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Minutes of a meeting of the Town Council to consider planning applications and allied matters held in the Council Chamber, Windmill Lane, Northam on Wednesday 11th February 2004.
PRESENT: Chairman - Town Mayor - Cllr A Barnes Members - Cllrs Mrs M M Cox, Mrs S A Mounce, J A Bell, R D Bradford MBE, E J Davies, A Eastman, L Ford, Dr P Tamplin, P Waters, together with 3 Parishioners
Apologies were recorded on behalf of Cllr A Eastwood OBE.
1. Torridge Transport Group
Mrs Jane Whittaker reported on her success in obtaining the Northam Transport Grant and briefly outlined the work of the group. Mr Duncan Goodman, the Group’s Co-ordinator, gave a presentation on how the group would be providing transport services to the parish. He outlined the current services, how the grant would be spent, the benefits of the voluntary car service, the basis of charges, how the voluntary car service would be developed, details of the transport needs assessment and the transport options. The Town Mayor thanked Mr Goodman and Mrs Whittaker for attending and the Council extended their thanks to Mrs Whittaker for all her hard work in achieving the grant.
2. Minutes
The minutes of the meeting of the Town Council to consider planning applications and allied matters held 14th January 2004 were approved and signed.
3. Matters arising
Min 1 – Devon County Council
Cllr Mrs Mounce reported that she was still not happy with Chanters Road. She had informed the Police and hoped that they were speaking to the highway authority. The Park Lane junction continues to be a problem and there had been an accident.
Cllr Davies reported the continuing problem of a resident of Daneshay parking vehicles opposite a driveway.
Cllr Eastman wished to know if there was any more news about the Pitt Avenue proposal.
Cllr Bradford MBE was concerned about the empty caravans in Windmill Lane car park and wondered whether the District Council were charging £100 a year as was previously agreed. He was also concerned about water and drainage at the entrance to Tadworthy Road and an overhanging hedge at 13 Churchill Way.
It was RESOLVED to write to the Local Service Officer with regard to highway matters and the District Council with regard to the Windmill Lane car park.
(Vote: Unanimous)
4. Local Community Sustainability Bill
Cllr Mrs Cox reported on the proposal to bring forward a Bill before Parliament which would require the drawing up and implementation of a strategy to promote sustainability among local communities. The object of this Bill being to halt the decline of villages and smaller towns and prevent them becoming ghosts. It was RESOLVED to support the Bill and to write to Torridge District Council asking them to also give their support.
(Vote: All in favour)
5. Town Clerk’s Report
(a) Urgent payment to Northam Youth Group
It was RESOLVED to make the payment of £5,000 to the Northam Youth Group as previously agreed and it was further RESOLVED to advise the Youth Group that the Town Council would not be making any further substantial sums of money available to the Group beyond the £5,000 grant and £5,000 loan recently agreed. This would not preclude the Group from applying for an annual grant under the Council’s Grant system.
(Vote: All in favour)
(b) Northam Burrows Grazing
The Town Clerk advised that today was the closing date for the receipt of applications for grazing on Northam Burrows for the forthcoming year and that there was a shortfall on both horses and sheep and therefore it did not seem appropriate to call a Grazing Committee.
6. Planning applications
2340/03 Proposed conservation area application to demolish wall at rear of garden to provide access for parking - 6 New Street, Appledore – RESOLVED - Recommend approval subject to the width of the lane and the opening onto the property being sufficient for a motor car to manoeuvre and turn around.
(Vote: Unanimous)
0020/04 Proposed application for garden shed in rear garden - 9 Greysand Crescent – RESOLVED – Recommend approval.
(Vote: Unanimous)
0029/04 Proposed erection of 2 metres high wall around the boundary replacing the fence Spindleberry Cottage, 3 Myrtle Street, Appledore – RESOLVED – Recommend approval subject to careful consideration in regard to the effect on Docton Court, No 2 Myrtle Street, which it adjoins. See comments on 0089/04
(Vote: Unanimous)
0035/04 Proposed extension to house and minor internal alterations and Velux’s to side elevation - 4 South Road, Appledore – RESOLVED – Recommend approval.
(Vote: Unanimous)
0069/04 Proposed erection of a conservatory - 10 Pelican Close, Westward Ho! – RESOLVED – Recommend approval
(Vote: Unanimous)
0071/04 Proposed erection of a conservatory. Dockside, Newquay Street, Appledore – RESOLVED – Recommend approval.
(Vote: Unanimous)
0089/04 Proposed Listed Building application for demolition of interior and alterations to first floor level - Docton Court, 2 Myrtle Street, Appledore – RESOLVED - Recommend approval subject to careful consideration by the Conservation Officer. See application 0029/04.
(Vote: Unanimous)
7. Writing effective Newsletters and Community/Parish magazines
It was RESOLVED to send copies of the course to the local residents associations.
(Vote: Unanimous)
8. Matters brought forward at Chairman’s discretion
(a) Cllr Waters reported on obstruction problems in the lane between Hillcliff Terrace and Greysand Crescent. The lane serves as a vehicle access to the rear of both. A TDC sign which used to ask people not to cause obstruction was missing and needed to be replaced. It was RESOLVED to write to the District Council asking them to action this as soon as possible. Cllr Waters also wished a reminder to be sent to the District Council about a sign at Anchor Park regarding the control of dogs. It was so RESOLVED.
(Vote: Unanimous)
(b) Cllr Bell reported that a person had tried to walk across Skern from the Lifeboat area towards Greysands and had become stuck in the mud. Fortunately the local RNLI were on hand and managed to extricate him before a serious situation developed. It was RESOLVED to write to the District Council advising them of this incident and suggesting that appropriate signs needed to be erected warning the public of the dangers of the deep mud.
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