CLLR ROGER SYMONDS AND CLLR CHERRY BEATH, LIB DEMS FOR COMBE DOWN WARD

Monday, March 26, 2007

Save St Martins Garden Primary School


Good schools are a top priority to parents and children alike, and a good school also reflects well on a community. We are lucky to have a school as successful as St. Martin’s Garden nearby.

St. Martin’s Garden School, the Margaret Coates Centre and Sure Start Children's Centre are all excellent facilities. Many Combe Down and Odd Down children attend the School, but it is under threat.

The Government's Planning inspector recommended that it should be knocked down and re-built on a smaller site to make way for a supermarket. Parents and Governors and many more people across the city objected to this plan - there were 1500 objections during the 6 week consultation period alone.

Council Officers though are still not convinced by this show of support and have recommended to Council on Thursday 29th March (Guildhall 6.30pm) that the School is included in this development site. We have no objection to the neighbouring site, owned by Hayesfield School being developed, but we believe that it is madness to move a perfectly good school against the wishes of so many people.

The Liberal Democrats are fighting to save St. Martin’s Garden and will be looking for support from other Political Parties to an amendment to keep the School on its present site.

Please turn up if you can to support St. Martin’s, or if you can’t then please make your support known by signing up to the Save St Martins web site http://www.savestmartins.moonfruit.com/

Bradford Park Flats - door problems

The doors of all three blocks of flats in Bradford Park are regularly vandalised (20 separate repairs in 2007 so far). We have contacted Somer Housing Trust to find out what they intend to do about this issue.

Somer said that they are making plans to install high security entrance systems over the next two years targeted at areas with the biggest security problems. Bradford Park flats will be included in this programme, but at present Somer do not know whether Bradford Park will be included in the 2007/8 or 2008/9 programmes. Somer’s antisocial behaviour team is also aware of the situation.

We have written to Somer to urge them to put Bradford Park high up the list for 2007/08. We think that to wait more than another year for these upgrades is much too long.

We will continue to keep an eye on developments. We also believe that where there are tenants associations putting pressure as a group on Somer more is likely to be done to solve problems and to make improvements.

If anyone is interested in having a role in forming such a group, please contact us and we will convene a meeting of interested residents.

Combe Down Residents Group

On Friday 23rd March a group of about 15 residents of Combe Road agreed to form a Residents Association at a meeting at Combe Down Primary School, called by Malcolm Bottomley. Residents in Combe Road have suffered from a lack of street cleansing (until recently) the road closure, cracking in some houses due to the work being carried out underground, parking problems and occasionally vehicles trying to get through the closed part of the road to get to North Road or into the village. The group agreed that to be able to put a collective view, for instance on the Planning Application to demolish the Old Telephone Exchange would be an advantage. Also the group agreed to organise a street party before the road is re-opened later in the year. It was also agreed to join the Bath Federation of Residents Associations, membership of which will make it easier to be consulted on local issues, and to revive the Neighbourhood Watch. I was asked to deal with two issues:

1. more permanent road closure signs - the present signs are easily blown over in the wind
2. broken white give way lines at the top of Rockhall Lane

I have made these two requests to the Council's Highways Department. Residents Associations work on two levels; social - getting to know the neighbours and to organise enjoy social events; addressing practical problems that affect the area. Good luck to the group.

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Planning Applications

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/00631/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 14th March 2007 Expiry Date: 9th May 2007
Location: Kingland Pioneer Avenue Combe Down Bath BA2 5QX
Grid Ref: (E)374998 - (N)162238 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a single and two storey rear extension
Officer: Rachel Le Huray
Applicant: Mr & Mrs A & J Kovalev
Agent: AG Building Design Ltd
3 James Close
Shepton Mallet
Somerset
BA4 4BZ
Bekynton House
East Horrington
Wells
BA5 3EA

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/00660/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 13th March 2007 Expiry Date: 8th May 2007
Location: 14 Cleevedale Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5QS
Grid Ref: (E)375235 - (N)162281 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a two storey side extension and single storey rear extension (Resubmission)
Officer: Rachel Le Huray
Applicant: Mr S Chaddha
Agent: Neil Chapple And Associates
14 Cleevedale Road
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5QS

33 Millmead Road
Oldfield Park
Bath
BA2 3JP

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/00864/CLPU
Parish: N/A
Registered: 14th March 2007 Expiry Date: 9th May 2007
Location: 28 Westerleigh Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5JE
Grid Ref: (E)375721 - (N)162388 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Proposed side dormer window (Certificate of Lawfulness for a Proposed Development)
Officer: Lewis Cook
Applicant: Ms A Milland
Agent: Martin Blake Associates
28 Westerleigh Road
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5JE

28 Bellotts Road
Bath
BA1 4BE

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/00865/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 14th March 2007 Expiry Date: 9th May 2007
Location: 36 Bradford Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5BX
Grid Ref: (E)374731 - (N)162156 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a two storey side extension and installation of loft with side dormer
Officer: Danijela Karac
Applicant: Mr M Shellard
Agent: Western Building Consultants Ltd
36 Bradford Road
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5BX

Unit 20
Wansdyke Business Centre
Oldfield Lane
Bath
BA2 3LY

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Planning Applications

I have contacted the Council to call into committee the application to demolish the old Telephone Exchange. This is an important building in Combe Down and should not be destroyed without some debate.

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/00028/LBA
Parish: N/A
Registered: 2nd February 2007 Expiry Date: 30th March 2007
Location: 3 Quarry Vale Combe Down Bath BA2 5JZ
Grid Ref: (E)375884 - (N)162272 LB Grade: II
Proposal: Demolish existing decaying lean-to with perspex roof and replace with single glazed timber conservatory painted white with strengthened double glazed roof
Officer: Caroline Waldron
Applicant: Mrs Jennifer Morgan
Agent: No Agent
3 Quarry Vale
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5JZ



Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/00724/CA
Parish: N/A
Registered: 6th March 2007 Expiry Date: 1st May 2007
Location: New Church Combe Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5HY
Grid Ref: (E)375692 - (N)162304 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Demolition of existing redundant building
Officer: Varian Tye
Applicant: General Conference Of The New Church
Agent: J P Gainsford Associates
59 Capernell Close
Brightlingsea
Colchester
Oakgate House
Bath Place
Taunton
TA1 4EP

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Tong Walks


Val Lyon and Michael Earp regularly walk in the Summer Lane area and take great pride in this lovely part of Combe Down/Monkton Combe. Like most of us, they don’t like to see it spoiled, as it so often is, by litter. They contacted Council Cleansing Inspector Wayne Honey, who supplied them with tongs to help in the litter picks that they often do when they are out walking. These regular expeditions have now been dubbed ‘Tong Walks’. Val says that this is hardly a chore – they get much satisfaction in the job of litter picking and a sense of purpose knowing they are helping restore our area’s rural charm.
We would be happy to provide the equipment for anyone else in Combe Down who wishes to emulate Val and Michael in their area. Email or telephone us.

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Planning Application

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/00659/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 28th February 2007 Expiry Date: 25th April 2007
Location: 2B Combe Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5HX
Grid Ref: (E)375520 - (N)162286 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Creation of new access
Officer: Alice Barnes
Applicant: Alan Garrett
Agent: No Agent
2B Combe Road
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5HX