Developers rip up Ladden Gardens Local Centre master plan

Plans have now been published for the 'local centre' at Ladden Gardens. They are COMPLETELY different from the approved master plan.

The hotel and pub are gone, the 7 shops have been reduced to 1, green space is being removed and car parking put in. Instead all the space that would have been used for these facilities is going to be 3 storey flats, with only the road width and s single row of cars between them and existing houses. All the plans showing them set further back have been torn up. They are proposing to put the community building at one end, and all the parking at the other end, right outside existing houses (just to make sure you maximise disturbance to resident late night).

If YOU live anywhere on the new development, you might want to have a look and comment as this is going to be the only community facility for the whole of the new development. You can find it at: southglos.gov.uk/search-planning-applications - then put in the reference P19/14631/RM - but you will need to move fast - they only published this revised version of the plan this week and want comments immediately.

The version the developers put in last October was far far worse, and S Glos officers have done well to get as many changes as they have managed so far. Now we need to all help put pressure on to get more changes.

The Town Council has objected to the changes - when resident shave tried to get eg play area problems sorted out they are told by the planners ' oh we have to stick to the approved masterplan' but this looks like another example of one rule for residents and one for the developers - if the developers get away with ripping up the masterplan for the local centre. Their only excuse for the change is ' there is no demand for a pub or hotel' - well not right now maybe, but we need to plan for the next 50 years - and if they cannot build those right now, at least let us have it for community uses, to replace the community use of a pub and hotel.

DOING UP MILLSIDE PARK

Do you use the park or play area? We have managed to get a grant to do up the park/play area. A group of residents and councillors is now working on options. These will come out for consultation as soon as possible - meanwhile, we would love to hear your ideas, what would your children like? What must be kept? Or changed?Please email chriswillmore@blueyonder.co.uk

Brimsham Pylons new date to remove - 2022

(Photo Mayor Karl Tomasin with residents earlier in 2020 in his campaign to get rid of the pylons)The Lib Dem Focus Team Councillors have been trying to get a commitment to get the pylons along Eastfield Drive removed.

Remember the promise years ago to underground the pylons😃? When it did not happen, South Gloucestershire Council washed their hands of it and said there was nothing they could do.

But your councillors from the Focus Team did not give up.

Led by Yate Mayor Karl Tomasin, they started talking direct with Western Power and tracked down the person in charge of the issue. And have been in touch with them regularly ever since, even during lockdown.

Western Power have been working really hard to get a solution. This week, Western Power came back to them with the following news

“Just to confirm we are now looking to move forward with an underground solution from the customer site to Chipping Sodbury Substation* the works are not expected to be completed until sometime late 2022. I would expect there to be disruption to residents from early 2022 while the cable route is installed. Obviously these are only indicative timescales for now and the scheme is reliant on the customer funding the scheme.”

* Western Power’s name for our Brimsham substation. The ‘customer’ is Barretts.

A big thank you to the Western Power officer, who has worked so hard with our councillors to get to this stage. A pity S Glos Council wasn't willing to add its weight to the local work.

Tories grab control over whether planning applications even go to a planning committee.

After the fiasco of residents not being allowed to speak at the planning committee meetings discussing Rockwood and the play area behind Meadow Mead - there is one bit of good news.

We made a huge fuss and S Glos has finally agree to restore the right for residents to speak at committee on line. Something most other councils found no difficulty in keeping when they switched to digital meetings, but S Glos said they couldn't.

But at the same time they have TAKEN AWAY the right of local councillors to refer planning applications to committee. At present as long as three local members want it referred, they have a right to take it to committee for a decision - so when officers are going against what residents want, local councillors can force it to committee so residents can speak and hope to persuade the committee. But now, the Chair of the Planning Committee is going to be given the power to decide whether that is allowed.

The Chair is not local, and on past form does not listen to residents. The Tories have imposed this new system, where they control what goes to committee and what is pushed through irrespective of local views. We will monitor carefully, and keep residents posted. Your Lib Dem local councillors will continue to try to get a fair hearing for residents when officers are not backing resident

TORIES RIDE ROUGHSHOD OVER RESIDENTS TO GIVE DEVELOPERS WHAT THEY WANT

PLAY AREA & PAVILION GET GO AHEAD DESPITE STRONG OBJECTION

Never mind the fact that adjoining residents are opposed. Never mind that every single local councillor in this town is against it.Never mind it is not the strategic Master Plan for the new development, what developers want they get. Yesterday South Glos Planning Committee granted consent for developers to put a major play area, including aerial ropeway and a 'pavilion' without doors, or windows and a flat roof right behind existing houses in Meadow Mead, Brimsham Park. Nobody would have minded the small equipment for young children originally in the plans. But these massive changes will mean gardens overlocked, teenagers on the 'pavilion roof' or in it at all hours.

When as locals we identify ways to improve plans we are told we cannot depart from the Master Plan, but when developers want to, then it gets waived through.

Despite letters from loads of residents, despite representations at the committee from Cllr Mike Drew on behalf of local councillors, the Town Council - a committee majority made up of Tory Councillors who don't live within 5 miles of here dumped it on us, against every local person involved.

A disgrace.

Just look at what they are insisting goes up just yards from people's houses

PUBLIC GAGGED OVER MEADOW MEAD PLAY AREA

Meadow Mead play area

Back at the last planning meeting at S Glos before lock down, because a couple of Tory councillors didn't show up or send subs, the Planning Committee was able to back residents and throw out plans for a play area, including aerial walkway and pavilion right behind houses in Meadow Mead. Residents understandably want the play area moved into the park, which is yards away - and don't want the 'pavilion which will become a teen shelter. Local councillors backed residents and persuaded the planning committee at S Glos to back them.

But now the Tories at S Glos have put the application on the agenda of another committee, specifically with the aim of overruling the earlier decision. Never mind what local residents want, never mind what local councillors want, the Tories none of whom live anywhere near here know better.

And worse, they have used COVID as an excuse to BAN the public from speaking at the meeting. Other councils meeting on line have continued to let the public speak, but S Glos says that is too hard, so the residents won't even be able to speak at the meeting. Cllr Mike Drew has condemned this as a farce.

Brinsham Fields update : fishing and conservation pond

The Lake, Conservation Pond, Fishing and Brinsham Fields

Under the latest rules, fishing is allowed - PROVIDING you stick to social distancing rules. Unfortunately there are reports that people at Brinsham are not sticking to the rules. In any event stands for fishing along part of the lake are so close to the path that people walking past mean the anglers cannot stick to the social distancing rules. So the Town Council has been asked by users to close those stands that are too close to the footpath for social distancing. Anglers will still be able to use the other stands. BUT if users continue to break the social distancing rules all the stands may have t be closed. So please, stick to the rules so you can continue to fish.

As an update for other users - investigations into the lake - the Environment Agency say they dpn't think there is a problem. The conservation pond is very low on water. It is fed from a stream up towards Autumn Brook. But we think the new drainage for the new development is pinching all the water. We have raised this before with the developers. The Town Council is going to have another go. Yes we want them to put in drainage to stop flooding, but we all want to keep the conservation pond.

Fishing and Tennis

Fishing at Brinsham Lake

(Not a typo that is the correct spelling for the lake and park).

As angling is now permitted, a notice will be going up at Brinsham Lake containing guidance from: https://joinanglingtrust.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Phase-One-Individual-9.pdf

But remember, social distancing rules apply. Please remove all your rubbish - remember there are fewer people around to clean up after users of parks.

The Town Council announced last night:

Sunnyside Tennis Courts

A poster will be displayed at the tennis courts and online (social media/website) to advise that the tennis courts:

• are now available to be booked for public use subject to the hirer complying with the safe distancing rules (eg, playing with members of the same household or one other person staying two metres apart), full details of which can be found here;

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staying-alert-and-safe-social-distancing?

• will be let at one court per booking so there will be no one playing on the other court at the same time (unless families from the same household wish to book both courts);
• bookings can be made on weekdays by emailinginfo@yatetowncouncil.gov.uk 24 hours prior to games being played and payment must be made via bank transfer.

We will be spacing bookings so there is a gap between them to reduce chances of social contact when one booking finishes/another starts (eg, booking 1 from 10am – 11am and booking 2 from 12pm-1pm etc).  

Youth Workers to tackle issues at key open spaces

Thank you for reporting spaces where you have seen people gathering.  As a result, Avon and Somerset Police are deploying youth workers to the Yate area, with the sole purpose of reinforcing the #stayhome message. These youth work teams are essential workers and they will be supplying outreach support to encourage young people to return home, or to a place where they are safe.

Brimsham Park and Lye Fields have been identified as emerging hotspots for Avon and Somerset Police, where young people are breaching social distancing guidelines. Starting on 04.05.20 for 2 weeks, there will be daily outreach sessions with an aim to:

• Safeguard vulnerable young people;
• Inform young people of risks to health, and the police consequence of continued breaches;
• Encourage young people to return home, or to a safe place.

The team will be in these areas:

• Mon, Weds and Fri for 1 hour at 1pm
• Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs and Fri for 1 hour at 5pm

They will wear LPW ID at all times, follow social distancing and wear PPE.  If you have any concerns please contact Avon and Somerset Police:

https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/report/breach-of-covid-19-restrictions/

Brimsham Park street clean

Thanks to everyone who joined the Brimsham Street clean last Sunday 15th (before social distancing). There will be more in April, COVID permitting

Here are just a couple of the photos.

Lib Dem Focus Team get plans for play are behind Meadow Mead thrown out

After months of controversy which saw residents of Meadow Mead in Brimsham Park pitted against developers, residents have won round  one of their fight to stop a 'pavilion' aerial cableway and spiders web by their houses.

the 'pavilion' developers want to put right behind houses

 

















Developers want to put in a 'pavilion' that has open ends, lovely foothold style footholds and a flat roof, 3.15m high made of wood, within 25m of houses - ideal for climbing into  - and an aerial cableway, spiders web and other big play equipment. As Adrian Rush commented, the  chances are it will get burn down


The local Lib Dem Focus Team Councillors alerted residents, and the Friends of Brimsham Park.
Residents and Friends put in objections. So did the Town Council. But South Glos officials  pushed those objections aside, and said the proposal was okay and would grant consent.

As the only way to try to stop this Mike Drew as local ward councillor got the application referred to a special Committee of Councillors - the Strategic Sites Committee.

But then COVID-19 hit.

Residents had planned to turn up in force - but with COVID-19 and the fact a great many were in vulnerable categories or priority jobs, they couldn't. They wrote to the Chief Exec and Leader of the Council pleading for them to delay the meeting of the committee. Mike backed residents. The Focus Team wrote to the directors of Barretts' (the applicants) asking for them to get it deferred.  Residents rightly felt they were being denied their right to be heard. All to no avail.

South Glos insisted on going ahead.

But when it came to it, although all the Labour and Lib Dem members of the committee turned up to do their duty (or sent a substitute), only 3 of the 5 Tories turned up.  So, they were willing to force residents to go to speak up for their street but not turn up themselves!

So Chris Willmore went on behalf of the residents and explained why residents were so upset.

 The Officers were still insisting the scheme should go ahead, despite its impact on residents, despite the fact it was contrary to the development master plan.  Mike Drew commented "When we as a community want to improve things in the new development we are told we can't as the master plan is sacrosanct. But when developers want to depart from the master plan that seems ok to officers."

BUT THEN A MIRACLE HAPPENED .Residents had resigned themselves to losing.  Tory members of the Committee always back the officers and they have a majority. Normally. But they were two down. Labour and Lib Dem Councillors on the Committee voted to back the residents. The plan was thrown out.

Chris commented "It was utterly unacceptable to force people like me to choose between our health and our democratic duty to residents. As their local councillor I felt I had to take the risk and go. I am just incredibly grateful to the Lib Dem and Labour Councillors on the committee, who also put the democratic process first, turned up  and listened to local residents.  Sharing the news with them last night was the first piece of goodnews they'd had for a while"

The victory might be short lived though - as the officers, as soon as the votes were counted, announced they will be taking it to a body called the Spatial Planning Committee, which has a bigger Tory majority and is designed to overturn decisions where members have dared to go against officer recommendations. So we have won round one, but may still lose.  Unless officers and developers see sense in the meantime.

Sunday 3pm help clean up Brimsham Park area: Reminder

A reminder, that Sunday 3pm residents are going out to clear footpaths around the Brimsham Park estate - meet at the play area in the park. Bring your gloves, but  bags and litter pickers will be provided.

Join other residents to Spring Clean 15th March

The first of a number of posts advertising spring clean events around town - helping clean up our town.
Timewise the first one is Brimsham Park / Ladden Gardens, Sun15th March  Meet 3pm by the gate to the play area in the park. Yate Pilgrim Group is organising it. The town council are lending pickers and recycling bags. Come along and lend a hand or two. 

We've got more to advertise in the next couple of weeks. If you're holding one and want more publicity, then please tell us chriswillmore@blueyonder.co.uk.