WATLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL

Clerk :  Colin Vince, 17 Bure Close, Watlington, KING'S LYNN,  Norfolk PE33 0TN

DRAFT MINUTES

Minutes of the meeting of WATLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL held on 18 February 2008 at 7.05pm in Watlington Village Hall.

Present: Cllr Lacey (Chairman); Cllrs Golding, Leedell, Mack, Murphy, Paget and Pike.

35 members of the public also attended the meeting.

Apologies for absence:  Cllrs Miller and Stevenson; Cllr Murphy for late arrival.

FEB 08/1 Declarations of Interest

FEB 08/2 Open Forum

Many floor speakers spoke out against the scale of this development, particularly the building of houses in a part of the village where nearly all the properties are bungalows. There were also concerns over site boundaries, site contamination / pollution, local springs, traffic volumes, and car parking and emergency access at the Medical Centre.

On a show of hands there was support for a much smaller scale development on the site. Parishioners who objected to this development were encouraged to write to the planning authority and to take steps to bring the matter to the notice of the local press. Cllr Golding agreed to act as a co-ordinator for anyone wishing to write a letter of protest to the Planning Authority and Cllr Leedell agreed to contact the local MP.

{Cllr Murphy arrived during the Open Forum}

FEB 08/3 Planning Applications

Cllr Mack, having declared a prejudicial interest, left the meeting at this point.

The following planning decision was agreed:

* Council objected to this application on a number of grounds:

            1) The density of the proposed development at 33 houses is not appropriate as it does not reflect the local building styles, character and identity of this part of the village. Almost all the other dwellings in this area are single storey, as is the adjacent Medical Centre.

            2) The proposal includes building houses close to the boundary line of properties in Warren Close which will completely dominate the bungalows in Warren Close.

            3) There are serious concerns over car parking arrangements needed to ensure that the Medical Centre car park is not used by residents of the proposed dwellings and over the need to ensure emergency vehicle access to the Medical Centre at all times.

            4) The Council is extremely concerned about contamination and pollution levels on this site given its history of being a waste dumping ground for many years and believes that further site investigation may be necessary.

            5) The Council does not welcome a major development on this scale in the village, given that 182 houses are being built on Martingales / The Coppice and a further 20 off Glebe Avenue, as the village infrastructure will not keep pace with these continued developments.

Council agreed that it should pursue a request for a S.106 Agreement, seeking to have Parish Council control of the Warren Close Play Area boundary hedge, the extension of the proposed footpath through the Warren Close Play Area and additional play equipment for the Play Area.

FEB 08/4 Footway Link Along Lynn Road

Council agreed a proposal from the Chairman that Mott MacDonald be advised that the Council was in favour of the revised plan for a footway along Lynn Road from the village hall car park entrance to Mill Road.

There being no other business the Council rose at 9.05pm.

The next meeting of the Council is on Tuesday 18 March 2008 in the Village Hall after the Annual Parish Meeting (7.00pm.)

SIGNED

Chairman                                                          Clerk                                         18 March 2008