Wednesday, 28 November 2007
Halfpenny Bridge to Close.
We have received confirmation of the expected closure of the footbridge that runs between Fieldings Road and Locksbrook Road.The Bridge will close in January for extensive repairs that will take several months to complete.
We have asked why the cost of a new bridge would cost far more than a repair and have been told unofficially that the cost was elevated due to the cost of moving a gas main that runs under the bridge. We have asked for the exact cost of moving this pipe and will let you know if this is why the cost of a replacement bridge doubled in price in a short period of time.
It is a shame as that we are only getting a repair, as a new bridge would have had its own cycle lane and would have been able to take its place in the National Cycle network.
It is clear that residents will be put out by the amount of time that the bridge will be closed and we have managed to get Bath & North East Somerset Council to put new lights on an alternative route via the rear of the Bus depot that should make it a safer route to use at night and early mornings.
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Wednesday, 28 November 2007
Western Riverside gets Planning consent
At the Councils development control committee yesterday outline planning consent was given to build over 2,000 new homes on the Western Riverside site that has been derelict for many years now.
It also gave detailed Permission for phase one of the developments which would see over 350 properties build at the eastern end of the site, out of these over 90 would be either for rent or affordable homes.
Both these applications have to be agreed by the government office of the South West who has placed a holding order on each of these applications preventing them from being implemented.
The controversial tall buildings on the riverside have only outline consent and these will need to come back to committee later in order that the controversial aspects of these buildings can be fully explored.
The Committee heard from 26 residents and Heritage groups who spoke against the application and 7 groups including Friends of the Earth who spoke in support of the applications.
After four and a half hours of debate and hearing public comments the committee voted 11 in favour and on against for the outline application and 10 in favour and one against with one abstention on the detailed application.
It is our understanding that if the Government office of the South West releases its holding order then work would begin on site early in 2008.
Further detailed applications will come forward for further phases in 2008 and we will keep you posted as to what they are nearer the time.
It also gave detailed Permission for phase one of the developments which would see over 350 properties build at the eastern end of the site, out of these over 90 would be either for rent or affordable homes.
Both these applications have to be agreed by the government office of the South West who has placed a holding order on each of these applications preventing them from being implemented.
The controversial tall buildings on the riverside have only outline consent and these will need to come back to committee later in order that the controversial aspects of these buildings can be fully explored.
The Committee heard from 26 residents and Heritage groups who spoke against the application and 7 groups including Friends of the Earth who spoke in support of the applications.
After four and a half hours of debate and hearing public comments the committee voted 11 in favour and on against for the outline application and 10 in favour and one against with one abstention on the detailed application.
It is our understanding that if the Government office of the South West releases its holding order then work would begin on site early in 2008.
Further detailed applications will come forward for further phases in 2008 and we will keep you posted as to what they are nearer the time.
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Monday, 26 November 2007
Local Highway Schemes Saved
At a meeting of the safety & Stronger Communities Overview & Scrutiny panel this morning to discuss the call in of the Capital Programme for the Highways Budget.
The executive member for Highways told the Panel that the Highway schemes in the Bath South West area were delayed and would take place in the next financial year.
Councillor Sharon Ball said: "it is good to hear that our local schemes have been saved although we are disappointed that they will not take place this year, I feel that if this matter had not been called in for scrutiny then we would not have been told what was happening with our local schemes".
Although the Panel dismissed the call in and did not refer the decision back to the executive member for reconsideration they did set out recommendations which upheld the original reasons for the call in.
1. That the Council enhance member engagement in relation to the Transport Capital Programme by consulting with Overview & Scrutiny on the basis of the criteria to be used when prioritising future programmes as part of the Service Plan consultation;
2. That the Cabinet member improves information given to ward members on transport issues having regard to the Local Area Agreement;
3. That if schemes are or have been deleted, ward and parish Councillors should be informed;
4. That the Panel accept the offer of the Assistant Director that members can inspect risk assessments for specific schemes;
5. That Transport and Highways offer training for members on the general process of how the Transport Capital Programme works.
The executive member for Highways told the Panel that the Highway schemes in the Bath South West area were delayed and would take place in the next financial year.
Councillor Sharon Ball said: "it is good to hear that our local schemes have been saved although we are disappointed that they will not take place this year, I feel that if this matter had not been called in for scrutiny then we would not have been told what was happening with our local schemes".
Although the Panel dismissed the call in and did not refer the decision back to the executive member for reconsideration they did set out recommendations which upheld the original reasons for the call in.
- That insufficient consultation has occurred with Councillors, parish and town councils and residents.
- That the effects of the deletion of the schemes are not adequately described within the paper.
1. That the Council enhance member engagement in relation to the Transport Capital Programme by consulting with Overview & Scrutiny on the basis of the criteria to be used when prioritising future programmes as part of the Service Plan consultation;
2. That the Cabinet member improves information given to ward members on transport issues having regard to the Local Area Agreement;
3. That if schemes are or have been deleted, ward and parish Councillors should be informed;
4. That the Panel accept the offer of the Assistant Director that members can inspect risk assessments for specific schemes;
5. That Transport and Highways offer training for members on the general process of how the Transport Capital Programme works.
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Friday, 23 November 2007
Call for improved Rail Service from Oldfield Park
A Local Councillor has asked the executive member for transport at Bath & North East Somerset Council to write to the rail authorities concerning the rail chaos in the mornings at Oldfield Park Station.The Councillor was concerned that the events of Tuesday 13th November when he was waiting for a train to Cardiff that was late arriving. The 7.50am train arrived at about 8.10 and by the time it arrived 200 plus people tried to cram onto the train. Clearly the train that is on this run is not big enough to take that many people, although most got on some were left behind. The train was crammed full of people and when it arrived at Keynsham even more tried to board the train but many were left behind. The matter of standing is of course a problem and this train was so full that those standing would have been crushed if there had been an emergency.
Local Councillors have asked that the council's executive member uses his influence on the Rail authorities to get extra carriages put on this service. The current service is not good enough and it is only a matter of time that some one gets hurt in the crush to get on the train.
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Thursday, 22 November 2007
All time high for Bath and North East Somerset recycling
Residents in Bath and North East Somerset set new records for domestic waste recycled in August and September.
47.56% of all domestic waste was recycled in August - an all time high record - whilst residents also broke the record for domestic waste recycled in the month of September, achieving a rate of 44.67%. Recycling Centre rates reached 73.17% and 69.67% in those months.
Twerton Councillor Gerry Curran was in charge of the recycling and waste collection for 4 years from 2003-2007 and was primarily responsible for the record that has been achieved.
Westmoreland Councillor Sharon Ball say's "This is great news that the new records have been set, it makes the whole process that the Liberal Democrats started in the early nineties when the Liberal Democrats ran Bath City Council worth while".
47.56% of all domestic waste was recycled in August - an all time high record - whilst residents also broke the record for domestic waste recycled in the month of September, achieving a rate of 44.67%. Recycling Centre rates reached 73.17% and 69.67% in those months.
Twerton Councillor Gerry Curran was in charge of the recycling and waste collection for 4 years from 2003-2007 and was primarily responsible for the record that has been achieved.
Westmoreland Councillor Sharon Ball say's "This is great news that the new records have been set, it makes the whole process that the Liberal Democrats started in the early nineties when the Liberal Democrats ran Bath City Council worth while".
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Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Western Riverside
A meeting to decide on the first phase of the western Riverside development is due to come before a special planning committee meeting on 28th November 2pm in the Guildhall Bath. The Planning committee will determine a detailed planning application for phase one of The Bath Western Riverside development.Also on the agenda is an amended application for outline planning consent for the whole site. Amendments have been made to the outline consent that was granted earlier this year after a series of consultation meetings with local residents and representations from statutory bodies including English Heritage.
On balance the outline plan is better than we saw at the planning meeting earlier this year with several stories being taken off of some of the tall blocks of buildings. There is a concern however that some of the buildings are of the same height as before and the mass of the buildings is not really improved.What do we do next?
Outline application
Well Crest already have an outline consent that is inferior to the one that they have now applied for so to try to ask for this one to be refused would mean that they would default back to then original consent that was passed earlier this year. On balance this application for outline consent should be approved and we can use the further phases of applications for detailed planning applications in the future to get better design features and lower heights to the buildings.
Detailed application.
We are concerned that one of the taller buildings on the Riverside is in an application for detailed consent and with regards to English Heritages comments about Crests failure so far to make this an exceptional building we are left with a very tall bland looking building that would cause architectural damage to the area.
The application for detailed consent should not be passed if this building is included in the detailed application when it arrives at committee.
The Future
In short if the detailed application is passed then the council needs to be sure that it can get better design from phase two, three, four, and five. It also needs to ensure that in future phases the tall buildings that are proposed are presented in a far more architecturally balanced way than they are at present proposed. And we would also ask that these buildings are reduced further in height
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Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Planning applications registered week beginging 19th November
There is only one planning application registered in Westmoreland this week, If you need our help with this matter or make comments on the application to the council then please let us know.
Any representations on this application should be made in writing to Development Control, Trimbridge House, Trim Street, Bath BA1 2DP. Alternatively representations can be made using the Planning Service pages of the Council's website http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/. All representations must arrive no later than the 14th December 2007.
App Ref: 07/03378/FUL
Registered: 8th November 2007 Expiry Date: 3rd January 2008
Location: 113 Lymore Avenue Twerton Bath BA2 1AX
Grid Ref: (E)373220 - (N)164047 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of extension to dwelling (Resubmission)
Officer: Martyn Edwards
Any representations on this application should be made in writing to Development Control, Trimbridge House, Trim Street, Bath BA1 2DP. Alternatively representations can be made using the Planning Service pages of the Council's website http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/. All representations must arrive no later than the 14th December 2007.
App Ref: 07/03378/FUL
Registered: 8th November 2007 Expiry Date: 3rd January 2008
Location: 113 Lymore Avenue Twerton Bath BA2 1AX
Grid Ref: (E)373220 - (N)164047 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of extension to dwelling (Resubmission)
Officer: Martyn Edwards
| Applicant: Mr J Tugwell | Agent: LPC (Trull) Ltd |
| 112 Lymore Avenue Twerton Bath BA2 1AX | Trull Tetbury Gloucestershire GL8 8SQ |
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Monday, 19 November 2007
Highways works planned for the Westmoreland area over the next week
SHOPHOUSE ROAD
From 26th November to 30th November Western Power Distribution will be working to place 3 metres of cable in the ground for a new supply.
BROOK ROAD
From 12th November to 20th November the council will be installing dropped kerbs.
DARTMOUTH AVENUE
From 16th November to 2oth November Wessex Water plc Wessex water will be carrying out works in this road.
DORSET STREET
From 21st November to 26th November Wales & West Utilities will be installing a new 7M Public service.
From 26th November to 30th November Western Power Distribution will be working to place 3 metres of cable in the ground for a new supply.
BROOK ROAD
From 12th November to 20th November the council will be installing dropped kerbs.
DARTMOUTH AVENUE
From 16th November to 2oth November Wessex Water plc Wessex water will be carrying out works in this road.
DORSET STREET
From 21st November to 26th November Wales & West Utilities will be installing a new 7M Public service.
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Monday, 12 November 2007
Planning applications week starting 12/11/07
Any representations on these applications should be made in writing to Development Control, Trimbridge House, Trim Street, Bath BA1 2DP. Alternatively representations can be made using the Planning Service pages of the Council's website http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/. All representation must arrive no later than the 8th December 2007.
App Ref: 07/03333/VAR Registered: 1st November 2007 Expiry Date: 27th December 2007
Location: Spaces Personal Storage Bellotts House Bellotts Road Twerton Bath
Grid Ref: (E)373492 - (N)164664 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Variation of condition 2 of planning permission 05/02402/VAR in relation to extension of time restrictions
Officer: Hazel Short
App Ref: 07/03333/VAR Registered: 1st November 2007 Expiry Date: 27th December 2007
Location: Spaces Personal Storage Bellotts House Bellotts Road Twerton Bath
Grid Ref: (E)373492 - (N)164664 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Variation of condition 2 of planning permission 05/02402/VAR in relation to extension of time restrictions
Officer: Hazel Short
| Applicant: Safestore Ltd | Agent: Matthews And Goodman |
| C/o Agent | 196 Deansgate Manchester M3 3WF |
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Monday, 12 November 2007
Welcome to Westmoreland Bath
This new Blog site is posted by the Local Councillors for Westmoreland. On this site we plan to keep residents informed of what is going on in the Council and on items that affect the Westmoreland area including Highways and planning items.
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