Clean up continues

Sharon and Sarah at site before work was done

It was also nice to catch up with James this morning, who said he is really pleased with the work we have been doing to tackle the graffiti and mess around the area and get one of the main routes into Bath look more welcoming.

It was really good to see the panels on the other half of the Lidl site finally being painted yesterday, covering up all the graffiti and making the site look a lot better.

Student community Fun Day18th April

Sarah and I have again this year joined the steering group setting up the fun day this year at Oldfield Park Baptist Church.

After being such a success for the past two years it is a pleasure to again be lending a hand at an event designed to bring Town & Gown together.

This year there are stalls being planned from badge making to children's drawing completions and cake making contests.

The Mayor and Chairman have been invited to attend the event.

It is also hoped that local councillors will give up a but of electioneering and attend to give helpful and practical advice to any one who needs it.

Again the event is on 18th April from 12noon till 3pm.

Westmoreland Walk around

Had a good walk around the Lansdown View Estate this morning with Zack from Curo and whilst there we discussed issues such as the fly tipping by the Curo depot on Loxton Drive that Zack has agreed to get cleared.

We also looked at a residents request for an opening in a Curo Fence.

At Priddy Close we looked at several trees in some gardens that are in need of maintenance as they are affecting other residents.

We also asked for an update on the spring that is running to the rear of some of the houses on Rooksbridge walk.

In King Georges Road we looked at the land on Lansdown View where the council have put money into the budget to have a slither of grass put down to tarmac.

It was also good to catch up with Mark a local resident and discuss several contentious issues in the area with him which left him with a far better understanding.

Brook Road / Bellotts Road,

We have asked the council to remove the litter and rubbish that has been dumped in the lane that runs adjacent to the railway track between these two roads.

We have also asked for the graffiti that has been sprayed onto nearby building to be removed.

If you know who has been dumping the rubbish or have been spraying graffiti then please let us know

Land Cleared up at Last

I looked through my records the other day and it does not seem like nine years that i have been on about this piece of land and the mess that it was in.

Despite many requests to British Land it seemed like nothing was going to happen.

Then a chance meeting between British Land and Council officials where the condition of this land was raised seemed to work miracles.


I am sure that other residents are as pleased as I am that this land that is beside the former Seven Stars public house and directly opposite Bathwick Tyres is at long last in a condition that we can be proud of on the entrance to the city.

Can I thank those officials and British land for at long last sorting this out.

Lidl Opening delayed

We are disappointed to report that Lidl have informed us that they are unable to open their new store at the Former Herman Miller site on the Lower Bristol Road on 19th February.

Although the store is virtually finished and even has food and goods going on the shelves they will not be able to open on that date through no fault of their own.

Lidl had arranged as far back as last August for BT to carry out works to move one of their connection boxes that form part of the new entrance to the car park and even paid in advance for the work to be carried out.

BT for their part arrived on site last week after the intervention of the Council in assisting Lidl who could not get commitment from BT when they we going to carry out the required work.

BT state that the work could take 3 more weeks and that is what the delay is. We are sure that BT knew that the works would take this long when they were first approached by Lidl and if so why have they failed to organise themselves to meet their obligations.

It seems ironic that it is the same BT that delayed the opening of the new Sainsbury's store in Keynsham not so long ago.

We await the apology from BT to all our local residents who have waited so long for this store to open but this is with baited breath.

As to the date of the opening of Lidl we will keep residents informed.

Green Space Designation - South West Bath

B&NES are currently working on the Placemaking Plan (part two of the new B&NES Local Plan).  The Council recently published the Options document for consultation and is intending to publish the Draft Plan in September 2015.

Cllrs Sharon Ball, Paul Crossley & Dine Romero at Brickfields
with local campaigner Sarah Moore

In terms of the Placemaking Plan there is an opportunity for Parish/Town councils and for resident associations in Bath to identify green areas of particular importance to them for special protection through designation in the Placemaking Plan. Once designated these open spaces will not be developed except in very special circumstances. Local Green Space Designations need to be in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) criteria set out below.

National policy also states that designation will not be appropriate for most green areas or open space. The designation should only be used:

  *   where the green space is in reasonably close proximity to the community it serves;
  *   where the green area is demonstrably special to a local community and holds a particular local significance, for example because of its beauty, historic significance, recreational value (including as a playing field), tranquillity or richness of its wildlife; and
  *   where the green area concerned is local in character and is not an extensive tract of land

The Liberal Democrat team in the South West of Bath, including Councillors Sharon Ball, Tim Ball, Gerry Curran, Dine Romero and Paul Crossley together with local campaigner Sarah Moore have decided to submit a request that a number of locations are considered within this area, to include The Brickfields, Hillcrest Field, Roundhill and Innox Park.

Please contact us if you feel there are other areas in the community that you would like to be considered as soon as possible as the deadline for this is 25th February 2015.

Rooksbridge walk

We have asked for works to be carried out on the lane from Shophouse Road to Rooksbridge Walk.

We have asked both the council and curo to chase the owner of the large hedge to have it cut back and the brambles removed from it.

The amount of litter is also of concern and we have asked that it is cleared as soon as possible.

One matter that keeps coming up is that this lane is very dark and we have asked that both Curo and the Council investigate the installation of lighting on this path.

New Lidl Store on target

Councillor Sharon Ball and Local Activist Sarah Moore at Lidl Site

During our walk around Westmoreland at the weekend, Councillor Sharon Ball and I visited the Lidl site to check on progress.

As you can see windows and cladding have been put in, the boarding has been taken down and work is moving at a great pace and whilst talking with workers on the site we can confirm they are on target for their scheduled opening on Thursday 19th February.

Following the advice and assistance provided to Lidl to overcome difficult planning issues that were encountered, Councillors Sharon Ball and Paul Crossley have been asked to officially open the store at 8am on the day.

by
Sarah Moore