8th JUNE 2020

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GARRISON RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

COMMITTEE MEETING

HELD ON 8th JUNE 2020

ZOOM MEETING (following Covid-19 rules) 7.30 P.M.

Logged in:

  • Chris Coomber  Hon. Chairman

  • Phil Coombes    Hon. Treasurer

  • Pamela Deakin  Hon. Secretary

  • Jason Britchford

  • Pam Dewey

  • Robert Fowler

  • Jonathan Hunnibal

  • Larry Irwin

  • Cliff Marshall

  • Daniel Puddick

  • Richard Spence

 

1 Apologies

None received

2.   Minutes of Committee Meeting of 9th March 2020

The minutes of 9th March were adopted as correct

3.     Cart & Wagon Shed update

The building work re-commenced with social distancing.

The work is subject to delays due to the lockdown; revised finish is expected end August.

 Estuary Festival 2020 is cancelled for 2020, due to Covid-19. Rescheduled to take place in 2021.

4.     Update on S106 Handover.

Avant Homes has confirmed that

·       They await news from SBC on the documents relating to the sea wall transfer and Anglian Water deed of grant.

·       The handover can take place once these are received

5.     Report from Managing Agents, Fowler & Spenceley.

Robert Fowler presented the report from the managing agents.

Landscaping: Business has continued as usual during the lockdown.

Speed bumps in Mess Road, which were damaged, have been repaired.

Parking: Council closure of car parks has caused problems. There has been increased nuisance parking along Mess Road, including blocking of driveways and increased drug activity. Police have been informed and are patrolling intermittently.

There has been a problem with antisocial parking outside Gunnery House.  Cllr Jarvis has complained, and will meet Chris and the Managing Agents to pursue a further review of parking solutions.

Cliff noted that SBC Parks Department are not fulfilling their maintenance duties (due to lockdown?) and welcomed work by local residents Harry and Jamie who made a superb job of clearing the tennis courts.

Parade Walk: Anti-social behaviour continues, including rubbish throwing at windows. Vegetation on the sea wall banking has become very overgrown, sufficiently to shield perpetrators.

Avant Homes have been contacted and quote to cut the banks back is £160 +VAT. Avant Homes has responded that there are no funds to complete this work. It was decided that funds would be provided from Estate Management.

Parking and Traffic Issues: Camper van in Chapel Road appears to be removed

6.     Development Plans

Garrison Developments submitted a Request for Scoping 20/00740/RSO to Southend BC, proposing development of 250 homes and health centre off (New) Barge Pier Road. Garrison Developments has also informed residents of a different plan for the same site, comprising 100 houses, 115 flats, a café, pharmacy and health centre.

After lengthy discussion it was agreed that:

a)    It is not appropriate to build on an active flood plain

b)    Raising of levels by 3m (by ground infill) or 6m (by above ground structures with undercroft parking) is unsuitable for the natural and built environment

c)     Inclusion of 5-storey flats is unacceptably intrusive on existing building and adjacent SSSI nature reserves

d)    Layout of the flats and health centre, (identified as Home Zone 4 on some published documents) with access through Lidl car park, is dangerous to public well-being 

Chris to write an objection to Southend BC

Guidance will be added to the website to encourage SGRA members to make their own submissions as follows:

Objections to Planning Application 20/00740/RSO

I.      In the present circumstances it is legally impossible to hold a public consultation meeting

       before the 16th June 2020.

2.   As an active Grade 3 flood plain,  the Environment Agency’s advice of "25/2/20 by

      Sir James Bevan, Head of the Environmental Agency, stated that NO building should

       take place on a flood plain, unless it was unavoidable.

       Taking into consideration the level of completed and planned developments of residential

       housing in the Southend area and the vacant commercial units in the area, it does not

       appear to meet The EA unavoidable criteria.

3.    Reserve matters outstanding on Planning permission 15/02053/OUTM have not been

        satisfied , these related to sea wall defences south of NEW Barge Pier Road and must be    

        addressed  in the new application.

4.     Infrastructure - road layouts are not sufficient to support 250 more dwelling exiting

        solely onto Ness Road. The original road plan was approved for 485 dwellings 463

         have already been built. The road access to the Health Centre and Home zone

         Zero 4 flats appears to be through the supermarket car park with car parking spaces

         of 20. In addition the local schools are at capacity as are all the Health Facilities.

5.     Development will result in no local employment. 

6.     Huge impact on Wildlife etc in Gunners Park and on SSI and will compromise the

        existing historic and conservation area.

7.     The comments in the scoping that a build of this size, taking 5 years, will have

         No significant impacts on the surrounding areas both during construction and

         when completed lacks credibility .

8.     The website advertisement regarding the Health Centre is incorrect. GRA has been told that this health centre will not be built

9.     The planning diagrams on the Garrison Gardens website are somewhat fraudulent in respect to landscaping etc, the “masterplan” will struggle to provide all promised development within the area

10.  Development will cause unacceptable density within the area, especially in regard to schooling, policing, health services and impact on roads. Local schools are at capacity, as are all health facilities.

11.  Increased criminality: with car parking designed to be underneath housing areas, this design has in other areas increased levels of car crime. 

Arrangements will be advised for the meeting on July 20th 2020.

Thank you to Phil for arranging and hosting the Zoom “venue”.