Minutes of MPC AGM 25th April 2018

Apologies – Andy Stevens and Richard Waterman

1. Alpine/Penchard Presentation

Kelvin Barry Alpine – Long-running saga with steel lorries and HGV’s causing damage to roads, verges, hedges, thatch and walls of Monxton properties and to properties on West Hill Abbotts Ann. Background before farm before they grew to the present size. Purpose of the proposed Housing project is to fund the move of the businesses to a new site on a cost neutral basis using an open book approach.

Adrian Barker – Transport movements. A site survey done in 1 day saw 75 car and 73 lorry and van movements, 8 being large HGVs.

Mike Harrison – Architect – The proposed plans retain some of the existing farm buildings and as new buildings will be visible from the surrounding areas, there will be a maximum of 2 stories high.

Bryce Diplock – Penchards – At the moment there is an average of 50 cars on site every weekday using the local roads at least twice a day, so the impact of traffic should not be increased but will not all be arriving and leaving at the same time. 

Two proposals/options

Option 1. Approximately,12 two-storey houses, terraced, semi-detached and detached. Traditional design of buildings will be on brownfield site and retain the adjoining 2.5-acre paddock with a smaller footprint than already on site. 

Option 2. Approximately 22 two-story houses Less green space with some houses built on the paddock with green around the perimeter and some back gardens

Timeline – 6 months to submit formal planning applications

Questions from public

1. Why apply for an outline and not detailed planning application?
2. It will be an illustration showing access initially.
3. How many lorry movements a day at present?
4. 8 HGVs a day = 16 lorry movements

Q What would be the impact of additional sewage disposal for the new houses?

1. Manor Farm has its own cesspit and if housing goes ahead, the site will have its own treatment plant.  South West Water would be consulted as there is an ongoing issue with the manhole in the road outside Manor Farm
2. What about Affordable housing? 
3. It could be included but would require more units as they would reduce overall net funds generated to fund move to a new site/factory.
4. If outline planning permission is approved, what stops the plans being changed if you sell it?
5. Paul Jackson – TVBC would consider the planning application on its merits and they would not normally consent to planning permission in the countryside.  They want to see the minimum development necessary to allow them to move.  A covenant can be attached to the property to limit development and the surrounding farmland is not in their ownership.
6. Abbotts Ann PC ex-Chairman stated that AA does not need any more large houses but it does need affordable housing.
7. Alpine confirmed that there could be a mix of small and large houses with a mixed community of younger and older residents.    
8. Would more houses on the site would mean more traffic?  
9. It would not, as said before there is an average of 50 cars travelling to and from the site on a daily basis now and that would drop to about 44 a day.      
10. As this application is outside policy will it need to be agreed? 
11. Paul Jackson – it would be treated as an exception. Any further ribbon development between the site and Abbots Ann would not be permitted.

Village Hall Update

Current Village Hall Situation – presented by Mel Bacon

• We are losing bookings on the present Village Hall.  There is no outside space or sufficient parking.  Yearly maintenance cost = £23,000
• 2016 planning for the Hall to improve the facilities as it needs a new boiler, kitchen, loos, roof, etc.  Quotes to do the proposed work of were between £220,0000 – £350,000
• Money in Hall fund including fundraising monies = £35,000  leaving a £150,000 shortfall even with grants 

Comment from members of the public

• The Hall is ugly, no ambiance and is an unsuitable building and people don’t want to rent it as other Village Halls are preferable.
• We have lost our pub, we can’t lose our Village Hall as well.
• Do the grants have conditions? – Yes
• Couldn’t we just go ahead with the main issues for the money already raised?
  • We need £350,000 for the renovation/extension works. There needs to be a new entrance and we cannot increase the parking as the adjacent landowner won’t give us an option to purchase any land next to the hall.

Proposed new Village Hall Presentation – by Cllr SD

• A developer now owns The Pub, the Village Green and the Pub Car Park. 
• We are proposing a new Village Hall to be built at the end of the car park, a purpose-built building with 15 car parking spaces costing approx £400,000.  We have approached TVBC re the proposed plans and the owner of the Pub, DC Li Ltd, who have both indicated that they would be agreeable to the proposal in principle subject to detailed planning applications. The traditional design would be barn-style with a mezzanine, opening out on to the Village Green.  We cannot register the Village Green unless the MPC own it.  The interior would have oak beams and a wood burner to heat the building.  It would provide a flexible space, where it could be opened up on to the green in the summer, running costs would be lower and there would be a cafe area and events such as a Book Club.

Comments from Members of the Public

• What about the Electricity sub-station which is there now?  
• It would be moved to the front of the car park.
• How much of the Green would be used?
• A small area for car parking.

Chairman advised – MPC owns the freehold of the present village hall and that would be able to be transferred to the developer in part payment for the new hall, village green and car park.  Additional funding of £350,000 would be required and part of this would come from CIL funding. CIL monies can only be used for new builds or new extensions to existing buildings.

New build hall costs of £300,000. Cost of the refurbishment of old hall = £200,000 

Possible Name – The Pillhill Brook Community Hall.  We will have a village survey, get values of both sites, appoint legal advisors, 3 quotes from builders and a risk assessment and we propose to sell the current hall site to DC Li in part payment of the project.

Comments from members of the public 

• There will be noise from the new village hall affecting nearby residents.
• The villagers would like the pub back. 
  • Cllr SD – Villagers were given the opportunity to buy the pub 2 years ago but there was not enough support.
  • Cllr MC – Far more work required to assess the viability of the various options and ascertain what the villagers of Amport and Monxton want from a village hall.
• Are other sites available?  Cllr MC – No
• What about Knocking down and rebuilding the present village hall?
  • Cllr MC – That may be an option but doesn’t solve parking problems or protect the village green.
• What is the consultation process? 
  • Chairman – There will be a consultation with residents via an Internet survey and hard copy for those with no web access plus public meetings and exhibitions.
• There will be more traffic with people coming from outside the village. 
  • Cllr SD – The new hall will mainly be used by Monxton and Amport residents who can walk to it.
• What is DC Li planning?
  • Cllr SD – Pub – will be converted to a single dwelling. If no new hall on the car park they will build either  5 x 2-bed or 2 x 5-bed houses.
• When does the planning permission for the current renovation expire.
  • PJ (TVBC) – PP lasts for 3 years and there can be a re-submission.
• What happens if we don’t get enough support from the villagers?
  • Cllr MC – So far, we have support from Amport PC and we will provide more details to villagers in due course of the various options with pros and cons.

Planning

• New build behind Corner Cottage – MPC have received £3,700 from CIL fund, with a further similar sum to follow when the build is complete.
• Black Swan – In discussions with DC Li.
• ANPR System – 54 HGV violations HCC have invoiced Goodmans £17,000, which they have refused to pay.

Environment

• Pillhill Brook – Hants and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, together with 16 partner organisations, have embarked on a project called Watercress & Winterbournes and the Pillhill Brook is one of the 7 streams included in this project. Watercress & Winterbournes has successfully secured Heritage Lottery funding to develop community bids and proposals in this development phase, to improve the impacts on these streams. A meeting has been arranged with HIWWT to discuss what the bid would deliver for our village and the things that we would like to see happen.  If residents have any suggestions on how we can preserve and enhance our sections of the Pillhill Brook, please contact Cllr JB.  
• Southern Water – Groundwater levels remain very high but there have been no issues at the Pumping Station.  
• Footpaths – MPC has been informed that the funding is still not in place for the Lengthsman Scheme.

Sunnybank

• Drains and ditches cleared.
• Volunteer needed for traffic calming scheme.
• Piles of chalk dumped on the borders of the BOAT at Manor Farm

Finances  (TBC by Richard Waterman at the next meeting)

End of meeting