HTAG Guildford - AGM 2005 Reports

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AGM 2005 Reports

HTAG AGM
Friday, 25 November, 2005 at The Guildford Institute
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

Individual committee members have drafted separate reports; the items in this report are those which are unlikely to appear anywhere else.

Once again I thank very much all those who have contributed to its success during 2005; Bob, as Planning Secretary, and the planning team for tireless, careful and probing work; Dottie, for her preparations of the minutes and keeping the records of meetings; Jean, and her committee, for a lively, diverse and profitable social programme; Isabelle, for editing the newsletters and providing HTAG with a website which is consulted by HTAG members and many others; Steve (Palmer), for his stewardship of our funds and, of course, the Road Reps who deliver the newsletters, collect the subs and attend the Road Reps meetings which constitute the governing body of HTAG.

The planning group makes representations to GBC on HTAG's behalf once a fortnight. Its judgements are based on planning guidelines published by GBC and therefore we hope have general validity. But often applications are only of interest to a small group of HTAG members so when an HTAG representative addresses the full GBC Planning Committee I ask him or her to be careful not to attribute a view to the whole membership which may be held by only part of it. Your views are always welcome - if you tell us what you think the planning group is better able to reach a consensus.

There was a scare a few months ago that our expenses were running well ahead of our income. In a few months the difficulty should resolve itself (see Web Site report) so the subs can stay at £2 pa. Nevertheless it is essential that all subs are collected so we can fully reimburse those who incur expenses on HTAG's behalf. Members can help their Road Rep next April by taking the sub to him or her with a note to say who it's from.

The audio archive has begun. We have six tapes so far which, when Geoff Snelling has summarised and copied them, will be available for anyone to borrow. If you would like your reminiscences, which you think would be of value to others, to be recorded please contact Geoff.

We have had two PCSOs (Police Community Service Officers) in Holy Trinity Ward. Caroline Dowse left to join the Police and Laurel Garfield was transferred three weeks ago to Bellfields and Slyfield. We thank them both for their reassuring presence on our streets. The new PCSO is Phil Peacock. PC Mark Bridge is our Neighbourhood Specialist Officer. Both can be reached on 01483 653095.

The committee is fully occupied providing the existing HTAG programme. With so much going on fresh faces and new ideas are always welcome and one of the proposed changes to the Constitution is designed to encourage more people to offer their services to HTAG. But local enthusiasts can make a contribution without increasing the work of the committee. Two examples spring to mind:
(i) At our last Road Reps meeting Jen Anderton explained how a junk swap scheme might work. It is my recommendation that it would be too expensive and time consuming to organise a junk swap day for the whole HTAG area but a junk swap within a single road, or between two parallel roads, could be successful if it were organised locally eg by the Road Reps for those streets. Alternatively Isabelle will advertise articles free of charge in the newsletter or on the web.
(ii) The problem of speeding traffic along routes to school is still with us. The prime example in our area is Pewley Way. The Pegasus bus scheme is coming but much more slowly than planned. HTAG has tried to convince SCC that an official 20 mph limit is justified but so far without success. Residents in other areas, eg Wodeland Avenue, put stickers in their windows urging cars to respect a voluntary 20 mph limit. You are free to erect posterboards in your gardens with a suitable message provided you don't cause an obstruction. If you want some immediate action of this kind contact your Road Rep.

There is a good chance that part or all of a 22 acre field adjacent to Pewley Down could be secured from land presently part of South Warren Farm (see map). This is an historic chance to increase the recreational area on HTAG's doorstep. All three of our Councillors support the present negotiations with the farmer. Please write to Cllr Sarah Creedy or Cllr Gordon Bridger to express your strong approval of this plan.

I wish you all a very happy Christmas!

Stephen

--ooOoo--

Report by Planning Group Secretary.

General.

This has again been a busy year. The Planning Group continue to meet every other week. We have examined a total of 284 planning applications in the 14 month period since the last AGM. We objected to, or commented on, 96, and these about 38 were eventually refused, withdrawn, or improved in detail, and some are pending. It is difficult to judge the extent of our influence, as many applications we object to also attract objections from others, and might anyway be judged unacceptable by the Officers. An HTAG representative has spoken at a number of applications at the Planning Committee to emphasise objections. We have participated in three appeal hearings, and made considered representations on some 6 draft planning policy documents. A few meetings were held with developers (at their request).

Residents Associations (RAs) are becoming more active in Guildford. We increasingly "network" with neighbouring RAs, and others, to exchange information and ideas.

It is always difficult to provide considered views in the time allowed - a maximum of only 14 days. It is a great help to be able to consult Road Reps. by e-mail so if there any Reps who are newly on e-mail please let us know. The Council web site for planning applications is now quite good. Plans and other information can be viewed, and it is now updated daily. This also allows us to print off plans in A4 easily, so if road reps who do not have internet access want key plans for a particular application please ask us.

A log is kept of all applications that we look at, and this, together with correspondence for the period is available to see at Road Reps meetings and the AGM. We attempt to report all important matters in the quarterly newsletter. Copies of two documents are available, one explaining how the HTAG Planning Section works, the other setting out current key objectives.

As always we need member's views on both individual applications, and on planning policy documents. Please supply these through your road rep, a member of the Committee, or directly to the Planning Secretary.

The New Planning System.
The old system, based on the Borough "Plan", and other policy documents such as Supplementary Planning Guidance, is being completely replaced. This means that every policy will be reconsidered. It is important that organisations like ours work to have their needs and ideas considered. This is the only way in which we can shape the future of our area. Decisions on individual planning applications are largely decided by the planning guidance rules. We have already commented on several new planning documents, as follows.

The Core Strategy.
Our comments included:
Reduced emphasis on focussing new housing in and around the town centre, and a fairer distribution around the existing built on areas of the Borough.

Allow natural growth of the Guildford economy but resist growth disproportionately higher than the average. Release some employment land for housing.

Accept that Guildford is an attractive, but not major, tourist centre. Enhance existing tourist attractions but adopt caution in creating new ones.

Hold any proposals for further retail expansion until the new Friary extension has been in operation for long enough for its effect on the town to be evaluated.

More public open space.

Improved pedestrian and cycling facilities.

Improved public transport.

Adequate parking with new residential developments.

Protect existing designated green land.

Maintain and enhance public views.

More effective control of Conservation areas.

Presumption against cramming more dwellings into already high density areas.

The Town Centre Action Plan.
An important issue is whether the town centre should be allowed to expand further into our area. We intend to resist this. We have asked that commercial activities are not allowed to expand further outward into areas that are currently predominantly residential e.g. into the Chesildon/Brodie Road areas. We are still seeking clarification on what exactly is being proposed.

Parking Provision.
The Officers had been applying a policy of encouraging zero parking provision for some new residential developments. Following complaints from ourselves and others, pointing out that there was no support for this in government policies this approach has been dropped. A parking strategy will be produced next year when policies will be clarified. This will be important for us, and particularly those parts of our area that currently have major on-street parking problems.

Community Involvement.
We are concerned about some aspects of the proposals:
1. Some consultation methods proposed are costly and time consuming.
2. The current procedure of secret Council pre-application discussions (which we generally disagree with) have not been reviewed.
3. The proposal for applicants to carry out pre-application consultation themselves risks objections being suppressed and the democratic procedure undermined.
4. Proposals may marginalise the role of Councillors and of RAs like ours; Parish Councils are required consultees but RAs are not.

Town Centre Conservation Area Appraisal.
Following a pre-draft meeting with the consultants we submitted suggestions, and are pleased that many have been incorporated in the draft which is now under consultation. It is suggested that pedestrianisation hours are extended, and that a 20mph limit is applied. We shall make final comments soon - please give us ideas and comments.

The High Street and Shopping.
We continue our commitment to monitor High Street applications, in collaboration with Guildford Society. A great number of applications for signs and shop fronts are made that clearly do not meet the GBC rules. We have objected to a number of applications for change of use from retail to something else, and for the merging of small shop units into larger ones. We are hoping to have a meeting with the manager of Sainsburys to put forward our concerns about their service to local residents and hopefully to learn about their future plans. We have welcomed proposals to rejuvenate Friary Street.

"Super High" Density Developments.
Developments above 50 dwellings per hectare have become known in Guildford as "super high". These were being considered in areas that did not meet the government criteria for them. A Supplementary Planning Document was issued by GBC titled "Residential Design Guide". This gives a condition for sites for such developments to be within 800m of the Guildhall. Much of the HTAG area would fall within this distance. We shall continue to argue against super high density developments, except very close to the town centre, and will argue that the hills make "easy" walking distances less than 800m.

There has been much opposition throughout Guildford to super high density and many applications have been refused, including a number in our area. So far the only super-high development approved has been Semaphore Reservoir (70dph), which was disappointingly allowed on appeal, 2, Warren Road (175dph). We can perhaps take encouragement from the fact that the wholesale demolition of existing houses, that we feared, for replacement by crammed in flats, has not yet come about.

Extensions onto Terraces at Street Corners.
We were disappointed that the extension onto 2, Warren Road was approved. This is now built and it demonstrates the problems of trying to cram in extra dwellings in this way. We were pleased that the "copy-cat" development on 5, Portland Terrace, Harvey Road (128dph) was refused at Committee. We hope that this will see the end of applications of this sort.

The following covers some of the more important applications that we have considered:

4, Addison Road.
This is an important site in the Conservation Area - the only one identified by the Conservation Area appraisal. After two refusals, both upheld at appeal, a much better application was made with the number of dwellings reduced to 4 (from an original 7). Some obvious improvements could however still be made, and the application has just been refused at Committee in the hope that these can be obtained. It was expected that some planning gain would be obtained from this site to help relieve some of the problems of the area, but this has not so far materialised. We shall continue to press for this, as well as for the additional improvements.

Bright Hill.
We continue to argue for a reduced number of dwellings to allow some worthwhile open space to be provided and for the public views to be preserved. However the design guidance that has been produced made few concessions. We understand that detail design should soon start.

8, Oxford Terrace.
We objected to the proposal to convert this small attractive Victorian House into two flats, and the application was refused. Widespread development of this type would spoil the Conservation Area , without providing any worthwhile benefit. We will press for the CA appraisal to give a presumption against this sort of development.

62, Epsom Road.
The application for 8 flats was refused. HTAG participated in the appeal, which upheld the refusal. Another application was made, for 8 smaller flats, but with no parking provision of any sort. We again objected. The application was refused, primarily because of lack of parking.

Sanford Garage.
Following refusal of the first application an improved scaled down version was submitted. We again objected, mainly on the grounds of lack of parking. It was refused for this reason, but is subject to an appeal.

Turret House.
We objected to the first application for flats which was withdrawn as a result of opposition. An improved scheme has been submitted, to which we have not objected. It is good that the existing house is to be retained.

Telephone Masts.
There was again much opposition to the new proposal to put a large mast on Pewley Down. This was refused in accordance with the Officers recommendation. Orange put forward an alternative scheme for 5 "Telegraph pole" small masts, all installed on the pavement. We objected to all 5 on the grounds that the locations, while being the best and cheapest for Orange, were unsuitable for other considerations. We believe that, if it is proved that 5 masts must be provided, much more suitable locations can be found.

Trees.
We examine all the tree applications. These are required for all tree work in the Conservation Areas, and for any trees that are subject to tree preservation orders. We object to unnecessary work, and where trees have to be felled ask for replanting of suitable species, generally indigenous, to be made.

The Future.
I believe that we can be optimistic. There will inevitably be more building in our area, but, with care, the quality of the area can be maintained, and the improvements we need achieved. The implementation of the new planning system will require even more effort from us. We do need more people to share the Planning Work, and to take over when individuals have done their stint. If you can help in any way please let us know.

Thanks.
I have to thank our team who loyally turn up for our bi-weekly meeting, everybody who inputs views to us, our Councillors for their support, and Dottie for dealing with the tricky organisational problems.

Bob Bromham.

--ooOoo--

Report from the Newsletter Editor/Website Manager

Newsletter

Please try to keep news items brief and remember that if your if submission is heavily edited it is because the committee wishes to limit the size of the Newsletter to two sides of A4. I would like more contributions to the "Our Members Recommend . . ." section. The Advertisement section (for both goods and services) has grown and the feedback seems to indicate that many items have been successfully sold after appearing in the Newsletter.

Website

At the moment the HTAG website is hosted by my son's server in Houston, Texas, which costs us 60/month. When the website was set up he used this server to host several different projects, so it was not a problem to add HTAG to the list in return for a small contribution to the cost of the server. This server exists now purely to host the HTAG site, which makes it expensive to maintain. However, it is our intention to host the website at home when we have enough band width. UK Online can support 22mg ADSL but is fully subscribed at the moment, so it may be a few months before we can subscribe through them, or before another provider appears on the scene. This will be a lot cheaper for us to maintain and we can therefore continue to host the HTAG website for a nominal cost to the Amenity Group.

Because I have been away a lot this year (including two month-long absences) there have been periods when the website has not been updated as frequently as I would like. I do not actively seek copy/photos for the site but welcome contributions, and am willing to lend my "No. 2" digital camera to any member wishing to take photos of outings, social occasions etc., even if those are not directly related to HTAG. I regularly receive submissions for advertisements; these are free of charge, but a contribution to HTAG is always welcome, however small. I would appreciate notice of any items sold via the site so that I can remove them from my Adverts Pages. For those HTAG members who belong to other groups please note that I am happy to advertise any local events, concerts etc.

Hits for the lasts four months are as follows:

July: 803
August: 858
September: 819
October: 812

This is the number of visits to the HTAG site. That means if one person goes to the site and looks at 10 pages, it still only counts as 1 hit. It's probably the most realistic way to measure the site's popularity. This is quite good when you consider that I have been away for a lot of that time and therefore not updating the site as frequently as I would like to.

I would be grateful if members ordering goods from www.amazon.com access this site via www.htag.guildford.org. This will earn revenue which helps to support the HTAG site. Just click on the Amazon icon at the top right of the Front Page. There is now a Google search facility on the Front Page to help navigate the site.

I Thurley