Upchurch Parish Council Report - July 2019

Report of the Parish Council July 2019

Cllr Tyrone Ripley (Chairman), Cllr John Arnold (Vice Chairman), Cllr Pam Denny, Cllr Alan Horton, Cllr Gerry Lewin, Cllr Peter Masson, Cllr Janet Marshall, Cllr Gary Rosewell and Cllr Neil Sheppard. Clerk Mrs Wendy Licence.

Planning

Ref: 19/502283/FULL Land Adjacent To Crescent House Otterham Quay Lane Upchurch 

Proposal: Erection of a block of 7 no. dwellings with parking, refuse and cycle store.

Councillors agreed that the area is in need of regeneration but agreed unanimously to object to the proposals and raised concerns as to whether there was sufficient parking for the seven houses and their visitors; KCC Highways noted there was not enough space for bicycles; over intensive development; the development is very cramped; the accommodation is cramped; access to the site is poor; the proposal would provide affordable housing which would attract young families with young children and there is nowhere for the children to play; sustainability of the site; there is no footpath; limited public transport; it is sporadic development in the countryside.

Ref: 19/502827/FULL New Kaine Farm Solar Panel Installation Holywell Lane Upchurch 

Proposal: Variation of condition 14 to application 14/504506/FULL( for construction of solar farm comprising up to 7000 solar panels, plus associated equipment, cabling and works, including a steel container to house inverters) - to enable the solar farm to operate for up to 40 years from grid connection date.

The current planning permission is for twenty-five years which was the life expectancy of the panels when they were installed but the life expectancy is now forty years. Councillors agreed unanimously that they had no objections to the proposal and that all previous conditions should be maintained where should the facility cease to function during the forty years, the land be returned to its natural environment.

Ref: 19/502701/FULL

Address: Land Adjacent To Jack Russell Place Halstow Lane Upchurch ME9 7AB

Proposal: Change of use of land to provide 2no. mobile units with associated utility blocks, 10no. transient pitches and parking.

Councillors considered the application and agreed to object to the proposal due to concerns that there was insufficient information as to whether there was a need for transient pitches and that the site would be difficult to control; the development is over intensification of the site; the impact on the visual effect of the area; the proposal further worsens the assessment of the landscape character; the development is not sustainable; it will increase demands on already pressured local services, there is a waiting list for the doctors and it would place further pressure on local schools; there will be a significant impact on the settled community due to the numbers of Gypsy and Travellers currently in the area; the increased volume of traffic exiting onto a very narrow road; there have been many incidents where mobiles being brought to this and other local sites have experienced difficulties in local narrow lanes; the design and access statement is inadequate; the location has no public footpath to Upchurch or Lower Halstow; there is an enforcement issue outstanding on the site and there have been many retrospective planning applications; the development would further urbanise the rural lane creating a coalescence of settlements between the rural village of Upchurch and Lower Halstow.

Ref: 19/502940/FULL 108 Horsham Lane Upchurch Kent ME8 7XB

Proposal: Erection of a single storey rear extension and conversion of a garage into a habitable space.

Councillors considered the application and agreed while they had no objections to the extension they had concerns about whether there would be sufficient parking.

Environment

The new cascade planter has been installed near the village sign, this has been made possible through a grant from Swale Environment Grant Scheme.

Recreation Ground

Councillors considered a request from a property owner in The Street for permission to park at the Recreation Ground and agreed that no further permits be issued.

Burial Ground and Churchyard

The gate to the Burial Ground has been re-aligned. The Parish Council is concerned about non-compliance with the regulations at the Burial Ground and will be taking action.

Highways

The first draft of the Parish Highway Improvement Plan which includes residents’ comments has been drawn up. The plan is focused on the village centre and goes on to the outer areas. There is a public consultation promoted through the Parish Council website and within this publication, please submit your comments to the Clerk or online.

Date of next meetings:

Full Council - Thursday 5^th September 2019 at 7:30pm - no meeting in August.

The Planning Committee and General Purposes Committee - Wednesday 17^th July at 7:30pm in the Committee Room of the Village Hall.

All residents are welcome to attend the meetings and there is a time for members of the public to comment, raise concerns or ask questions.

Wendy Licence - Clerk to the Parish Council

Tel: 01634 363906

Email: clerkupc@outlook.com

Website: www.upchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk

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Parish Highways Improvement Plan Consultation

Following concerns raised by residents the Parish Council is working towards a Parish Highways Improvement Plan and would like to consult with residents on the matter. Councillors would like to know if the right problems have been identified and whether there are any other problems that need to be considered.

Please download the consultation form above at the link here >> http://bit.ly/2YQrVWe

Number the top three areas on the form in order of priority action being required with number 1 being highest priority and 3 the lowest. You may also list other areas of concern.

Return the form with your name and address to Upchurch Parish Council, 14 Trapfield Close, Bearsted, ME14 4HT or Email it to: clerkupc@outlook.com by Tuesday 20th August 2019.

Thank you

Wendy Licence - Clerk to the Parish Council

Tel: 01634 363906

Email: clerkupc@outlook.com

Website: www.upchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk

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Swale Borough Council - New Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy Approved

Councillors have approved plans to put local people at the centre of local housing policy.

Swale Borough Council’s cabinet has approved a new housing, homelessness and rough sleeping strategy which sets out how the authority will work to tackle housing issues over the next four years.

The strategy has been informed by research which found a number of challenges facing the borough, including the pressure of people moving from the London area, the lack of genuinely affordable housing and pressure on services supporting people at risk of homelessness.

A consultation carried out earlier this year raised issues of the quantity and affordability of housing, particularly for people on low incomes.

Cllr Ben Martin, cabinet member for housing at the council, said:

“With average house prices now more than nine times the average local wage, and private rent becoming unaffordable for people on moderate or low incomes, it’s painfully clear that the local housing market isn’t working for too many local people.

Displacement from London is driving up prices and pushing increasing numbers of local families into housing crisis. This means we are seeing more and more people coming to us for help as they face losing their home.

We believe everyone in our community deserves safe, warm decent housing that they can afford, which is why we’re setting out how we plan to tackle homelessness and accelerate affordable housing delivery.

The strategy will help us steer our resources and response to housing issues so we are focussed on the issues that have the biggest impact for local people.

The strategy alone won’t solve all the issues - we have to keep lobbying the government on key issues that need addressing - but it’s a proactive first step in the right direction.”

Cllr Ghlin Whelan, deputy cabinet member for housing at the council, said:

“We need to work to help people get access to affordable housing - either through buying or renting - and help those in housing to stay there.

We want to work with housing providers to build more genuinely affordable homes for local people.

We’ll also be investing in expanding our housing options team so they can offer a better service with the increased pressures they’re under.”

The council’s cabinet approved the housing, homelessness and rough sleeping strategy 2019-23 which sets out four strategic priorities for the council:

• Deliver affordable housing

• Preventing homelessness

• Reduce the need for emergency and temporary accommodation

• Improving conditions in existing homes

To deliver these, the council has committed to delivering on six key objectives:

• Develop a borough-wide approach to invest in and deliver affordable housing

• Promote early intervention and a more customer-focussed homeless prevention service

• Develop and improve the partnership approach to tackling homelessness and rough

0sleeping in the borough

• Prevent the need for, and reduce the length of time spent in, temporary accommodation
0Making sure support is available for vulnerable households

• Improving private sector housing conditions and management practices including helping

0older, disabled and vulnerable people to live in safe adapted homes

The report on the strategy was agreed at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday, 10 July, and the full report is available here.

Swale Borough Council

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Summer Produce Sale and Crafts at St. Margaret's Church, Lower Halstow

Liz Mouland
Friends of St. Margaret's Church, Lower Halstow
Website: www.thesix.org.uk

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Proposed Redevelopment of Clark’s Lodges and Marina on Land at Woodgers Wharf, Upchurch

The plans

A planning site notice has been posted in Horsham Lane for major development on land at Woodgers Wharf, Horsham Lane, Upchurch, ME9 7AP, for: Phase 1 redevelopment of Marina, including 10 no. 2 and 3 bedroomed static holiday lodges (Use Class C1), boat fabricating building (Use Class B2), site office, gym (Use Class D2), café (Use Class A3) and associated parking, access and landscaping.

The proposed scheme seeks planning permission for the redevelopment of Clark’s Lodges and Marina on the site directly fronting Otterham Creek, to re-establish the site as a working marina with 39 houseboats, and boat fabricating building as well as the construction of 10 static holiday lodges and gym, café and restaurant to support this use.

The site is currently used as a scaffolders yard with areas of storage and hardstanding. The proposal is for Phase 1 which will create a mix of 10 no. 2 and 3 bedroomed lodges to be accessed from the existing entrance off Horsham Lane, at the corner by Plantation Cottages.

Planning application summary

19/502687/FULL | Phase 1 redevelopment of Marina, including 10no. 2 and 3 bedroom static holiday lodges (Use Class C1), boat fabricating building (Use Class B2), site office (Use Class B1), gym (Use Class D2), cafe (Use Class A3) and associated parking, access and landscaping. | Land At Woodgers Wharf Horsham Lane Upchurch Sittingbourne Kent ME9 7AP.

The application can be viewed online at: https://pa.midkent.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=PRYQ4BTYIUE00

Or by visiting:

Sheppey Gateway, 38 - 42 High Street, Sheerness, Kent, ME12 1 NL

Alexander Centre, 15 Preston Street, Faversham, Kent, ME13 8NZ

Swale Borough Council, Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne, Kent ME 10 3HT 

To make comments about this application, you should either submit them online at: https://pa.midkent.gov.uk/online-applications

Or write to: MK Planning Support Service, Maidstone House, King Street, Maidstone, ME15 6JQ

The deadline to submit comments is Friday 9th August 2019 (remember to quote the planning application number).

Upchurch Matters

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The Point Conference at Historic Dockyard Chatham

The Point Conference at Historic Dockyard Chatham has been organised by the Rev'd Nathan Ward, Vicar at St. Margaret's Church, Rainham, with help from the University of Kent and the Medway African and Caribbean Association.

Tickets are available at £35.00 (plus £2.90 booking fee) with no discounts available. The event is being run at cost. The ticket price is non-refundable and includes all refreshments throughout the day including lunch.

Limited spaces are also available for the FREE information evening for parents & guardians and for the FREE twilight training session for teachers, to hear the highlights of the main conference and learn from leading experts.

For more information and to book your place at The Point Conference, please go to: www.thepointconference.org

Upchurch Matters

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