1.2  Apologies: Phillip Pascoe and Jayne Whittock

Ian Robertson of Chawton Park Farm.

December 2022 Report

Please see information forwarded below for the District Councillor’s report: –

Refuse collection and bottle banks:  Fortunately, by the end of October, refuse and glass collections were back to normal.  Bottle banks remain at Four Marks, at Raven Square, Wooteys Way, and at Turk Street, Draymans Way, in Alton.

Garden Refuse: This service is also back to normal, but appointments can still be made on the EHDC website for the disposal of garden refuse and other rubbish at the recycling site in Alton.  This has been working extremely well and there is no need to queue.

East Hampshire Local Plan 2021 – 2040:  We attended a briefing on 26 October at EHDC and planner, Adam Harvey, explained the importance of preparing the Local Plan which commenced in 2018.  There were two early stage, Reg. 18, consultations in 2019, for the Draft Local Plan and Large Development Sites.  There were many consultation responses and suggestions for sites.

A decision to carry out further early-stage consultation (Reg. 18) rather than progress to pre-submission stage (Reg. 19) was taken in May this year.  We are planning for better homes so that by 2040 our residents will live in ‘healthy, accessible, and inclusive communities’.  It is important that quality homes are built with local facilities and employment opportunities which provide our communities with both green and welcoming places to live, work and play, but at the same time respond positively to the climate emergency.

The Climate Emergency:  We are all aware how important it is to radically reduce emissions both for our buildings and transport options to ensure ‘resilience in a changing climate’.  We are planning for net-zero carbon development and need to change our approach to urban design.

Climate Change briefings:  We have also attended ‘Climate Change’ briefings headed up by Paul Ciniglio and Adam Harvey, part of EHDC’s ‘Green Agenda’.  Paul Ciniglio also delivered a briefing to ACAN this year. These briefings commenced on 5 October and there are six sessions in total covering net-zero carbon development for new homes, housing standards, e.g., Passivhaus, LETi, etc., with a explanation on the performance gap and the need or recommendation for building performance evaluation.  Session four dealt with offsetting issues and approaches, and there was a guest speaker from the London Borough of Haringey who provided an overview of their approach.

Examples of developments were mentioned which would be zero carbon friendly.  One at Manydown farm at Basingstoke which I found extremely interesting, and I went to visit the site a few weeks ago.  Two more sessions are scheduled at the time of writing.

Accessibility:  This was also discussed at the Local Plan briefing. It is difficult to imagine how we can reach important, local facilities from our homes in 20 minutes.  In Four Marks and Medstead we are car dependent, or we travel by bus.  Travel by bike or on foot is not possible and considered dangerous, via the A31 to Alton.

New Homes Delivery: The Government expects EHDC to deliver 632 new homes every year until 2040, so 518 homes in the area covered by our Local Plan, and the remaining 115 within the SDNP.  This equates to 9,823 new homes over the period up to 2040.  Some new homes have already been built, some have planning permission, are ‘existing allocations or form part of a windfall allowance’.  Ultimately, we are left with 3,405 new homes to be planned for via this Local Plan.

Infrastructure:  This is needed to support all new developments in the Local Plan for Reg. 19 when we will know how housing and sites will be distributed.  Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is the primary fund for local infrastructure.  Since 2016 approximately £10.5m has been paid towards infrastructure projects by developers. Over £4m has been allocated to infrastructure for projects to date, and £1.5m has been passed to Parish and Town Councils.

The Environment:  How we protect and enhance the environment is ‘enshrined in a number of legislative Acts and Regulations’. The Council will continue to protect, enhance and conserve our local environment.  There are key issues, i.e. international designated sites (these will address recreational impacts and try to achieve nutrient neutrality), protecting our landscape, and ‘implementing a joined up approach to green infrastructure and applying Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)’.  My personal view is that BNG is in many situations, unsustainable.

Development Strategy and Spatial Distribution:  This is another way of saying we are looking at where new housing could be located.  There are four options open to us: –

·        Disperse new development to a wider range of settlements.

·        Concentrate new development in areas where we have the largest settlements.

·        Distribute new development to areas where the population demands it.

·        Concentrate development in a new settlement.

We are to be consulted on the new Local Plan between 21 November 2022 and 16 January 2023.  Consultation events will be held between 3.30 p.m and 6.30 p.m as follows: –

·        At the Alton Assembly Rooms on 7 December

·        At the Forest Centre, Whitehill and Bordon on 8 December

·        At Merchistoun Hall, Horndean on 12 December.

Residents will be able to Email their views to EHDC.

Three District Councillors represent Four Marks, Medstead and Chawton and readers are welcome to contact us. Our Email addresses are as follows:- Jonathan.May@easthants.gov.uk, Ingrid.Thomas@easthants,gov.uk    and diana.tennyson@easthants.gov.uk .

ELECTION OF NEW CHAIRMAN

Prior to any further business, Cllr Simper has decided to step down as Chairman and a new Chairman now needs to be elected –

Cllr Allsop proposed Cllr Pascoe as Chairman, this was seconded by Cllr Perring

Cllr Williamson proposed Cllr Allsop as Vice Chairman and this was seconded by Cllr Dadswell Cllr Pasoce will take over the position of Chairman from December 2022.

*-The Parish Council can make observations regarding the Parish as a whole and comment on applications made but there is no guarantee that these comments will impact the ultimate decision.

25256/049 – Land to the rear of Brackenbury Gardens and, Boyneswood Close, Medstead, Alton – Construction of 45 dwellings – No Objection.

59923 – Mounters Lodge, and land to the rear, Mounters Lane, Chawton – Outline planning application with all matters reserved, except the means of access to the highway network (site access) and layout, for the erection of 26 dwellings – hard copy distributed to the Council for further discussion prior to comments which need to be submitted by 1^st December 2022.

SDNP/22/05197/APNB – Pepperpot Nursery Selborne Road, Alton Hampshire GU34 3HL – Application to determine if prior approval is required for a three-span polythene tunnel for agricultural use – Council to check on existing poly tunnels before comment.

6.1 – Double Yellow Lines – This case has now passed to Hampshire County Council due to the Traffic Management and Civil Parking Enforcement Agency Agreements countywide being terminated, the Council will liaise with the relevant department to complete the work as part of the original consultation.

6.2 – SDNP Parish workshop – Clerk to check if this workshop went ahead.

6.3 – Fireworks 2023 – To be discussed and planned in the New Year.

6.4 – New Website – The Clerk met with the current Web host today and will work on the expansion of the current website.

6.5 – Bollard opposite the school 2 quotes have been received and a bollard will be ordered and installed to protect the tree roots from further damage.

6.6 – Memorials – Statement to go on website

6.7 – AONB – Update on boundary, the Clerk has written to the campaign asking for more detail on the boundary – awaiting a response.

6.8 – Training for Councillors – The Clerk will contact HALC with regard to training for the Council.

6.9 – Signage for Mingledown – temporary sign to be made re dog poo bags being dropped in this area.

6.10 – Patching work Winchester Road – Council will contact Mark Kemp-Gee to ask what the proposals are for this part of the road.

6.11 – Budget – A budget will be circulated to the Council for discussion.

Members of the public may make representations, answer questions and give evidence at a meeting in respect to items on the agenda.

·       The period of time designated for public participation at a meeting shall not exceed 10 minutes and a member of the public shall not speak for more than 3 minutes unless directed by the Chairman of the meeting.

Please inform the Clerk at least three days prior to the meeting providing any relevant paperwork for the Council if you wish to participate during this session.

The Council undertakes to listen to the speaker and may ask questions of clarification they are not required to answer questions raised during the same session.