Howard Woollaston: Parish Matters – April 2022

Parish Matters

On the last day of March, here I am at my desk writing this newsletter and watching snow fall quite heavily. The same time last week I had got the garden furniture out and was sitting reading the paper with my morning fruit juice outside. What has happened to our weather?

I usually restrict my comments to pure ward issues: but as Executive Policy Portfolio Holder for Leisure I was absolutely delighted to get the 10-year Leisure Strategy signed off along with approval to spend £5 million on a complete refurbishment of Newbury’s historic Lido. You will get the opportunity to enjoy this enhanced facility when it reopens, hopefully in July 2023.

Anyway, turning to matters affecting Lambourn, Eastbury and the Woodlands: –

Planning

The full list is available on Lambourn.org’s excellent website but the ones that caught my eye this month were: Hunt Kennels Farm on Ermin Street; Jamie Snowden’s application for a hostel and a new barn for stables and storage; and the detailed application for Walker’s Distribution unit at Membury.

The Hunt Kennels application for the demolition of the old kennels building and their replacement by a modest sized distribution unit was approved. I voted against as I shared the view of objectors that it sets a dangerous precedent to allow “creep“ of industrial use North of the B4000. That said, the applicant runs a small local company generating employment –  and it is on their land next to their house – so I had quite a lot of sympathy for their situation.

I am relieved that the consent has had some of the most robust conditions attached that I have seen and which clearly recognise that this is a special case. They link the use very firmly to the family company’s activities and ensures it reverts to agricultural use thereafter.

As the hostel and barn application could come before Western Area Planning Committee, I am not allowed to be pre-determined. However, I do welcome the addition of hostel accommodation as Lambourn suffers from a lack of suitable housing for those in the racing industry.

The Walkers application is to cover things like access roads, tree planting and colours. It remains a hugely controversial development locally and a petition of over 150 signatures was submitted to WBC opposing it.

I was also asked to inspect Sheepdrove Organic Farm by the Kindersley family. One cannot fail to be impressed by their passion for organic farming and the improvements they have undertaken since the purchase from the Milk Marketing Board some 25 years ago. Clearly all farms must diversify these days in order to remain profitable but this needs to be balanced by any impact on the rest of the community, in this case potential traffic generation.

Planning decisions are rarely straightforward…

Eastbury Village Hall

I have mentioned in a previous newsletter the dire state that this loved building is in. It is riddled with dry and wet rot to the extent that the Trustees cannot insure it for public use. To make things worse, there were significant amounts of asbestos used in its construction which will cause additional demolition costs.

I have been able to help the Trustees in two ways: firstly, to arrange for Mathewson Waters, the architects in Lambourn, to do some work on the basis of deferred fees until funds can be released; secondly, to make representations to remove any Council Tax liability (which looks to have been successful).

The two options thereafter are (i) to find a way of funding a new village hall or (ii) to demolish it, obtain planning consent for a single house and use the proceeds for the benefit of the village. I personally favour the former but there is a long way to go.

Roads and rights of way

I hope that you will have noticed the extensive pothole repairs on the B4000 from the Pheasant towards Membury. It is a good start but there is more to be done. Similarly, I noticed today that the promised work to resurface Foxbury is complete. Please do continue to report potholes to West Berkshire Council.

I have been trying for many months now to get the wall in Three Posts Lane in Lambourn repaired. I have now agreed to meet the WBC Officer on site to finally resolve this.

The improvement to Fulke Walwyn Way in Upper Lambourn should start this spring as should – finally – the traffic calming measures in Eastbury.

Lambourn Centre and Lambourn Youth

It is very early days, but I am looking at ways to increase the usage of the Lambourn Centre, retaining the sports and gym facilities but making it more of a community asset. Working with Anna Field, West Berkshire’s Community Engagement Team, and Berkshire Youth we would like to put in a safe destination point for the young people in Lambourn which the recent survey showed to be severely lacking and ultimately to devolve the building to a Community Group.

So far it is looking very encouraging but more to follow over the coming months.

Membury Industrial Estate and the B4000

It wouldn’t be a newsletter from me without these old favorites. Four members of the Woodlanders Protection Group and I had a most successful meeting with West Berkshire Council (WBC) including the Executive Director for Place (which includes Planning Enforcement and Highways) with her senior Officers for each discipline. This has resulted in a number of action points including:

• WBC Civil Contingencies to be approached about an emergency plan for the whole of Membury Industrial Estate, given the amount of combustible materials there.
• An internal working group to be established at WBC to look at an action plan.  It will comprise Officers from the following teams:
  • Planning Development Control & Enforcement
  • Planning Policy
  • Environmental Health
  • Highways
  • Business Rates
• WBC to investigate air quality surveys.
• WBC to investigate M4 diversion routing and interaction with satnavs.
• WBC to look again at speed checks and traffic calming measures.

This is being followed up by two site inspections and a review meeting towards the end of May. At last, I feel that the pressure for action is having an impact.

Lambourn neighbourhood development plan

The work continues and there will be a further opportunity for public consultation and input in May with public meetings being arranged in late May at Upper Lambourn, Lambourn, Eastbury and the Woodlands. A leaflet will be hand-delivered to every home in the first week of May with all the details and these will also be given publicity elsewhere including in Penny Post and Lambourn.org. and I do urge you to attend a meeting and express your views. I will be at every meeting if you wish to speak to me about anything else.

Nutrient neutrality

This bombshell was dropped onto the planners at WBC about two weeks ago and may have a major impact on planning in the Lambourn Valley. A number of rivers and their water catchment areas have been selected for protection including the Lambourn from its source in Upper Lambourn down to where it joins the Kennet in Newbury.

The directive is designed to reduce the amount of phosphates and nitrogen going into rivers, particularly chalk streams. I have to say this is commendable for the benefit of our river but similar action in the Test Valley last year resulted in huge planning delays for a year as developers and private individuals tried to understand the implications on the planning process, particularly on drainage.

Lambourn Junction

Huge congratulations to Julie Blogg who has been tireless and passionate about the Lambourn Junction initiative. She has received a 2022 High Sheriff of Berkshire Award for all of her commitment and hard work. Seven charities received an award, but Julie was the only one from West Berkshire.

Lambourn’s phone box

Lambourn’s telephone box is under threat of closure again. Cristian Noll is leading the charge to save it and putting a petition together. It does not have large usage, hence presumably why BT want to close it, but I can’t help feeling that it might be for instances of real cries for help from the most disadvantaged of our community and it is worth fighting to keep it. Lambourn.org and Penny Post are both following this story.

Hats off to…

Lastly a well done to West Berkshire Council and its contractors, Veolia. An elderly lady from Lambourn called me mid-morning last Tuesday to say that her black bin had not been emptied the previous week. I spoke to the Waste Manager who immediately called her to apologise even better, her bin was collected that afternoon. One very happy resident!

Get in touch

As ever if I can help, please call me on 07836 718100 or email me Howard.woollaston1@westberks.gov.uk

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy Easter.

Howard Woollaston

Conservative Ward Member for Lambourn

Executive Member for Internal Governance, Leisure & Culture