Reviving our Assets: in Holdingham & Sleaford

Sleaford Town Council has several groups (called Panels) looking after Services and the Assets it has. But the Assets need renewal and looking after. All play areas are annually inspected and defects are addressed. Clearly there is a cost to all this - costs which compete against other Town Priorities. 

Over the last week: and reported back to Council on Wednesday, several Councillors have visited the Cemetery and our 3 largest Open Spaces/Play Areas. The Open Spaces were Woodside; George Street and Boston Road.

Maintaining and renewing fencing is one issue: providing equipment that residents want is another: making them secure and vandal free is another: and accessible is another. Obvious really but it is not necessarily so.

But all the facilities mentioned above have possible shortcomings. Access to the Cemetery at the times of day (including school start and leave times near the Cemetery) can be impaired by Cars parked in the Cemetery.

Secure fencing at our Open Spaces! George Street (for instance): the new Housing development near the Castle Causeway means Children wanting to use the Play Area. So an access point that is not misused by motor-bikers etc.

Woodside has poor access and is potentially open to illegal entry across the property of others.

So investment is needed to meet these shortcomings.

Here are some Photographs.

George Street entrance near the new houses. Needs upgrading and issues to be resolved.


Fencing on the George Street boundary.

At Woodside the ad-hoc entrance from Summerfield Drive is not secure.

Access from Beech Rise (see below)  is a long way from other residential areas in Holdingham and other gates are needed for Children. Entry at the end of Summerfield Drive is misused as it is not an official entry point as it crosses the land of others: the legit entry point is the narrow/muddy path off Summerfield Court.

The Summerfield Drive entrance is used and misused because of lack of fencing in one key part.

 All areas need to be secure from Vandalism and anti- social behaviour 24 hours. That potentially is a costly exercise with apparently rising A.S.B. So there is much to do and much to spend money on.

Our largest area

is of course Boston Road and the largest recent investment is the Skate Park. The phioto is from March 20117 when the new facility was being constructed. It is now ready for its Official Opening.  It needs looking after and protecting from Vandalism. But, and a repeat from above, it costs and there are other needs in the Town.

Sleaford Town Council Response: Commercial Anaerobic Digestor Plant at Holdingham.

Further to my Blog dated 3rd July 2017 I can report that the Sleaford Town Council has submitted its reply to the proposal.

 I can confirm that we have based our advice note on a review of the following documents:

• Planning Application Supporting Information (The Greenspan Agency, 9 May 2017);
• Odour Management Plan (The Greenspan Agency, 5 July 2017);
• Consultation responses available on the County Council’s online portal at 18 July 2017.

Regard is also had to the planning history of this site and our previous letter of advice to the Town Council dated 24 June 2014.

As with all applications of this nature the applicant will be expected to demonstrate that the proposals will have no adverse environmental impacts and / or lead to the loss of residential amenity. It is our professional opinion that the information to submitted to date is ‘thin on the ground’ and leaves a number of fundamental issues unanswered. Whilst we acknowledge that the applicant has provided an additional Odour Management Plan (dated 5 July 2017) we would recommend that the Town Council make the following observations.

Vehicle Movements

One of our principal concern relates to a general lack of information in relation to vehicle movements and traffic generation. Whilst is accepted that the junction serving the site may be operating under design capacity – as stated by the applicant in Para 7.2 of the Planning Application Supporting Information document – little information has been provided in relation to the exact nature of the anticipated highway movements. The applicant states that “vehicle movements to and from the site are not expected to change as a consequence of this current application to allow a broader range of feedstocks” yet no evidence is provided to substantiate this claim. Even if this assertion is accepted, the timings and frequency of vehicle movements needs to be considered. For example, will movements be dispersed throughout the day or will movements be concentrated in peak am and pm periods? We are aware that the highways authority have no raised no objection to the development (19 June), however, we would maintain that it is not possible to fully assess the likely highways impact of the change in operation practices without detailed information provided by the applicant. We would therefore recommend that the Town Council request that a Transport Assessment is provided by the applicant and that the Town Council reserves the right to make further representations on the content of that particular document.

Odour Management

It is acknowledged that the applicant has sought to provide further information in the form of an Odour Management Plan dated 5 July. That document states that the applicant has sought to remove condition no. 7 of the previous planning permission states the following:

No development shall commence until an odour management plan has been submitted to and approved in writing by the District Planning Authority. The plan shall detail how, where and when odour from the development hereby permitted will be measured post-operation, who will be responsible for this, the method of assessing the results of odour measurement  and any required  mitigation measures.. The odour management plan shall include a procedure for recording and addressing any odour complaints received. Thereafter the approved plan shall be implemented and maintained in perpetuity.                                   

                               

Reason: In the interests of reducing odour pollution to protect the amenity of the area in accordance with saved Policy C17 of the Local Plan

The applicant argues that the condition is not necessary as safeguards in terms of odour are in place through separate environmental permits which fall outside of the Town and Country Planning Acts. However, we would advise that the Town Council strongly contest the removal of such a condition as it removes the ability of the Council’s enforcement team to take action should the requirements of the condition and approved odour management plan be breached.

Turning to the current application, we have concerns about the short term nature of the odour management plan which appears to be overly dismissive of potential odours which may emerge outside the first 12 months of operation (see Para 2.2).  We are also aware that Leasingham and Roxholme Parish Council have expressed concerns in relation to the validity of some of the conclusions reached in that report. At the time of writing there does not appear to be any consultation response from the following consultees:

• Environment Agency;
• Environmental Health Officer; and,
• LCC Public Health Officer;

As the Odour Management Plan is a specialist technical document its content can realistically only be adequately understood (and challenged if necessary) by a suitably qualified individual and we would suggest that the Town Council ensure that comments are received by all the 3 of the above consultees before the application is determined – particularly the Environment Agency.

Can the Neighbourhood Plan for Sleaford improve matters?

Are we still going over the same issues? One reason I ask is that Consultants advised the Town, to my understanding, that having an accepted Neighbourhood Plan would entitle the Town to 25% of the revenues generated through the CIL raised. Which developments are we talking about? 

I went to the Public Meeting relating to the Sleaford (and Kirkby La Thorpe) at the Sleaford Town Council (using their downstairs rooms).

Quite a useful meeting and some good speakers from interested Residents. 

To a background noise of Pop Music coming from across the way (from the Hub maybe) I recorded two parts: part 1 was about Health Facilities (or lack of them) and Part 2 was a mix of Transport/communication problems and other issues all relating to the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan. 

This is the message I have put out on Facebook with links to Youtube.

A public meeting was held last night about the Sleaford Neighbourhood Plan. I took two videos (as yet unedited) and the links are below. The first part about Health and the second part about Planning, Transport and other issues. Sorry about the background music which was coming from a session at the Hub. 

https://youtu.be/Fi4Inb7hffw
https://youtu.be/khIjPEO-ekQ

Holdingham Letter: To change the use from Agri-Based Anaerobic Digestion Facility

I received a letter today from LCC to inform me (as someone who has written in the past) about changes to the use of the Anaerobic Digestion Facility.  The proposal is for it to become a Commercial Anaerobic Digestion Facility. 

A copy of the letter is provided below. I have also been to see  the Site Manager at the Persimmons Holdingham Grange building site where 250 or more houses are being built. If there are any adverse effects from this change then it might impact on the new development. They have written to their Head Office. 

It depends on who you listen to. Any comments I have are to be given by 21st July 2017.

Recreation Ground Boston Road! Will proposals help regenerate Sleaford: and how will it affect Holdingham?

The initial answer is "watch this space". However, one outcome, hopefully and in the long term, will be to decrease the congestion on the Lincoln Road especially at peak times. 

Update: The Sleaford Town Council debated two main issues relating to Boston Road on Wednesday 5th July. Firstly about Bikers using the Rec once per month and secondly the public comments/reaction to the proposed access to Boston Road from the Advanta Seeds site. The link to the Youtube recording of that part of the meeting is HERE.

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Interestingly there was a short mention of it  (the talks with Tesco by STC) at last weeks Council Meeting (21st June). 

This was at Agenda Item 14.2 and was recorded. 

However I have attached, as a link at the end, a Radio Interview back in 2013, on Radio Lincolnshire, between the Mayor (at the time), and our present County Councillor (Kate Cook). 

The YouTube Link is at: Boston Road Site Access. 

How times have changed. (Hopefully). Some trees have been marked, presumably those under threat,  but they relate (to my knowledge) what was proposed at the time of the CPO (2014/2015). 

Holdingham Biogas. Back round the loop.

Post note: The matter was discussed at the Sleaford Town Council on 21st June 2017. This in reference to the Planning Addition listed below. Leasingham Residents were there and Holdingham Town Councillors spoke on the subject. Steve Flanagan spoke for the residents. The Sleaford Standard (who were at the meeting) has also reported it. An updated Standard report is here

The Debate is on Youtube.

The Sleaford Standard has put the story out today (26th June): Standard

 It is a bit like a rerun of an old movie. The  Chicken Farm idea was thrown out but the Anaerobic Digestor (AD) Plant was passed - and built. The inputs to the AD appear to have fallen short: read on.

The Facebook CUG Anti Anaerobic Digestor Forum has protested about these developments  and effectively won the argument (with the aid of the Planning Inspectorate) to get the 590,000 Chicken Farm stopped. Now  the AG issue has reappeared because they want to increase  the range of materials to be used (to feed the AD).

"Here is the link: The Plan is at the following address ( you may need the number PL/0071/17):

http://eplanning.lincolnshire.gov.uk/ePlanning/searchPageLoad.do

Online Planning Applications - Lincolnshire County Council

Environment and Safety - Planning and Development - Online Planning Applications

eplanning.lincolnshire.gov.uk" The Planning Number is PL/0071/17.

Kids Play Equipment: Lincoln Road; Holdingham; Sleaford

Wear and Tear or Vandalism?

The Town Clerk mentioned to me about having to remove a piece of Play Equipment in the KId(ies) area on the Lincoln Road Play Area. 

Whetr or not it was vandalism ot wear and tear is hard for me to judge. The inference was that it is due to damage. 

Here are two photographs. It is a pity as the play area is used frequently (weather permitting).