles from Lytchett Matravers through the conurbation. There is no analysis of that mapping and the consequent impact on travel pollution and GHG emission. It is not sustainable to plan for such journeys against the background of a climate emergency.
SANG
· The current proposed SANG in Flowers Drove is marginally sufficient to support the 150 new houses in the Purbeck Local Plan according to the calculations provided by Natural England at the PLP examination. While the proposed SANG is relatively close to Blaneys Corner and Flowers Drove it is 2k away from Wareham Road/Glebe Road and therefore has no merit.
· There is no SANG proposed for the additional 200 houses in the DLP. This is mandatory.
Current Water Run-Off Issues
· The current pumping stations in Glebe Road and Halls Road (Bulbury pumping station) have a chronic history of overflowing and allowing sewage to run out onto the fields below the village.
· With respect to the Bulbury pumping station, in 2019 there were 30 separate overflows, 17 of which were for longer than 1 day. From those 17, 5 were for more than 5 days. In total, the pumping stations were allowing sewage on to fields for 47 days.
· No new houses can be built while this chronic lack of infrastructure exists.
Affordable Housing
· Over the past few years there have been several discussions with larger sites on the proportion of affordable housing. Both Huntick Road and Wessex Water tried to have none, but eventually agreed to 40%.
· This figure of 40% relates to the number of houses irrespective of size. So Huntick Road has 28 family houses and 18 small flats (2 beds).
· Having struggled to get the 40% accepted as a precedent, we should not allow that percentage to be reduced as the DKLP suggests. We need to keep the 40% now we have got there.
Village Traffic Issues
The main roads through Lytchett, Wareham, Wimborne/Lime Kiln Road, Huntick Road and High Street are all subject to a greater or lesser extent from on street parking irrespective of the time of day. This effectively creates long stretches of single lane road. An additional 400+ houses will exacerbate this markedly and create even more dangerous situations for vehicles, cyclists and walkers. It is naïve to think that the inhabitants will cycle, walk or use a bus to get to work or shop in Poole, Bournemouth or elsewhere when there is no dedicated cycleways out of the village, for many, especially the old and very young, the distances are too great to walk and a virtually non-existent bus service.
Appendix 5
Lytchett Matravers Sports Club Working Group – Summary Report March 2021
Working Group Objective:
Parish Council Management Committee for LMSC.
Working Group Participants:
Peter Webb, Alan Cottman, Kevin Watson, Alf Bush
Background:
LMSC was taken over by the PC in April 2018 due to both management and financial issues. The PC’s active management returned LMSC to a level of stability and in April 2020 it was decided to return day to day management to the LMSC Management Committee. At the time, the PC retained ownership of the Sports Pavilion building as well as remaining owners of the Recreation Ground. Despite C-19 and little income, LMSC has been able to pay utility bills and grass cutting this past year.
The Parish Council has applied for Climate Change grants to improve the profile of the Sports Pavilion. The application to Salix was not successful and we are now trying to get a 40% grant from Low Carbon Dorset. What is clear was that such CCE grants should show savings to public bodies and consequently it is considered more beneficial that the Sports Pavilion should remain as owned by the PC. This will also allow the PC to continue to look at long term village centre improvements including the Sports Pavilion, Scout Hut and car park area.
The PC need to formalise the arrangement with LMSC and set up a long lease for the defined playing area of the Recreation Ground and the Sports Pavilion. This is aligned to the protection provided by the FIT Trust for the whole area.
Recommendation:
· PC to grant a 25 year lease to LMSC starting April 1, 2021.
· The annual rent under the lease will be £100 and will be subject to annual review.
· The LMSC Management Committee will be comprise of not less than 50% Parish Councillors.
· The lease to contain clear terms and conditions with respect to the management of the facility and its functioning as a village sports club that will enable the PC to terminate the lease if any of those conditions are not met.
· LMSC to establish a new constitution to promote village participation, such constitution to be subject to PC approval and any future amendments to also be subject to PC approval.
FinanceGenPurposes Committee Minutes 210310 Appendix 1 (Bank Rec and Budget Reports Feb 2021).pdf