Minutes of the meeting of the Development and Planning Committee held in

The Stevenson Centre on Monday 22 June 2009

Present         Councillors     Mrs F.A.Jackson                   Chairman

                                                Mrs A.Harper-Clark

                                                Mrs C.A.Todd

                                                R.I.Wade

                                                J. Millins (substitute for Mrs C Webb)

            Council Manager       M.J. Fitt

1)      Apologies for Absence

         Apologies were received from Cllr J.R.A.Sayers, R.R.Sims and Mrs C.J.Webb.         

2)      Declarations of Interest, Gifts or Hospitality

Cllrs Mrs C.Todd declared that she is a Babergh District Councillor, and asked that it be  noted that her views expressed at this meeting  would be based on information available at the time and might not be the same as those expressed at meetings involving other councils.       

3)      Confirmation of the Minutes of the Meeting on 15^th & 27^th April and 11^th May 2009

The Minutes having been ratified by full council for the meetings of 15^th & 27^th April and 11^th May 2009, were duly signed by the Chairman.  

4)      Correspondence

a) Suffolk County Council: Traffic Issues Broom Street & Blackhouse Lane

The Council had written to the County Council Highways Department, firstly to recommend a 20mph speed limit in Broom Street and to ask whether the ‘Access Only’ signage could be made more effective. Secondly to ask for suggested remedies to the parking problems in Blackhouse Lane.

The County Council replied

Broom Street: An additional illuminated sign had been erected so that the signing meets the requirements for the police to enforce the Access Only order. If this has had no effect it is unlikely that any additional signing or lining would make any difference.

20mph speed limits are only implemented in exceptional circumstances and require significant traffic management measures. There is no proposal to implement one in Broom Street.

Blackhouse Lane: Where there are problems because of parking for the football matches, it is the responsibility of the Club to manage the car parking.

With the approval of the County Council, the Parish Council could put earth bunds or planting on the verge to stop parking. It is, however, likely that drivers will still find somewhere to park in the vicinity, and cause further problems.

The Committee AGREED that it had taken these matters as far as it could. The question of parking in Blackhouse Lane would be referred to the Recreation & Leisure Committee to pursue with the football clubs in their regular meetings. The item would be removed from the brought forward list.

b) 2 Residents of Jacobs Close: Non-completion of work by developers

Both residents had written raising three main issues

·        That the road had still not been finally surfaced

·        That the street lights were still not working

·        That they are paying management charges for work which was not being done

The Council has written to the County Council Highways Department on a number of occasions concerning the road surfacing. Whilst sympathetic they had no power to require the developer to make up the road within any particular timescale.

The Council has also written to the developers to advise them of their residents concerns over the street lights, but had received no reply.

Until, or unless, the road is adopted as a highway by Suffolk County Council it, effectively, remains a private road owned by the developers and the Committee, therefore, AGREED that they had no powers to intervene any further and that the residents should take the matters up with the developer. The Council Manager will write to the residents to explain the position.

5)     Items Brought Forward

        a.  Broom Street Development – Road Surfacing

This item had been discussed fully under the previous item, correspondence, and in view of the decision taken it would be removed from the brought forward list.

       b.  Road Safety Working Party

      The Chairman advised that a meeting of the Road Safety Working party would be held on Wednesday 1^st July at 4pm

       c.  North Cornard Regeneration Group

       The Committee had been circulated with a copy of a response to the Chairman of the NCRG from Flagship Housing. This letter affirmed their commitment to the project. 

6)    New Planning Applications

None

Meeting closed at 7.20pm

Signed:…………………………………….

Cllr Mrs F.M. Jackson Chairman