March Parish Council Update

The full Draft Minutes of the March Meeting will be placed on the Parish Council Website within 2 weeks. In the short term, however, there were some interesting issues raised in the Open Forum and elsewhere on the Agenda and which are worthy of consideration to those of you who were unable to attend the Meeting on 6 March.

Perhaps the most controversial comment of the evening was from Cllr Carol Weaver regarding the Local Plan. Her condemnation of the Parish Council was greeted with a stony silence. She made mention of the village envelope and the opportunity which had existed for the Parish Council to identify 2 or more sites which might have been earmarked to fulfill identified future requirements. Apparently, it is tabled that in the future we will require 42 dwellings to meet residual requirements. Whilst our Neighbourhood Plan (which holds weight) sets out varying criteria and that developments should be no larger than 30 dwellings in number, Cllr Weaver forcefully stated that the Parish Council's inaction had resulted in a 'lost opportunity' in identifying 2 or more sites for future dwellings. Cllr Weaver wished it to be placed on record that the failure of the Parish Council to identify sites for future development, means that it will be the Local Authority who will now allocate sites within the village i.e. it will be imposed on us by the Local Authority.

Less 'controversial' issues were also discussed. If you own a bike (and some bikes are seriously expensive pieces of equipment) then pencil in the date of 29 April on your calendars. As you might know, a National Bike Register is being compiled, and the opportunity to have your bike 'acid marked' will take place on that date – probably at the Barbour Institute – details to follow in due course.

The issue of the residential development at Newton was raised and that some preparatory work appeared to be underway on the site of the former Aldersey Arms. A member of the public raised the issue that the footpath, which will link the site to the village of Tattenhall, and which was a condition of that development, has yet to be completed. Our Ward Councillor was in attendance and clarified that the houses earmarked for this site cannot be occupied until 'Grampion Conditions' are complied with. For those of you (including myself) who have never heard of the 'Grampion Condition' – it appears to be that the 'occupation of premises' is, in fact, linked to the planning permission and that occupation cannot take place until the specified action in support of the infrastructure is complete.

Concern was also raised that grass verges in the Redrow Development Area were being used as a 'Car Park' and that this needed to be addressed. It was minuted that this would be raised with Planning/Highways.

Similarly, another resident requested clarification regarding the 'Pond' in the Chestnut Grange Development which currently resembled 'a crater'. Assurances were given that site visits had taken place and that the pond would be profiled, landscaped and fenced by ecological consultants appointed by Redrow and that the public would be given regular updates regarding this.

Hedge cutting (or the lack of it) on Park Avenue continues to be unresolved and our Ward Councillor stated that he would take up the issue with Highways yet again. This has been repeatedly raised in the Open Forum and there was concern that the recognised hedge cutting season was almost at its end in relation to nesting birds.

Illegal parking within the village was also raised, as it has been with regularity for several months. The issue of illegal parking versus the viability of the businesses on the High Street continues to be an ongoing concern and has yet to be resolved. Whilst the collaborative process on the Parking Strategy has taken place, there is obviously no feedback currently available. Ironically, the resident in question submitted photographic evidence of a CWaC vehicle appearing to openly flaunt the parking restrictions on the High Street and within the '10m rule' from a bend!

Tattenhall Online remains apolitical – the above represents a record of varying issues raised at the Meeting held on 6 March.