MV NHP Steering Committee Minutes 28th February 2018

  STEERING GROUP MEETING/OPEN FORUM  

  Minutes of the 21st meeting – 28th February 2018 

Held in The George Inn, Upstairs Meeting Room, Maulden from 20:00hrs.  

Present:  Committee/Working Group Members  Alan Plom [Chair / Leader of Infrastructure WGp]  Simon Barnes [Vice Chair / Leader of Housing WGp]  Roger Ball [Leader of Environment Gp / Maulden Parish Council (MPC)]  Mark Bingham [Leader Social, Educ & Welfare WGp]  Ruth Plom [Social, Educ & Welfare (SEW) Gp]  Sarah Michael [Treasurer / SEW WGp]  Philip Allen [MPC]   John Coyle [MPC]Lesley Illingworth (Sec)

Observers  David Illingworth  Patsy Aston  Russ Aston  Bill Edwards  Martin Wright  Paul Lee  Alistair Borland MBE  Vicki Knowles

Apologies   Cllr Philip Jackson  Julian Smith  Ian Ormrod  Joyce Ormrod  David Bailey  Sue Bluffield  Steven Summerfield

1. WELCOME, INTRODUCTIONS AND UPDATE 

• Alan welcomed everyone, especially the five ‘new faces’, and passed on apologies received.  Alan also apologised for his recent comments on Maulden Voice  expressing his frustration at the lack of liaison between the Parish Council and MNP’s ‘Social, Education & Welfare’ and ‘Regulation’ Working Groups.  Other WGps had benefitted from input from Councillors for the past year or more.  Others present also expressed their disappointment at this lack of cooperation and said this should be reflected to the PC.           [ACTION:  RB/PA] 

• It was agreed that it is important to maintain a close working relationship with the Council, to share information and avoid wasting volunteers and officials’ time by duplicating meetings, etc. AP welcomed the PC Chair’s proposal to set up a ‘Stakeholder Group’ (to include the MNP) and that the MNP would be invited to attend a meeting with the School Head.  

[ACTION: Simon B and Mark to attend School meeting on behalf of MNP if possible.] 

2. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING (31/01/18) 

Subject to removing the action on Phil Allen to discuss the proposed ‘Access Link’ to Flitwick (Item 7, Min 3.(1), the minutes were agreed and signed. 

[ACTION: AP/RB – Revised final version to be filed in Dropbox folder and posted on our webpage.]  

3. MATTERS ARISING  

•  Min 3(i) – No action reported by the PC on the proposed spur from Maulden to the ‘Strategic Off-Road Access Link (from Clophill, Flitton, etc) to Flitwick.  

[ACTION:  PJ/MPC to report back at next meeting.]  

• Mike Lake [DLA Town Planning Ltd] had kindly agreed to allow his slides and the audio recording of his presentation and the Q&A session at the last meeting to be made available on MNP’s website.           [Action: AP] 

• All other actions were completed or reviewed under agenda items.

4. VILLAGE UPDATE

4.1 MNP Response to CBC Local Plan  

(i) Simon Barnes reported MNP had submitted an 8 page response to the ‘Pre-Submission Local Plan and thanked those who had copied their comments to MNP.  These had been incorporated where relevant. [ACTION: Copy of submission to be posted on MNP website. (SB/AP)]  

(ii) Cllr Allen highlighted 5 issues raised in MPC’s submission.  MPC had: 

1. Questioned the re-categorising of the village from ‘small’ to ‘large’.  This could have significant implications.  Maulden consists of 3 parts: Hall End, which had been ‘lumped in’ with Clophill [defined as a large village; Green End/Clophill Road area, defined as small, and the centre/western end of the village, which is considered to be ‘large’.  If combined and re-categorised as one large village, this could lead to a significant increase in the extent of development required by the Government.  To be classified as ‘large’, amenities such as a doctor’s surgery, shop, school, and Post Office should be available in a ‘large’ village.  

• MPC had disputed the ‘Settlement Capacity’ described.  

• MPC had already objected to further development at Hall End.  

• MPC argued there should be more ‘Important Green Spaces’. 

• The Local Plan should take account of the emerging MNP.  

(iii) Some observers (non-MNP Committee members) are interested in reading relevant documents. Simon explained that these are kept in a private ‘Dropbox’ folder but suggested it might be possible to make these ‘open access’. [ACTION: SB/RB/Steering Group to consider.] 

(iv) The (national) Planning Inspectorate will sign off the final CBC Plan, and will take into account all comments by villagers and Councils. The Government had deferred the date for applying its new housing targets, so there was more time for CBC to submit its Local Plan – which had been prepared in a very short timescale.  [ACTION:  AP to confirm when the Inspector will ratify CBC’s Local Plan.]  

4.2 Green Infrastructure Consultation Meetings 

(i) Roger reported that there had been 212 responses from the initial Consultation meeting on 23 Feb and subsequent on-line survey. The ‘drop-in’ format of the follow-up Consultation event to be held in the Village Hall (on 5 March) will allow more discussion to help refine the policies for the Green Infrastructure Plan, under 4 category headings: Landscape; Biodiversity; Historic Environment and Access and green space. 

(ii)  This 2nd meeting will again be based on a selection of maps but reflecting the findings of the 1st meeting, but would not be the usual all-evening meeting with presentations.  Less people are expected to attend and Maulden Voice and other local social media should be used to ‘spread the word’ and alert people to the different format.  Help will be needed to ‘meet and greet’ and several volunteered to attend.   

[ACTION:  Roger to advertise the event and coordinate with Jon Balaam/GST.] 

 

4.3 Report from Maulden Parish Council 

 

(i)Traffic Calming – A proposal for a ‘pedestrian crossing’ is being considered near to Budgens, possibly to be match-funded by CBC.  Other traffic calming issues discussed included match funding for solar-powered Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) which can record speeds 24/7.  This information can then be presented to the Police. 

 

(ii) School – A meeting with the Lower School is to be set up to determine what the Head considers is needed, and not just rely on conjecture. 

 

(iii) Litter Pick – MPC will be supporting the ‘Great British Spring Clean It is hoped  that more than the 8 people involved last year will volunteer to take part. Details tbc. 

 

 

4.4 Planning applications  

 

1.  Cllr Allen gave an update on the planning applications already received that have been approved, are undecided, under appeal or a potential appeal is possible: 

 

1. CB/18/00435/OUT Old Farm Clophill Rd(49 dwellings)– New application February 2018 after previously refused in April 2017 and rejected in Call for sites/Draft Local Plan.  

 

2. CB/17/00981/OUT – Land North of Clophill Road(21 dwellings) – CBC approved 31/1/18and included in Pre-submission Local Plan.  

. 

3. CB/17/04583/OUT –Land adjacent to129A and 131 Clophill Road(25 dwellings) – Included in Pre-submission Local Plan. Application awaiting decision.  

 

4. CB/17/01156/OUT – Land East of No13 Clophill Road(14 dwellings) -Rejected at Call for sites/Draft Local Plan but recommended for approval.  Appeal lodged and ‘Minded to Refuse” agreed unanimously by CBC Committee on 31/01/18.  

 

5. CB/17/03546/OUT– Land at Clophill Road(50 dwellings) – Not included in Call for Sites/Local Plan and refused Oct 2017. New plans proposed and an appeal will be lodged separately.  

 

6. CB/17/03937/OUT – Land South of Limbersey Lane(14 dwellings) -Awaiting decision, rejected at Call for sites/Draft Local Plan. 

 

1. Potential total dwellings – 127 are in current planning applications not included in CBC’s Pre-submission Local Plan + a further 85 are included in the Pre-submission Local Plan.  So, if all sites/plans are approved, these would total 212 new dwellings.  

 

1. In addition, 3 other possible development sites are under consideration, which could increase the number of dwellings significantly.  The first two have been presented to the Steering Group/Open Forum:  

• Hillson/Aragon proposal 

• DLA Town Planning proposal 
• Maulden Parish Council land. 

 

1. CBC, the Parish Council, and local landowners involved would all need be in agreement for the DLA Town Planning proposal to go ahead.  It was stressed that MPC are not part of the DLA Proposal ‘consortium’.  MPC would make its own decision based on need of any facilities and benefit for the Community. MPC would need to sell some of its land, possibly change land use from allotment to building land, and allocate a replacement site for lost allotments.  This would need the Secretary of State’s permission. 

 

1. Presentations to Steering Group 

 

1. It was agreed that it was not the role of the MNP Steering Group or the purpose of the Open Form meetings to provide a forum for developers to present their proposals and could be misconstrued as  consultation‘.  Alan said he had rejected recent requests.     

 

1. Working Group Updates 

 

5.1 – 5.4 Deferred. Other than the activities reported re the GIS and Housing above, nothing else to report. 

 

5.5 Improving Communications 

 

(i) Societies, etc – Discussed how to improve communications with the whole village.   A ‘newcomer’ to the Village (Martin Wright) was invited to share his suggestions. Apart from the Village Magazine and social media/websites [which not everyone has access to] he recommended the Scouts and Beaver groups, football team and other clubs and societies where village folk meet together could broadcast information to a wider audience.  Many of these fall to the ‘Social, Education and Welfare’ Working Group.            [ACTION:  Mark B to follow up, with Martin Wright.]   

 

1. Regular Update – Phil Allen asked for a regular update to help the PC understand more about the MNP issues and to develop strategy.  AP explained that in addition to circulating the Minutes of MNP meetings, he and Roger had presented brief updates to each PC meeting.  However, MPC‘s Standing Orders are no longer being suspended to allow MNP to speak.  

 

1. Articles – Articles have been included in this month’s Oracle, the Village Magazine and The George’s e-News and Alan had presented a review of achievements and proposed activities in his introduction to the GIS Consultation meeting on 23 January. Info to be included in Village Welcome Pack‘ [ACTION: R Plom] 

 

1. Interim Reports – Agreed that interim reports, summarising progress to date and emerging issues would be helpful. This will require more time to be given up, but a progress report will be needed at the end of the Financial Year and also for the AGM in May, so it could be based on those. [ACTION: AP/ANO?] 

 

5.6 Village Consultation meetings 

 

Deferred, subject to discussion on the revised Project Plan.  

 

1. Project Plan & Funding 

 

1. After the formal part of the meeting closed, the Steering Group members present discussed the delayed delivery of elements of the Plan.  This was due to individuals finding they could not commit time due to work pressures, etc. [ACTION:  SB/AP- Patsy & Russ Aston offered to help, eg reviewing documents.] 

 

1. It was agreed that the BRCC’s Survey should be deferred to the second half of the next financial year (ie. after the summer) to allow us sufficient time to complete the GIS survey and agree suitable questions for this and other topic areas. This is still well within the timescale of the overall Project Plan, which anticipated completion of the NHP by March 2021. 

 

1. This would also mean that the unspent money would need to be returned, but the scheme was being carried over for another 4 years.      

 

7. WHAT NEXT? [SUMMARY OF URGENT ACTIONS]

 

Minute	Action	Who
1(i)	A point of liaison between the Parish Council and MNP’s ‘Social, Education & Welfare’ and ‘Regulation’ Working Groups is still needed.	RB/PA/PJ
1(ii)	MNP to be represented at meeting with School to discuss future needs, if poss.	SB/MB
3(i)	Link from Maulden to ‘Strategic Off-Road Access Link (from Clophill, Flitton, etc) to Flitwick – report back to next meeting.	PJ/MPC
3(iii)	Steering Group to consider open access to MNP documents on Dropbox.	SB/RB
3(iv)	To confirm when the Inspector will ratify CBC’s Local Plan.	AP
4.2(ii)	Roger to advertise the GIS event and coordinate with Jon Balaam/GST.	RB
5.5(i)	To contact ‘Social’ Groups + discuss with Martin Wright.	MB/MW
5.5(iii)	Info to be included in Village Welcome Pack‘.	R Plom
5.5(iv)	To produce and post regular interim updates/summary reports.	AP/SB/ANO?
6.(i)	New volunteers to be approached, [eg Patsy and Russ Aston offered to help review documents.]	SB/AP

 

8. AOB/ Date of next meeting 

 

The next meeting to be held on Wednesday 28th March at 8pm, Upstairs in The George, as usual. Anyone with an interest in development and planning in Maulden are welcome to attend.  

 

There being no further business, the meeting finished at 10:00 pm.