Combe Down Ward

New Web Site

2008-03-16T19:49:00.005Z

Cherry and I now have a new web site. As well as our normal posts and links there are a number of other pages including information about local services. We are happy to add to this local directory. The new web address is www.combedown.mycouncillor.org.uk

Glasshouse Field under threat.

2008-02-15T08:43:00.003Z

Residents living in Southstoke Road and Midford Road, whose back gardens back on to the field were surprised to receive a letter from the Council asking them to sign a licence for the long standing use of their back gates into the field.

For as long as many can remember some residents have had access into the field without any problem. This action coincides with rumours of the departure of Old Culverhaysians Rugby Club from the field and the £20m sale of the field for development.

Local councillors were kept in the dark about the future of the field and asked Cllr Malcolm Hanney (Conservative Cabinet Member for Resources) to ‘set the record straight’ and confirm that there are no plans to sell off Glasshouse Fields.

Cllr Hanney's response is as follows:
"This has been subject to quite a lot of local speculation for the last few months. Property Services have no plans to take such a proposal forward. The school do have ambitions to create a sporting "hub" which, as far as we understand it, centre on Odd Down Playing Fields; which are closer to the school than Glasshouse, but there have been no discussions, to our knowledge about selling off this field.

Property Services are, as part of the review of the estate, trying to sort out a lot of illegal openings on to this and other school fields/open spaces by, initially seeking to formalise them by use of licence or, if they don't agree to such a licence, seeking to block them up. This is good estate management practice.

There is, unfortunately, no way that this authority can make undertakings as to the future of school premises. Under the provisions of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, any school may make an application for Foundation status. Several of the secondary schools in BANES have applied for such status and it is possible that some or all of the remaining secondary schools will follow suit.

If this happens, all school property assets transfer to the School. They are then able to deal with their land in a way that they see as being to their best benefit. In the case of Hayesfield a decision was made to sell off their detached playing field. The Council has very limited say in these decisions."

So the field is safe for now, but in the longer term Culverhay School, if it became a foundation school, could sell it off. However, they would have to get permission from Sport England to sell off playing fields.

We would like to know whether the Council has the right to block up these entrances that have been used for years. There is certainly not enough information contained in the letter to residents. Our view is that local residents should consider setting up their own Friends of Glasshouse Field, to look at how they can protect the Field in the future.

Latest Planning Applications

2008-02-06T17:47:00.000Z

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 08/00237/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 16th January 2008 Expiry Date: 12th March 2008
Location: The St Andrew Centre Hawthorn Grove Combe Down Bath BA2 5QA
Grid Ref: (E)374924 - (N)162366 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a new single storey Community Church containing meeting rooms, cafe, kitchen and office
Officer: David Audsley
Applicant: Ms Rosie Coates
Agent: Hetreed Ross
Combe Down PCC
Holy Trinity Church Office EI Nido
The Avenue
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5NE
Attika Workspace
Bath Brewery
Toll Bridge Road
Bath
BA1 7DE

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 08/00272/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 1st February 2008 Expiry Date: 28th March 2008
Location: 79 - 81 Bradford Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5BP
Grid Ref: (E)375014 - (N)162282 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Provision of new white powder coated aluminium shop frontage and relocation of existing entrance door and replacement air conditioning plant
Officer: Neil Harvey
Applicant: Co-operative Group Limited
Agent: Kendall Kingscott Ltd
Design And Services Dept
Co-op Store
Wyndham Way
Portishead
Bristol
BS20 8LR
Glentworth Court
Lime Kiln Close
Stoke Gifford
Bristol
BS34 8SR

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 08/00042/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 15th January 2008 Expiry Date: 11th March 2008
Location: 5 Stonehouse Lane Combe Down Bath BA2 5DW
Grid Ref: (E)375744 - (N)162575 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a two storey and single storey rear extension following demolition of existing extension and installation of front and rear dormers (Resubmission)
Officer: David Cox
Applicant: Ms J Glen
Agent: A W Francis
2 Old Derry Hill
Calne
SN11 9PJ
35 Seend
Cleeve
Melksham
SN12 6PU

Mines Mayhem

2008-01-23T18:49:00.000Z

On the face of it there is little to be seen of the Combe Down Stone Mines infilling operation above ground, but if you live on the fringes of the mines area in places like Combe Road and North Road, no one is able to say with any certainty what the ground at the edge of the mine under your house is like. Stabilisation here is very much a 'voyage of discovery'.

During the last few days we have felt some of the real impact that has been visited on many people on the fringes of the mines in Combe Down over the past couple of years. Here at 22 we have had some new cracks appear and those already in evidence widen, but some of the inconvenience and disruption visited on our neighbours has been absent - until now! Even now we have not had too many problems inside, but outside our garden fits in well with the mess of neighbours gardens. The miners are drilling to verify whether houses here have been stabilised and in so doing they have reduced the garden to a sticky, muddy mess.

However, we are conscious that this has to be done if we are to receive one of the coveted "Completion Statements", signifying that stabilisation is complete. The chaos and mess that the gardens are in, to the west of Combe Road from the junction with North Road to the lane going to number 32, has to be seen to be believed. It is a leap of faith to believe that the gardens will ever recover, but we are assured (and I believe it) that soon everything will be back to normal. For us that means the fence between us and our neighbours , the broken pane of glass in the greenhouse replaced and the surface of the garden restored.
However, the inconvenience and disruption that many local people have suffered must be worth the end result of the stabilisation of the Mines.

The photo shows the state of our back garden today!

Latest Planning Applications

2008-01-22T14:12:00.001Z

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 08/00042/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 15th January 2008 Expiry Date: 11th March 2008
Location: 5 Stonehouse Lane Combe Down Bath BA2 5DW
Grid Ref: (E)375744 - (N)162575 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a two storey and single storey rear extension following demolition of existing extension and installation of front and rear dormers (Resubmission)
Officer: David Cox
Applicant: Ms J Glen
Agent: A W Francis
2 Old Derry Hill
Calne
SN11 9PJ
35 Seend
Cleeve
Melksham
SN12 6PU

Latest Planning Applications

2008-01-14T12:51:00.001Z

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 08/00064/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 24th December 2007 Expiry Date: 18th February 2008
Location: 21 Down Avenue Combe Down Bath BA2 5QH
Grid Ref: (E)375058 - (N)162360 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of new dwelling as extension to terrace between nos 21 and 23
Officer: Mark Reynolds
Applicant: Mr P Stroud
Agent: LPC (Trull) Ltd
C/o Agent
Trull
Tetbury
Gloucestershire
GL8 8SQ

Nick Clegg is new Liberal Democrat Leader

2007-12-19T10:24:00.000Z

Yesterday the results of the Lib Dem leadership election were announced. Nick Clegg won by the surprisingly narrow margin of 500 votes. After much heartsearching I had voted for Chris Huhne, but both were excellent candidates. Below is an extract from Nick Clegg's acceptance speech:

"Above all, our politics is broken. Out of touch with people. Out of touch with the modern world. And that is why I have one simple ambition: to change Britain to make it the liberal country I believe the British people want it to be.

I want a new politics, a people's politics. I want to live in a country where rights, freedoms and privacy are not the playthings of politicians, but safeguarded for everyone.

Where political life is not a Westminster village freak show, but open, accessible, and helpful in people's everyday lives.
Where parents, pupils and patients are can take charge of our schools and hospitals. Where fine words on the environment are finally turned into real action.
Where social mobility becomes a reality once again, where no one is condemned by the circumstances of their birth.

Why have we stopped imagining a better society? Look at what we've got. Labour and the Conservatives have governed in the same way: top-down and centralising. I simply refuse to believe that the only alternative to a clapped-out Labour government is a Conservative Party that has no answers to the big issues - environmentalism without substance, social justice without money, internationalism without Europe.

The challenge for my party is clear and simple: to define a liberal alternative to the discredited politics of Big Government.

I want to open up my party, open up Westminster, and open up politics for good. To lead well, a leader needs to listen.
That's why I will hold regular, public Town Hall meetings.
That's why I want to open up the Liberal Democrats to give people who support us, but aren't party members, a say on the big issues.
That's why I will spend at least one day every week listening and campaigning outside Westminster.
That's why I will set up a network of families, who have nothing to do with party politics, in every region of this country so they can tell me what my priorities should be.

If you once voted for us but you think we've spent too much time focusing on ourselves, if you once voted for the Conservative Party but have no idea what they stand for any more, if you once voted for the Labour Party but feel let down by 10 years of disappointment. If you've given up voting altogether, but still care about the world we live in then a newly united, energetic and optimistic Liberal Democrat party is the party for you."

Old School Playground Planning Application

2007-12-12T10:17:00.000Z

Below is the second application for the old School Playground - the first was withdrawn. Tyning Road residents might like to inspect the plans at Trimbridge House or on the Bath and North East Somerset web site. this application looks better than the first. The Old Playground is now to become a garden. Let Cherry or me know your views.

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/03537/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 3rd December 2007 Expiry Date: 28th January 2008
Location: Old Tennis Courts Church Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5JN
Grid Ref: (E)376176 - (N)162398 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Change of use of former playground to garden for No 1 Alexandra Place and the formation of a vehicular access and parking area (resubmission)
Officer: Tessa Hampden
Applicant: Mr And Mrs Pollock
Agent: Windsor And Leaman
Combe Cottage
52 The Hill
Great Witley
Worcs
WR6 6HX
35 Oakfield Road
Clifton
Bristol
BS8 2AT

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/03625/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 29th November 2007 Expiry Date: 24th January 2008
Location: 55A North Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5DF
Grid Ref: (E)375845 - (N)162605 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of two storey rear extension
Officer: Richard Stott
Applicant: Natalie Jiggins & Guy Woods
Agent: Llewellyn Harker Architects
55A North Road
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5DF

Home Farm
East Pennard
Shepton Mallet
BA4 6TT

Latest Planning Applications

2007-12-03T18:11:00.000Z

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/03244/OUT
Parish: N/A
Registered: 21st November 2007 Expiry Date: 16th January 2008
Location: Homefield Fox Hill Combe Down Bath BA2 5QN
Grid Ref: (E)375289 - (N)162506 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a pair of semi-detached houses following demolition of existing bungalow
Officer: Rachel Le Huray
Applicant: Mr & Mrs R Sherwood
Agent: Hurst Associates
Little House
Lyncombe Vale Road
Bath
BA2 4LP
22 Newbridge Road
Bath
BA1 3JZ

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/03461/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 27th November 2007 Expiry Date: 22nd January 2008
Location: 102 Queen's Drive Combe Down Bath BA2 5PE
Grid Ref: (E)375190 - (N)162770 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of an extension and conversion to 2no. self-contained flats
Officer: Rachel Le Huray
Applicant: Mr Anton Tomov
Agent: Brian Kirby Design
102 Queen's Drive
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5PE

9 Pipsmore Road
Chippenham
Wilts
SN14 0LB

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/03497/AR
Parish: N/A
Registered: 29th November 2007 Expiry Date: 24th January 2008
Location: Co-Operative Retail Services Ltd 79 - 81 Bradford Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5BP
Grid Ref: (E)375014 - (N)162282 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Provision of one internally illuminated fascia sign and one double-sided projecting sign
Officer: Hazel Short
Applicant: CWS Retail Financial Services
Agent: Futurama Ltd
Hanover Buildings
PO Box 53
New Century House
Manchester
Olympia House
Metro Park 45
Middleton Grove
Leeds
LS11 5TY

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/03566/REG03
Parish: N/A
Registered: 22nd November 2007 Expiry Date: 17th January 2008
Location: 199A Bradford Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5BT
Grid Ref: (E)375574 - (N)162420 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Change of use from hairdressers to public information centre to be used for two and a half days each week by Combe Down Stone Mines Stabilisation Project
Officer: Rebecca Roberts
Applicant: Combe Down Stone Mines Project
Agent: No Agent
Redevelopment And Major Projects
10 Palace Yard Nmews
Bath
BA1 2NH

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/03572/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 27th November 2007 Expiry Date: 22nd January 2008
Location: 76 Priory Close Combe Down Bath BA2 5AP
Grid Ref: (E)375943 - (N)162925 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a double garage, single storey extension, two storey extensions and front porch following demolition of existing front porch and detached single garage
Officer: Hazel Short
Applicant: Dr & Mrs Richard Ross
Agent: Esmond Murray Architects Ltd
76 Priory Close
Bath
BA2 5AP
21 Van Diemen's Lane
Bath
BA1 5TW

Latest Planning Applications

2007-11-30T15:22:00.000Z

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/03318/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 14th November 2007 Expiry Date: 9th January 2008
Location: 6 Claverton Drive Claverton Down Bath BA2 7AJ
Grid Ref: (E)377739 - (N)163173 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of conservatory to rear
Officer: Richard Stott
Applicant: Mr K Embleton
Agent: J H Leeke And Son Ltd
6 Claverton Drive
Claverton Down
Bath
BA2 7AJ

Unit 1
Mwyndy Business Park
Cardiff Road
Pontyclun
Rhondda
Cynon Taff.
CF72 8PN

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/03393/REG03
Parish: N/A
Registered: 8th November 2007 Expiry Date: 3rd January 2008
Location: Foxhill Community Centre Hawthorn Grove Combe Down Bath BA2 5QA
Grid Ref: (E)374912 - (N)162345 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of single storey 1 bay extension and new ramped access to existing 'Elliott' temporary accommodation
Officer: Mark Reynolds
Applicant: Bath And North East Somerset Council
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/03481/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 15th November 2007 Expiry Date: 10th January 2008
Location: 31 Southstoke Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5SN
Grid Ref: (E)374778 - (N)162059 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a single storey rear extension
Officer: Richard Dale
Applicant: Mr & Mrs M Straw
Agent: No Agent
31 Southstoke Road
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5SN

Agent: Support Services (Bath & NE Somerset Council)
Children's Services
Riverside
Keynsham
BS31 1LA
Northgate House
Upper Borough Walls
Bath
BA1 1RG

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/03418/CLEU
Parish: N/A
Registered: 8th November 2007 Expiry Date: 3rd January 2008
Location: 154 North Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5DL
Grid Ref: (E)376328 - (N)162670 LB Grade: II
Proposal: Use as dwelling/garage and storage
Officer: Neil Harvey

Lib Dem Leadership Election

2007-11-19T17:46:00.000Z

As you will appreciate I've been following our Leadership Election for some weeks now and I went to Bristol to see a good debate between two excellent candidates last Tuesday. Over the weeks both candidates, Chris Huhne and Nick Clegg have been positive, praised each other and said that whoever wins will give the loser a prominent place in the Lib Dem shadow cabinet. Some differences have emerged over policy, with Chris Huhne challenging Nick Clegg to clarify his views on education and on the Trident nuclear system.

In my view both have their strengths. Chris Huhne has articulated policies that I agree with, but Nick is the more relaxed and confident performer at the hustings. I have still not decided who I shall be voting for. I do hope that they both continue to be positive in trying to tell members why they would be the better leader of the Party and then take the Party forward under a new Leader chosen by members.

Whoever wins will be good news for the Liberal Democrats.

Latest Planning Applications

2007-11-19T17:18:00.000Z

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/03318/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 14th November 2007 Expiry Date: 9th January 2008
Location: 6 Claverton Drive Claverton Down Bath BA2 7AJ
Grid Ref: (E)377739 - (N)163173 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of conservatory to rear
Officer: Richard Stott
Applicant: Mr K Embleton
Agent: J H Leeke And Son Ltd
6 Claverton Drive
Claverton Down
Bath
BA2 7AJ

Unit 1
Mwyndy Business Park
Cardiff Road
Pontyclun
Rhondda
Cynon Taff.
CF72 8PN

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/03393/REG03
Parish: N/A
Registered: 8th November 2007 Expiry Date: 3rd January 2008
Location: Foxhill Community Centre Hawthorn Grove Combe Down Bath BA2 5QA
Grid Ref: (E)374912 - (N)162345 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of single storey 1 bay extension and new ramped access to existing 'Elliott' temporary accommodation
Officer: Mark Reynolds
Applicant: Bath And North East Somerset Council
Agent: Support Services (Bath & NE Somerset Council)
Children's Services
Riverside
Keynsham
BS31 1LA
Northgate House
Upper Borough Walls
Bath
BA1 1RG

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/03418/CLEU
Parish: N/A
Registered: 8th November 2007 Expiry Date: 3rd January 2008
Location: 154 North Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5DL
Grid Ref: (E)376328 - (N)162670 LB Grade: II
Proposal: Use as dwelling/garage and storage
Officer: Neil Harvey
Applicant: C J Rogus Esq
Agent: A N Horner Consulting
Prior Park House
154 North Road
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5DL

121 The Oval
Southdown
Bath
BA2 2HF

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/03431/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 13th November 2007 Expiry Date: 8th January 2008
Location: 33 Priory Close Combe Down Bath BA2 5AN
Grid Ref: (E)375853 - (N)162932 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a single storey side and rear extension
Officer: David Cox
Applicant: Mr & Mrs A Letchford
Agent: No Agent
33 Priory Close
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5AN

Bus Shelter Successes

2007-11-14T17:32:00.000Z

Last Friday 9th November Cllrs Roger Symonds and Cherry Beath met a council transport officer at the new bus stop at Hadley Arms. It was agreed with the officer that there is a need for a bus shelter at this location and that one would be provided. The shelter will be the same type of enclosed shelter as at the MoD bus stop and it will be erected at the bottom of the bank just below the bus stop. We don't yet have a date for the shelter, but we have expressed the view that it is urgently needed because of the exposed position of the bus stop.

This success follows the petition signed by almost 100 people from Trinity Road and compiled by Maureen Traynor and Helen Tysoe. When Combe Road is re-opened (probable date April 2008) buses will go one way through Combe Down village and return to the city via North Road.

The bus shelter at Priory Close has been repainted and a litter bin installed. We still intend to press for this shelter to be replaced with a more modern shelter, but getting it painted has smartened it up. It is no longer the eyesore that it has been for years.

The photo shows Maureen Traynor holding the petition and Beryl Hyett, with other trinity Road residents, signing it.

Flatwoods Planning Application turned down again

2007-11-13T17:03:00.000Z

A proposed development for 4 houses at 37 Flatwoods Road was turned down for the second time today. A previous application for 5 houses had already been turned down early this year. The Government's change in legislation to classify gardens as 'brownfield' sites has led to thousands of applications across the country to fill gardens with housing.

This particular application would totally destroy the quiet little country backwater that is Flatwoods Road. We applaud this decision by Planning Officers. The clearcut reasons for the refusal are:

1. The proposed development of four houses, due to the type, size, massing and layout, would result in the overdevelopment of the site resulting in overlooking and an overbearing impact on the occupiers of the adjoining residential properties. The proposal also relies on the retention of a coniferous hedge for privacy to Nos 44 and 45 Flatwoods Road which is not worthy of retention and its removal would result in direct overlooking of these properties to the detriment of the residential amenity of the occupiers. This would be contrary to Policy D2 of the Bath & North East Somerset Local Plan (including minerals & waste policies) 2007.

2. The proposed development of four houses, due to the type, size, massing and layout, would result in a development that is out of character with its surroundings and which would have a detrimental impact on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this part of the World Heritage Site and the adjacent Green Belt. This would be contrary to Policy D2, D4, NE1, NE2, GB2 and BH1 of the Bath & North East Somerset Local Plan (including minerals & waste policies) 2007.

3. The proposed access drive, due to its location in close proximity to the residential properties of Nos 36, 40 and 41 Flatwoods Road, would cause an unacceptable degree of noise and disturbance to the detriment of the residential amenity of the occupiers. This would be contrary to Policy D2 of the Bath & North East Somerset Local Plan (including minerals & waste policies) 2007.

4. The proposed development, due to the close proximity of trees which are subject to a Tree Preservation Order, would not provide a suitable level of useable amenity space and does not take account of the potential future growth of the existing trees. This would have a detrimental impact on the residential amenity of the future occupiers through shading of the garden and rear rooms of the houses which could lead to pressure for their removal at a later date. This would be contrary to Policy D2 and NE4 of the Bath & North East Somerset Local Plan (including minerals & waste policies) 2007.

Latest Planning Applications

2007-11-12T15:30:00.000Z

Combe Down App Ref: 07/03305/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 31st October 2007 Expiry Date: 26th December 2007
Location: 5 Rock Cottages Rock Lane Combe Down Bath BA2 5JP
Grid Ref: (E)375834 - (N)162391 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of first-floor rear/side extension
Officer: Alice Barnes
Applicant: Mr & Mrs S Finnigan
Agent: Carter Hughes Davies
5 Rock Cottages
Rock Lane
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5JP

20-22 Monmouth Place
Bath
BA1 2AY

Combe Down App Ref: 07/03033/AR
Parish: N/A
Registered: 17th October 2007 Expiry Date: 12th December 2007

Location: Lloyds Pharmacy Combe Down House The Avenue Combe Down Bath
Grid Ref: (E)376034 - (N)162494 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Display of a non-illuminated, fascia panel
Officer: Alice Barnes
Applicant: Miss Alice Preston
Agent: Sign Specialists Ltd (Redditch)
Sapphire Court
Walsgrave Triangle Business Park
Coventry
Warwickshire
CV2 2TX
Unit 19
Oxleasow Road
East Moons Moat Industrial Estate
Redditch
Worcestershire
B98 0RE

Latest Planning Applications

2007-10-29T16:27:00.000Z

Grid Ref: (E)375224 - (N)162581 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a conservatory and sun lounge to rear
Officer: Tessa Hampden
Applicant: Mr & Mrs Peschel
Agent: T P Windows
11 Bradford Park
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5PR

85-86 Lower Bristol Road
Bath
BA2 3BQ

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/03152/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 23rd October 2007 Expiry Date: 18th December 2007
Location: 4 Paddock Woods Combe Down Bath BA2 7AD
Grid Ref: (E)376736 - (N)162696 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of single storey extension to rear and addition of first floor to existing extension
Officer: Rebecca Roberts
Applicant: Mr Alan Hobson
Agent: Martin Luckett
4 Paddock Woods
Bath
BANES
BSA2 7AD
7b Gadshill Drive
Frampton Cotterell
Bristol
South Glos
BS34 8UU

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/03245/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 25th October 2007 Expiry Date: 20th December 2007
Location: 35 St Winifred's Drive Combe Down Bath BA2 7HR
Grid Ref: (E)376655 - (N)162483 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of single storey front extension with pitched roof over
Officer: David Cox
Applicant: Mr & Mrs R Tisdale
Agent: No Agent
35 St Winifred's Drive
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 7HR

Sunny Summer

2007-10-07T18:41:00.000+01:00

At the end of August Nic and I cycled for 2 weeks in calabria in the south of Italy towards the toe of the boot and then returned to go to the Lib Dem Conference in Brighton, so I have not posted on the blog since August, until now.

Calabria is beautiful with road and railway hugging the coast for miles. We began our ride from Sapri in Campania, where we left off 4 years ago and cycled through Basilicata before getting to the coast of Calabria. We cycled as far as Tropea, from where we could see Sicily. This is a ruggedly beautiful coast, where touring cyclists are very rare. The Germans have discovered Calabria, but not the English as yet. There are some wonderful sandy beaches all the way down the coast.

After our rotten summer it was great to get away for 2 weeks of sunshine.

Planning Applications

2007-10-07T18:37:00.000+01:00

This application is for the Old school playground, which has now been sold and so therefore will no longer be available for community use. We were hoping to be able to go to the previous owner and tell him what local residents wanted for the playground. The sale went through in August.

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/02820/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 24th September 2007 Expiry Date: 19th November 2007
Location: Old Tennis Courts Church Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5JN
Grid Ref: (E)376176 - (N)162398 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Change of use to provide new access for parking/storage for adjacent property (1 Alexandra Place) after demolition of 10 metres of stone wall at the old tennis courts.
Officer: Tessa Hampden
Applicant: Mrs Diana Pollock
Agent: No Agent
Combe Cottage
The Hill
Great Witley
Worcester
WR6 6HX

Combe Down from the air

2007-08-20T14:54:00.000+01:00

Here are a couple of pictures taken of Combe Down and in particular the Work Site for the Combe Down Stone Mines project. The photo at the top is taken from the South West and the one on the right from the North East, with Prior Park School playing fields in the foreground. Local people have visited the work site and many were pleased to see how tidy the site is. Friends of Firs Field are still asking people to contribute to any changes needed to the Field when we get it back at the end of the project in 2009. You can make your suggestions by visiting the Information Centre in the Avenue or by making a comment on this Blog.

Planning Applications

2007-08-15T17:53:00.000+01:00

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/02344/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 8th August 2007 Expiry Date: 3rd October 2007
Location: 32 Southstoke Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5SN
Grid Ref: (E)374776 - (N)162068 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a single storey side extension and porch
Officer: Tessa Hampden
Applicant: Mr E Grubb
Agent: LBC Planning Services Ltd
32 Southstoke Road
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5SN

The Old Vicarage
The Downs
Clandown
Radstock
BA3 3DD

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/02347/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 6th August 2007 Expiry Date: 1st October 2007
Location: Netherleigh Pioneer Avenue Combe Down Bath BA2 5QX
Grid Ref: (E)375004 - (N)162227 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a second storey, rear extension
Officer: Chris Beak
Applicant: Mr John Fairman
Agent: No Agent
Netherleigh
Pioneer Avenue
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5QX

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/02392/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 7th August 2007 Expiry Date: 2nd October 2007
Location: Longwood Cottage Claverton Down Road Claverton Down Bath BA2 7AD
Grid Ref: (E)377000 - (N)162810 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Change of use from domestic (Use Class C3) to offices (Use Class B1) and erection of an extension
Officer: Rachel Le Huray
Applicant: BMI Bath Clinic
Agent: Cousins Thomas Rose
Longwood Cottage
Claverton Down Road
Claverton Down
Bath
BA2 7AD

10 Church Walk
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 8DX

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/02406/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 8th August 2007 Expiry Date: 3rd October 2007
Location: 34 Southstoke Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5SN
Grid Ref: (E)374775 - (N)162089 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a single storey rear extension (Resubmission)
Officer: Martyn Edwards
Applicant: Mr And Mrs K Gammon
Agent: Graham Savage Associates
C/o Agent
The Chestnuts Studio
Burymead
Codford St Peter
Wiltshire
BA12 0NU

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/02431/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 10th August 2007 Expiry Date: 5th October 2007
Location: 18 Stonehouse Close Combe Down Bath BA2 5DP
Grid Ref: (E)375664 - (N)162512 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of first floor extension above garage
Officer: Richard Dale
Applicant: Mr And Mrs D Keepen
Agent: No Agent
18 Stonehouse Close
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5DP

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/02435/LBA
Parish: N/A
Registered: 30th July 2007 Expiry Date: 24th September 2007
Location: 8 Greendown Place Combe Down Bath BA2 5DD
Grid Ref: (E)375491 - (N)162330 LB Grade: II
Proposal: External and internal alterations to the front and erection of an extension to the rear
Officer: Robert Sutcliffe
Applicant: Mr And Mrs K Gover
Agent: Nicholas Minchin Architects
Leigh House
Leigh Road
Holt
Trowbridge
BA14 6PS
38 Silver Street
Dursley
Glos
GL11 4ND
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/02464/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 1st August 2007 Expiry Date: 26th September 2007
Location: 4 Combe Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5HX
Grid Ref: (E)375527 - (N)162188 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a conservatory to the rear
Officer: Tessa Hampden
Applicant: Mr And Mrs Glenday
Agent: Mr C Jones
4 Combe Road
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5HX
Honey Cottage
15 Overleigh
Street
Somerset
BA16 0TPWard: Combe Down App Ref: 07/02404/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 25th July 2007 Expiry Date: 19th September 2007
Location: 49 Bradford Park Combe Down Bath BA2 5PR
Grid Ref: (E)375260 - (N)162735 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a single storey rear extension and conservatory
Officer: Alice Barnes
Applicant: Mr P Hunter
Agent: No Agent
49 Bradford Park
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5PR

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/02385/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 26th July 2007 Expiry Date: 20th September 2007
Location: 31 Trinity Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5AB
Grid Ref: (E)375838 - (N)162674 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a detached dwelling on land at 31 Trinity Road
Officer: Rachel Le Huray
Applicant: Mr And Mrs Barrett
Agent: LPC (Trull) Ltd
31 Trinity Road
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5AB
Trull
Tetbury
Gloucestershire
GL8 8SQ

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/01966/LBA
Parish: N/A
Registered: 19th July 2007 Expiry Date: 13th September 2007
Location: 147 Church Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5JN
Grid Ref: (E)376318 - (N)162402 LB Grade: II
Proposal: Internal alterations to include the enlargement of existing 1st floor opening and re-aligment of staircase
Officer: Robert Sutcliffe
Applicant: Mr R Newnham
Agent: Neil Chapple And Associates
Scott House147 Church Road
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5JN
33 Millmead Road
Oldfield Park
Bath
BA2 3JP

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/02175/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 16th July 2007 Expiry Date: 10th September 2007
Location: 3 Oxford Terrace Tyning Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5HH
Grid Ref: (E)376230 - (N)162560 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a single storey rear extension
Officer: Martyn Edwards
Applicant: Mr And Mrs Venables
Agent: Western Building Consultants Ltd
3 Oxford Terrace
Tyning Road
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5HH
Unit 20
Wansdyke Business Centre
Oldfield Lane
Bath
BA2 3LY

Deep Clean Keep Clean (DCKC)

2007-08-13T10:37:00.000+01:00

What an excellent three days for Combe Down! Focused mainly on Foxhill this exercise, paid for with money from Government through the Local Area Agreement (LAA) and the first in Bath, was a great success. There are six such exercises altogether, with the last one a return to Combe Down in three years time. This is the only ward to get two DCKCs. One of the tests of the effectiveness of the DCKC is whether local residents can reduce litter to allow the normal cleaning to keep up the high standard achieved in the last few days - we can all help to do this and to foster pride in our area.

Probably the most visible improvements are the high pressure hot water cleaning of the pavements outside Bradford Road shops, removal of moss from the lanes around Drake Avenue, the cutting of the hedge at the junction of Queens Drive and Meare Road and the collection of bulky waste on Saturday morning. In addition most areas had a 'deep clean' with manual and mechanical sweepers in operation and there was some patching of the roads.

Many of the small jobs done (and some have yet to be completed) were reported to Cherry and I by local residents. Please continue to use our Focus feedback sheets, telephone and email to let us know about problems.

Some of the actions taken are listed below:

Wednesday 8th August
Large Mechanical Sweeper plus one manual - Starts route, concentrating on south side of Bradford Road, including Pioneer, The Avenue etc. (subject to weight limits). Manual sweeper sweeping, litter picking, de weeding where necessary.

Compact Sweeper plus one manual - Starts route, concentrating on Foxhill Estate, Sedgemoor, Drakes Ave, Quantocks, pavements on Bradford Road. Manual sweeper sweeping, litter picking, de weeding where necessary.

3 manuals working through the Foxhill area.

Graffiti cleared, moss removed, pavements washed around shops.

Arson Task Force's POD will be on the west side of the Bradford Road shopping precinct area from 10.00 a.m - 2.00 p.m with information on all services involved in the DCKC for residents.

Volunteers delivering letters to households giving information on the DCKC, energy efficiency, bulky waste collection on Saturday and in The Firs and Church Road (letters to be delivered) asking them to park cars on opposite side of road for following day to allow a deep clean of kerbed edges.

Thursday 9th August
Large Mechanical Sweeper plus one manual - Completes route, concentrating on Foxhill estate. Manual sweeper sweeping, litter picking, de weeding where necessary.

Compact Sweeper plus one manual - continues route, concentrating on Foxhill Estate, Manual sweeper sweeping, litter picking, de weeding where necessary. Deep Clean The firs & The Avenue if cars removed.

3 manuals working through the Foxhill area.

Graffiti cleared, moss removed.

Clean up of the rubbish from the wooded area around Springfield open space. (volunteers to be on site from 2.30 p.m, Patricia from Foxhill Volunteers)

Arson Task Force's POD will be on the west side of the Bradford Road shopping precinct area from 10.00 a.m - 2.00 p.m with information on all services involved for residents.

Friday 10th August
Compact Sweeper plus one manual - completes route, concentrating on Foxhill Estate, Manual sweeper sweeping, litter picking, de weeding where necessary.

3 manuals working through the Foxhill area.

British Trust for Conservation Volunteers and the Play Rangers scheme organising a park type event for local children on the Springfield open space area, Bug hunts, Den building etc. There will also be a Fire Brigade appliance on site if available

Arson Task Force's POD will be on the west side of the Bradford Road shopping precinct area from 10.00 a.m - 2.00 p.m with information on all services involved for residents.

Saturday 11th August
Bulky Waste collection carried out in the following areas. Signs installed at designated collection points. Pick up times from 10.00 a.m - Noon
Sedgemoor Road
Queens Drive
Kewstoke Road
Quantocks
Porlock Road
Bradford Park

Fire Service taking out an appliance to the area.

Incidentals happening during the course of the 4 days (responsible officer)
Bradford Park shrub beds tidied and litter picked (Bob Jones, Somer)
Certain litter bins and seats refurbished/replaced as agreed (Simon Memory)
Sedgemoor Road - Broken fence on green to be dealt with (Bob Jones, Somer)
Football posts at top of entry hill to be looked at (Rodney Atwell)
Pothole by back of garages in Sedgemoor Road to be dealt with (Bob Jones, Somer)
Bradford Road - Old paved area to be grassed
Foxhill focus litter picking Wednesday morning from Community Centre (Cllr Roger Symonds)
Narrow Road at end of Foxhill joined to Perry mead (formerly Foxhill Lane) - Overhanging growth etc (Bob Standen, Bob Jones)
Pane of glass at the MoD shelter replaced
First bus to look at the timetables on the showcase route - They are aware of the need on the North Road stops.
Request for the Bus stop in Prior Park to be painted over .
Patching works for Queens Road and Sedgemoor Road
Removing weeds etc from drungway between Hadley Arms and Church Road

Tour de France

2007-08-04T17:32:00.000+01:00

So the greatest cycle race in the world has ended with victory for Alberto Contador. Blood doping and drugs once again marred the race with Rasmussen and Vinokourov removed. Nic and I went to the fantastic weekend start of the Tour in London and watched this terrific spectacle of riders, support and advertising vehicles and Gendarmes go through the City of London at the Guildhall on the Sunday morning.

It is amazing how this race grips young and old alike along the route whenever it comes to the UK, and this year was exceptional with no less than five British competitors. Well done to Mayor Ken Livingstone who is using the Tour to promote cycling in London, where cycling has increased by 83% since 2000. People are being caught when using drugs, so we can hope for a future where the race is a test of strength and ability, which it always is for most of the competitors and not a test of who can aviod detection of performance enhancing drugs.

We have now watched the beginning and the end of the Tour having witnessed the end of the Tour in Paris back in 2003.

Planning Application

2007-07-24T19:29:00.000+01:00

Only one application registered for Combe Down this week. This is a resubmission of an earlier application for five houses, which was withdrawn. The only difference now is that it has four houses. This in my view is still a gross overdevelopment of the site, which is close to the National Trust Skyline Walk. An example of how the Government's changes to planning regulations, classifying gardens as 'brownfield' sites is leading to inappropriate applications. We support residents in their opposition to this application

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/02131/OUT
Parish: N/A
Registered: 4th July 2007 Expiry Date: 29th August 2007
Location: 37 Flatwoods Road Claverton Down Bath BA2 7AQ
Grid Ref: (E)377560 - (N)163130 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of 4 no. dwellings and associated car parking, highways works and landscaping, following demolition of existing dwelling (Resubmission)
Officer: Rachel Le Huray
Applicant: Mr And Mrs P G Webster And Mr And Mrs D T Lindop
Agent: Savills (Bristol)

Embassy House
Queens Avenue
Clifton
Bristol
BS8 1SB

Six to Fix

2007-07-15T19:22:00.000+01:00

In the run up to the election Cherry and I made some pledges, drawn from what you had told us. Our 'Six to Fix' are the issues that you told us you most wanted us to look at and that gave you most concerns. We will keep you updated on our progress with these pledges on this Blog site and in our regular Focus news letters. Any comments and ideas are very welcome. The first update is below.

Six To Fix Progress

1. Road Safety and Congestion – Advisory 20 mph speed restrictions will be put in at Hawthorn Grove/Sedgemoor Road and Southstoke Road. A Pedestrian refuge has been agreed to the west of Southstoke Road/Bradford Road junction and Zig Zag lines have been requested for outside Combe Down Primary School.

2. Speeding Traffic in Bradford/North Road - We have walked Bradford/North Roads with Peter Bailey from the Highways Department and we identified a number of safety measures. More on this in Focus.

3. Bus Services – we are still trying to arrange a meeting with First Group managers. We have had no response yet.

4. Fear of Crime – lighting improvements are now installed in Foxhill - more to come when funding is available. New community policeman PC Gerry Monks and PCSO (Police Community Support Officer) David Hall (grew up on Combe Down) on patrol – one more PCSO to follow.

5. Street Cleansing – Deep Clean, Keep Clean in August – to be reported on the Blog soon.

6. Youth and Community Provision – we asked Holy Trinity Church on 13th June for a meeting to discuss their plans for St Andrews, but as yet we have not had a response. During August we will ask the people of Foxhill what community facilities they would like to see on the St Andrews and Community Centre sites.

Planning Application

2007-07-11T15:20:00.000+01:00

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/02102/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 2nd July 2007 Expiry Date: 27th August 2007
Location: Woodruff Cottage Shaft Road Combe Down Bath BA2 7HP
Grid Ref: (E)376687 - (N)162548 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Enlargement of existing single storey extension to two storey extension and addition of single storey bay window
Officer: Martyn Edwards
Applicant: Mr & Mrs M Likeman
Agent: Llewellyn Harker Architects
Woodruff Cottage
Shaft Road
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 7HP

Home Farm
East Pennard
Shepton Mallet
BA4 6TT

Sustrans back Two Tunnels scheme on 30th Anniversary

2007-07-09T13:15:00.000+01:00

On Friday 6th July 2007 the Sustrans 30th anniversary ride came through the Combe Down Tunnel. I decided to escort the riders through Combe Down, or rather about 70 metres below Firs Field, when they arrived at the Tucking Mill entrance on route from Wells to meet the Mayor of Bath and the Rector of Bath Abbey in the Abbey Churchyard. The photos show the Sustrans riders and me entering the tunnel (by kind permission of Bath Chronicle)

The Combe Down Tunnel, more than a mile long, is a fantastic feat of Victorian engineering, which until 1966 took the Somerset and Dorset Railway (S&D - Slow and Dirty or Slow and Delightful according to your view) from Bath Green Park to Bournemouth. I remember as a child the journey on the Pines Express going on holiday at the end of July, but until Friday I had not walked or cycled through the tunnel before.

The surface is difficult, but I did cycle for part of the way and I daresay that a mountain biker could cycle the whole length of the tunnel. The Tunnel is in surprisingly good condition and the soot from the bygone days of steam is still on the tunnel lining. It is the longest unventilated tunnel on the UK Railway system and it was an ordeal for drivers and firemen alike. They used to hold a wet cloth over their mouths and noses as they passed through the tunnel because of the fumes.

In 1929 a goods train of 32 wagons loaded with coal, ran away down the incline from the west end of the Combe Down Tunnel into Green Park, where is was derailed at points, in the goods yard of the station. Witnesses said that they could not see anyone on the footplate and it transpired that both driver and fireman were lying there unconscious, having been overcome by fumes inside Combe Down Tunnel. Evidence given by fireman Pearce and guard Wagner, was that the tunnel was exceptionally hot and smoky and that after a short time in the Tunnel Pearce had to wrap a coat round his head and sit down - he remembered no more! The driver J H Jennings died from his injuries and both Pearce and Wagner were seriously injured. I noticed this account in the Avon Valley Railway's magazine - Semaphore.

The Two Tunnels project is to open the Combe Down Tunnel and the Devonshire Tunnel to provide a picuresque route with just a slight incline into and out of the City - see my post of 10th June.

Quite a cycling weekend really - off to see the start of the Tour de France in London Saturday.

Planning Applications

2007-06-28T19:02:00.000+01:00

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/01833/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 8th June 2007 Expiry Date: 3rd August 2007
Location: 5 Albert Place Combe Down Bath BA2 5EP
Grid Ref: (E)376226 - (N)162409 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a two storey extension after demolition of existing
Officer: Andy Harwood
Applicant: Mr & Mrs M Hobday
Agent: CJ Rudd
Claremont Lodge
119 Church Road
Combe Down
Bath
9 Clydesdale Road
Box
Corsham
Wilts
SN13 8EN

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/01916/LBA
Parish: N/A
Registered: 19th June 2007 Expiry Date: 14th August 2007
Location: 73 Church Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5JQ
Grid Ref: (E)375902 - (N)162316 LB Grade: II
Proposal: Internal and external alterations to include installation of rooflight to front elevation, blocking up doorway to rear elevation and removing a window to open up original doorway.
Officer: Bob Cannon
Applicant: Mr Alex Hammond
Agent: Western Building Consultants Ltd
73 Church Road
Combe Down
Bath
Bath
Bath & North East Somerset
BA2 5JQ
Unit 20
Wansdyke Business Centre
Oldfield Lane
Bath
BA2 3LY

Questions and answers from B&NES Cabinet 20th June 2007

2007-06-26T14:01:00.000+01:00

Question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
Is the Leader aware of the debate in the letters pages of the Bath Chronicle which was sparked by a letter from Mr Steve Devrell published on 31st May 2007? What steps are planned to address the issues he raised?

Answer from:
Councillor Francine Haeberling
1. Yes.
2. I’m afraid that after 12 years of Liberal Democrat dominance on Bath and North East Somerset Council and, in particular, the previous five years of a Liberal Democrat Council Executive member overseeing issues such as bins, litter, and public toilets it is quite rich for Cllr Symonds to demand a plan to address the concerns expressed on the Bath Chronicle letters pages after just one month of the new administration.
However, let me take this opportunity to assure local residents it is a priority for the new administration to improve the condition of Bath’s urban environment and create a greener, cleaner community throughout the district.

Comment - I asked this question because I was asked to raise the issue of the letter with councillors. Some of the issues raised were indeed the responsibility of Cllr Gerry Curran, but equally some were, and still are, the responsibility of Cllr Vic Pritchard. The question about what steps will be taken was not answered.

Question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
This Council collects plastic bottles for recycling if they are made of PET, PVC and HDPE, but it will not collect other plastic containers made of these particular types of plastic. Why not?

Answer from:
Councillor Charles Gerrish
It is interesting that despite the Liberal Democrats holding the Cabinet position of Sustainability and the Environment for the last five years, Councillor Symonds has decided to raise this issue at the first meeting of the new Conservative administration.
Perhaps the former post holder, his Liberal Democrat colleague Councillor Gerry Curran, would be in a better position to brief him about this issue and why such a commitment was not contained within the Liberal Democrat May 2007 Local Election Manifesto?
Another suggestion would be for Cllr Symonds to contact me so a comprehensive briefing about this subject can be arranged with Officers.

Supplementary question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
How long will the Cabinet member continue to blame the previous administration for things which were not their responsibility?

Answer from:
Councillor Charles Gerrish
I agree that this needs closer examination. This administration has committed to improving the Council's recycling percentages.

Comment - I will accept Cllr Gerrish' invitation to a briefing.

Question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
Licenses are regularly given permission for events in Bath and North East Somerset, but rubbish created at such events is not separated, so for example cans, bottles and paper are sent directly to landfill. A simple condition in the License permission for the applicant to recycle cans, bottles and paper would enable the Council to extend its recycling to events. What action will the Cabinet member take to make sure that waste is recycled from these public events?

Answer from:
Councillor Charles Gerrish
The authority stipulates this as a condition of issuing a contract to use our land.
For events where we do not control the land, we state in the Council's Licensing Policy for any application for a Premises Licence, which includes open spaces, that we, the Licensing Authority, will consider in particular a number of additional criteria one of which includes the steps taken or proposed by the applicant with particular regard to the recycling of glasses, bottles and cans from their premises.
Whilst this above statement is in our policy as something we would expect the applicant to include in their operating schedule, if the applicant does not provide a satisfactory statement on this and we do not have any representations against the application then the licence may be granted because Licensing is not legally empowered to insist on its inclusion.

Supplementary question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
Can the Cabinet member explain then why there is only one event where there has been separate collections?

Answer from:
Councillor Charles Gerrish
The question has a historical context and I will need to investigate and will report back to him in the future.

Comment - There must be a way round this without having to object to each and every licence. I will find out why this condition is not applied to events on Council land. It is done in other cities including Bristol. It is not enough to persuade people to recycle in their homes, the principle should be continued at public events and on our streets, so that recycling becomes second nature to everybody.

Question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
What is the target quota for converting areas for Living Over the Shops (LOTS) and for bringing basements into use for accommodation in the B&NES Local Plan and is the Council anywhere near meeting this target?

Answer from:
Councillor Charles Gerrish
There are no specific targets for converting areas for 'Living Over the Shops' or for bringing basements into use for accommodation in the Local Plan that was agreed by Full Council on 29th March 2007

Question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
How many people are there on the Homeseekers register and on Somer Housing‘s books either without homes or living in temporary/unsuitable accommodation in B&NES?

Answer from:
Councillor Vic Pritchard
At the time of writing there are 5,624 households on the Homeseekers Register, of which 63 are in Band A. Band A includes all households who are homeless and living in temporary accommodation, are statutory overcrowded or have an urgent medical or social need to move. Please note that a “household” can range from a single individual to a large family, and as such is not the same as number of people. In addition the above figure will not include those households who are sharing with friends or family, unless the sharing results in either statutory overcrowding or an urgent social or medical award.
There are currently 641 households on the Somer CHT transfer list. While all of these households are housed and in permanent accommodation, it is likely that some of these will be living in overcrowded and hence unsuitable accommodation. However, it is likely that some of these clients will also be on the Homeseekers Register.
In future, because of the continuous fluctuation of these figures could I suggest that factual information of this kind could be obtained by contacting the relevant officer, Graham Sabourn, or me outside the formal Cabinet meeting question process.

Question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
What does the Cabinet Member intend to do about the chronic shortage of Social and Affordable Housing in the Authority?

Answer from:
Councillor Vic Pritchard
The Council and Local Strategic Partnership agreed the Housing Strategy 2005-2010 in July 2006. Nine Delivery Plans are being developed, including one specifically focused on the delivery of affordable housing. This Delivery Plan is nearing completion and along with the remaining Delivery Plans will ultimately be presented to the Cabinet for approval early next year following extensive consultation. A copy of the draft affordable housing delivery plan has been sent directly to Cllr Symonds for his consideration.

Question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
How many empty homes are there in Bath and North East Somerset?

Answer from:
Councillor Vic Pritchard
483 private sector empty homes.
In future, because of the continuous fluctuation of these figures could I suggest that factual information of this kind could be obtained by contacting the relevant officer, Graham Sabourn, or me outside the formal Cabinet meeting question process.

Question from:
Councillor Roger Symonds
How many houses in the Council’s area have been brought back into occupation under the powers given to the Council under the Government’s Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs) that were introduced in the Housing Act 2004?

Answer from:
Councillor Vic Pritchard

None.

Planning Applications

2007-06-20T13:27:00.000+01:00

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/01679/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 13th June 2007 Expiry Date: 8th August 2007
Location: 1 Axbridge Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5PW
Grid Ref: (E)375183 - (N)162859 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a two storey side extension
Officer: Martyn Edwards
Applicant: Mr R Waldron
Agent: No Agent
1 Axbridge Road
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5PW

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/01721/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 7th June 2007 Expiry Date: 2nd August 2007
Location: 23 Priory Close Combe Down Bath BA2 5AL
Grid Ref: (E)375937 - (N)162797 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a conservatory to rear
Officer: Rachel Le Huray
Applicant: Mrs Cossey
Agent: J H Leeke And Son Ltd
23 Priory Way
Bath
BA2 5AL
Unit 1
Mwyndy Business Park
Cardiff Road
Pontyclun
Rhondda
Cynon Taff.
CF72 8PN

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/01821/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 6th June 2007 Expiry Date: 1st August 2007
Location: 43 Priory Close Combe Down Bath BA2 5AN
Grid Ref: (E)375857 - (N)163075 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Extension and alterations
Officer: Richard Dale
Applicant: Mrs P Clark
Agent: Stephen P Dalley Smith
100 Sydney Place Mews
Bath
BA2 4ED
Meadow Farm
Bathampton
Bath
BA2 6SL

Plastic Recycling - why some and not others

2007-06-12T23:33:00.000+01:00

The Council recycles plastic bottles made from PET, PVC and HDPE , but it will only take bottles. Other plastic containers made from these same types of plastic, are not collected. Why not you may well ask? Is it because bottles are just easy to sort and other containers make it slower and more difficult for the recyclers? Is it because there is not the capacity on the recycling trucks to collect more plastic?

Whatever the reasons a number of local people have asked Cherry and I why other types of plastic container made of the same plastic the council collects now, cannot also be collected and why 'mixed' plastic cannot be recycled.

Consequently we have asked the Cabinet Member for Waste these questions and what he intends to do about increasing the collection of plastic containers. When we receive a reply we will publish it on the blog.

Two Tunnels makes Sustrans Short List

2007-06-10T13:28:00.000+01:00

Have you heard of the Two Tunnels project? Its all about opening Combe Down and Devonshire tunnels that used to take the old Somerset and Dorset Railway out of Bath to the south coast until it closed in 1966. The tunnels will be open to cyclists, walkers and joggers and will provide a spectacular way to enter the city. Combe Down tunnel goes under Firs Field at 200 feet down, much lower than the Stone Mines.

The Two Tunnels project has been selected to move to the Sustrans shortlist of 79 Connect2 projects bidding for Big Lottery funding. If you want to find out more go to: www.twotunnels.org.uk and sign up to give your support to this exciting project.

Back on Line - Hooray

2007-06-06T23:36:00.002+01:00

After being off line since the middle of April, after Orange so say upgraded my Broadband connection to make it faster we are back with a new ISP - Waitrose. It took a call to OFFCOM to get the MAC number out of Orange, so we could go to another company.

I find it difficult to articulate my contempt for a company that can arbitrarily close down a Broadband business connection without any hope of getting back on - I wonder how many small businesses this company has put out of business. I now have to deal with my 450 emails before updating the Blog.

Planning Applications

2007-06-06T23:36:00.001+01:00

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/01345/LBA
Parish: N/A
Registered: 21st May 2007 Expiry Date: 16th July 2007
Location: 162 North Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5DL
Grid Ref: (E)376354 - (N)162676 LB Grade: II
Proposal: Erection of detached rear garage and rebuild part of boundary wall
Officer: Bob Cannon
Applicant: Mr Paul Isaac
Agent: No Agent
162 North Road
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5DL

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/01601/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 22nd May 2007 Expiry Date: 17th July 2007
Location: Tabouri Southstoke Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5SN
Grid Ref: (E)374774 - (N)161931 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a two storey and single storey rear extension after removal of existing single storey extension
Officer: Rachel Le Huray
Applicant: Mrs Nikki McCarthy
Agent: Marek Dziedzic
Tabouri
Southstoke Road
Bath
Bath and North East Somerset
BA2 5SN
44 Langdon Road
Southdown
Bath
BA2 1LS

Local elections

2007-05-11T15:48:00.000+01:00

So it's all over. The dust is settling on a Tory minority administration for Bath and North East Somerset. Overall the Tories went from 26 to 31 seats and are now the largest party in B&NES. However here in Bath honours were even with Tories and Lib Dems exchanging three seats - two Bathwick and one Combe Down gains by LD from Con and one Lambridge, Weston and Widcombe seats gained by Con from LD.

In Combe Down Cherry Beath was elected with a majority of more than 300 over the nearest Conservative candidate and I was elected with a similar majority. We have called on almost all households in Combe Down during the past year, so you can imagine the wear and tear on our shoe leather.

We would like to thank all those who had enough confidence in us to cast a vote our way and we will try to live up to that confidence by representing all the residents of Combe Down to the very best of our ability.

Orange Problems

2007-05-11T15:34:00.000+01:00

I signed up with internet provider 'Freeserve' a few years ago for Broadband access, so imagine my surprise when I found that I could no longer access the internet or my emails at home, and Orange was my Broadband provider. Apparently 'Freeserve' was taken over by 'Wanadoo' and 'Wanadoo' was then swallowed up by Orange.

I had various explanations as to why I was unable to get on line and a number of empty promises about getting back on line. Now 4 weeks on, I am still unable to access the internet through the broadband system provided by Orange.

Neither am I able to sign up with another Broadband provider until I can get my 'MAC' number from Orange and so far they have promised, but not supplied it. I am now trying to get the number through the regulator OFFCOM. If I was a small business that relied on the internet I would have been out of business by now. As it is I work from home and to be off-line during an election campaign has been very difficult.

This is why I have not been able to update the website very often in past weeks. I feel that I should let others know how appallingly Orange have behaved over this issue - one of my neighbours is also suffering similar problems.

Deep Clean for The Avenue

2007-04-13T11:45:00.000+01:00

This morning in response to a request from resident Phyllis Brown, the area received a 'deep clean' from a team of council cleaning operators sweeping the road and pavements with brush and shovel and with mechanical cleaners.

Residents were asked to park on the west side of the Avenue, on the double yellow lines, so the cleaners could get to an area which always has parked cars on it. The litter and leaves that had built up over months was swept away in about 30 minutes.

One of the surprising results of getting cars to park on the west side of the Avenue was to discover that there is more parking on that side, because on the east there are entrances for various businesses and residential properties, which need to be kept clear. Also access to these properties became much easier. As a result we will be asking residents whether they would like this temporary change in parking to be made permanent and if they do, then approaching the council parking manager, Dorothy Miley.

This is the second time that we have brought a 'deep cleaning' team into Combe Down - the first time was in Meare Road, last year and both have been successful.

St Martins Garden Saved

2007-04-05T10:32:00.000+01:00

Last Thursday the Council voted to support a Liberal Democrat motion to remove the School from the Hayesfield development site. This means that everyone is satisfied, well almost everyone - St Martins Garden School, the Margaret Coates Unit and the Sure Start Children's Centre remain as they are; Hayesfield School can sell its old playing fields for development and if this site goes for housing children living in the houses will have a school with room to expand next door; local people still have their green open space to walk in.

The only losers being councillors who wanted to see a big profit for the Council in selling part of the St Martins site for a Tesco Supermarket development.

This was a long campaign stretching from last July, but the tenacity of the 'Ask Odd Down' and 'It's a Super rip Off' campaigners and some of the local councillors has paid off with a sensible vote in Council which took into account overwhelming public opinion.

Planning Applications In Combe Down

2007-04-05T10:29:00.000+01:00

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/00874/FUL
Parish: N/A
Registered: 28th March 2007 Expiry Date: 23rd May 2007
Location: 64 Stonehouse Lane Combe Down Bath BA2 5DW
Grid Ref: (E)375720 - (N)162542 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of a two storey side extension
Officer: Rachel Le Huray
Applicant: Mr & Mrs J Childs-Evans
Agent: No Agent
64 Stonehouse Lane
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5DW

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/00897/LBA
Parish: N/A
Registered: 27th March 2007 Expiry Date: 22nd May 2007
Location: 4 Greendown Place Combe Down Bath BA2 5DD
Grid Ref: (E)375484 - (N)162353 LB Grade: II
Proposal: Internal and external alterations to include replacement rear windows and doors and repairs to fireplace
Officer: Caroline Waldron
Applicant: Ruth Jenkins
Agent: No Agent
4 Greendown Place
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5DD

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/00984/LBA
Parish: N/A
Registered: 27th March 2007 Expiry Date: 22nd May 2007
Location: Belmont House Belmont Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5JR
Grid Ref: (E)376116 - (N)162245 LB Grade: II
Proposal: Waterproofing of existing lower ground level vaults using a polypropylene membrane fixed to the existing vault walls and ceilings and dry lined.
Officer: Bob Cannon
Applicant: Mr Simon Morray-Jones
Agent: Mr Simon Morray-Jones
21 Milsom Street
Bath
BA1 1DE
21 Milsom Street
Bath
BA1 1DE

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/01046/REG03
Parish: N/A
Registered: 28th March 2007 Expiry Date: 27th June 2007
Location: Combe Down Stone Mines Firs Field The Firs Combe Down Bath BA2 5ED
Grid Ref: (E)375929 - (N)162508 LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Amendment to bat and archaeological mitigation measures to the approved scheme 03/00021/EREGO3 as amended by planning permission 06/00442/REG03 for the stabilisation of former stone mines beneath Combe Down Area
Officer: Rachel Le Huray
Applicant: Combe Down Stone Mines Project
Agent: No Agent
10 Palace Yard Mews
Bath
BA1 2NH

Save St Martins Garden Primary School

2007-03-26T09:29:00.000+01:00

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

2007-03-26T09:23:00.000+01:00

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

2007-03-26T09:18:00.000+01:00

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.

Planning Applications

2007-03-25T18:10:00.000+01:00

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

Planning Applications

2007-03-14T15:04:00.000Z

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

Tong Walks

2007-03-13T20:48:00.000Z

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.

Planning Application

2007-03-07T16:38:00.000Z

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

Should it Stay or Should it go - you decide!

2007-02-28T14:38:00.000Z

The Planning application directly below would get rid of the 1939 Old Telephone Exchange in Combe Road. The building has for some years been the home of the Swedenborgian Church. It has been empty since being used by Combe Down Primary School when the School's old 'temporary' classrooms were replaced by the new building. Let us know whether you think the Old Telephone Exchange should be saved or not.

Planning Application

2007-02-27T19:00:00.000Z

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/00320/FUL
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: Erection of a conservatory after demolition of existing lean-to
Officer: Rachel Le Huray
Applicant: Mrs Jennifer Morgan
Agent: No Agent
3 Quarry Vale
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5JZ

Weight Limit Removed

2007-02-12T14:49:00.000Z

The 3 tonne weight limit imposed just 2 weeks ago at the top of Stonehouse Lane will be removed today. The stabilisation of an area near the junction with North Road has been completed two weeks ahead of the initial estimate.

The suspect area, with a thin roof, was identified under the pavement and a garden in Stonehouse Lane. Traffic should be able to get back to normal later today.

Notice a problem anywhere - tell the council

2007-02-09T16:18:00.000Z

There is a new web site for reporting issues like litter, damage, repairs in your neighbourhood, to the Council. All you do is key in the post code or street name. You can then pinpoint where the problem is by clicking on a map of the area. You even get an email acknowledement for your records. It really does work - try it!

http://www.neighbourhoodfixit.com/

Stone Mines Contract Awarded

2007-01-31T10:08:00.000Z

Hydrock, the company that has brought the scheme to the present position, has been awarded the contract to carry on with the stabilisation works. Hydrock offered the lowest cost, best value and shortest programme for the remaining project works in the sum of £42,544,218.58 .

This is the first of three 'packages' for the remainder of the scheme and the release of subsequent stages of works to Hydrock will be dependent upon their satisfactory performance. Hydrock are well liked by local people, not only because they are efficient, but because they are considerate and are willing to contribute to the local community.

The most obvious example is the lights at Christmas draped over the horse chestnut tree in the centre of Firs Field. Recently there has been a record pouring of foamed concrete in one day - 1300 cubic metres, when the normal days work is around 900 cubic metres.

Mast Application in The Avenue Refused

2007-01-22T11:20:00.000Z

The first round of the campaign to stop a mobile telephone mast in The Avenue has been won. However, the mobile telephone companies usually appeal these decisions. We will post further information on the blog as it becomes available. Full decision below with web address for details.

Town and Country Planning Act 1990
Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995 (as amended)

Application Type: Full Application
Site Location: Street Record The Avenue Combe Down Bath
Description of Proposal: Erection of telecommunications base station comprising a 17.5m monopole mast incorporating three shrouded 1.7m antennae at 15.8m and one transmission dish at 15m with associated equipment cabinets on grass verge in front of Combe Down Garage
Name of Applicant: Hutchinson 3G Now Trading As Three
Application Number: 06/04025/FUL Case Officer: Neil Harvey

Further to our earlier letter regarding the application as described above, I write to advise you that the decision was made on 18th January 2007 and was as follows:-

REFUSE

Details of the decision can be found on the Planning Services pages of the Council’s website by clicking on the link below:

http://idox.bathnes.gov.uk/WAM/showCaseFile.do?appType=DC&appNumber=06/04025/FUL;

Westerleigh Road Houses to be renovated

2007-01-12T17:53:00.000Z

Combe Road is now likely to be closed until June or July, so I asked whether these houses in Westerleigh Road can be given a clean bill of health before this time - it was thought that Westerleigh Road would need to be closed for the infill to be checked and obviously this would have created great problems with Combe Road closed too. I have today received the following positive reply from Jess Bowden of the Stone Mines Project Team:

"I have spoken to the project managers about the topping up in Westerleigh Road and have been advised that an alternative approach has been agreed so that the area can be topped up without lengthy closure of the road. It is intended that this work will be done after bulk pours nearby are finished - this is likely to be in the next couple of weeks. The best estimate the project managers have at the moment is that, providing nothing unexpected happens, by the end of February they should be in a position to say there is no further work required. I have been promised updates on this work as it happens".

I have passed this information on to Somer Housing so that they can plan the renovation of these badly needed houses.

Pot Hole Regulations

2007-01-12T08:54:00.000Z

Remember the pothole in Ralph Allen Drive that Cherry and I took our lives in our hands to get a photograph of last year - it's in the blog archive for October? I asked the Council's Highways department about how deep potholes had to be before they were treated as urgent, because the Ralph Allen Drive potholes had been around for some time and I considered that they were especially dangerous for two wheeled vehicles and for cyclists.

The reply I received from Steve Jones is reproduced below - thank you Steve for the information.

"A dangerous pothole (24 hour repair) is one that is 40mm deep and over, having a vertical edge and is 300mm in length on a busy principle road, 7 days on lesser used roads. (this is national guidance and case law proven, not just a local policy - however our response and intervention is better than other Authorities in the SW). Depending on location and class of road a pothole 60mm deep would be repaired in 24hrs or seven days. The one on the photo you sent was wearing course only and thus could not be more than 40mm".

I still think that a pothole much less than 40mm is dangerous to two wheeled vehicles and of course on the downward slope of Ralph Allen Drive where motorcycles and bikes travel faster, the potential for an accident is much greater.

A pothole meeting the specificaions Steve mentions above - 40mm x 300mm is a veritable chasm in the road and would spell disaster for four and two wheeled vehicles alike! I wonder how many accidents are caused to 2 wheeled vehicles and bikes by potholes nation wide?

We are still trying to get some potholes filled in Exmoor Road after 2 years - we will be there soon with a ruler!

Planning Applications

2007-01-11T22:51:00.001Z

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/00029/LBA
Parish:
Registered: 03/01/2007 Expiry Date: 28/02/2007
Location: 3 Quarry Vale Combe Down Bath BA2 5JZ
Grid 375884 162272 Listed building Grade: II
Proposal: Addition of exterior door to opening in existing porch
Case Caroline Waldron
Applicant: Mrs Jennifer Morgan Agent Name: No Agent
Applicant Address: 3 Quarry Vale Agent Address:
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5JZ
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/00024/LBA
Parish:
Registered: 02/01/2007 Expiry Date: 27/02/2007
Location: 4 Greendown Place Combe Down Bath BA2 5DD
Grid 375484 162353 Listed building Grade: II
Proposal: Replacement of windows and front door
Case Caroline Waldron
Applicant: Ruth Jenkins Agent Name: No Agent
Applicant Address: 4 Greendown Place Agent Address:

Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5DD Ward: Keynsham East App Ref: 07/00034

Planning Applications Furore

2007-01-11T12:47:00.000Z

There have been two recent Planning Applications in Combe Down village that have caused consternation to local residents.

The First is the ridiculous applcation for a mobile telephone mast on the grass verge outside Combe Down Garage. The company 'Three', visited Wags Firmin owner of the garage to ask if they could install a mast on his property. Wags refused, so the the company have proposed a mast as close as they can to the garage, but without encroaching on Wags' land.

The proposal should be refused on aesthetic grounds alone - an unsightly development in the Conservation Area and totally out of place. But there are also health concerns about the affect of these masts, particularly on children. So with a children's play area and nursery close by and on the route to and from Combe Down Primary School, the fear of health problems should also be a reason to refuse the mast. This mast proposal is close to the most densely populated area of Combe Down.

The company maintain that this is the only site for a mast. I say to the company "go back and look again", if this is the best you can come up with it may be that there is not a suitable site in Combe Down. The photo by the Chronicle shows Roger and Cherry with Wags Firmin, the Manager of Tadpoles Nursery and local resident Phyllis Brown.

The second Planning Application causing some problems is for a new Astroturf hockey pitch on Sears Field, just over the wall from Church Road in Monkton Combe Junior School. Fears of local residents include increased noise and disturbance, possible floodlighting and an increase in traffic already causing problems to people in Church Road and Tyning Road.

Our view is that this site is the closest to dwellings on the whole school site and although we are not opposed in principle to the school constructing an all weather surface in its grounds, there surely must be a better site. Neither can we support any development in the school until present traffic and pollution problems caused by parents bringing and collecting their children are addessed.

It is a shame that there was no discussion with local residents before the application was submitted. Simply discussing applications like this, which could have a great impact on local people, with planning officers is not enough - local councillors and local residents should be invited to make comments and ask questions before the submission of an application. Otherwise applicants risk opposition as in this case.

The Headteacher will meet local residents this weekend and Cherry and myself will meet him next week if possible. Local views may still be taken into account, but it is rather late in the day.

There is still an opportunity for people to comment on the application until 30th January 2007.

Christmas Ice Skating

2007-01-07T11:19:00.000Z

Christmas 2005 saw ice skating in Queen Square, but there has been no repeat of what seemed a very popular addition to Bath's winter attractions since.

This New Year while in London I took this photo as we passed Somerset House, the first of four or five open air ice skating venues in London. The photo speaks for itself, crowded with people experiencing something that we were able to do two years ago in bath in beautiful surroundings.

I know in Bath we have had some trouble with finding a suitable venue, but I do find it difficult to understand, when we are competing with other cities to attract visitors that we are unable to get our act together for ice skating. I know the Planners and some councillors opposed skating in Queen Square and because of its slope it is probably not the most suitable venue, but surely we can get our act together for next year.

Climb Lines

2007-01-04T19:51:00.000Z

I regularly ride my bike up Ralph Allen Drive, often when it is dark, as do many more Combe Down residents, but it is quite frightening to be passed closely by cars travelling at speed. I have therefore written to Cllr Sir Elgar Jenkins, Cabinet member for Transport asking for a white line to be painted on the 'up' side of Ralph Allen Drive. This ‘Climb Line’ (really a cycle lane) will be helpful to motorists too in giving them a guide to how much room they should give to cyclists. I see this as a pilot scheme, which if successful could be repeated at very little cost on hills throughout Bath and North East Somerset. (Photo shows me with bike and other cyclists during 'Bike to Work Week - by kind permission of the Chron.)

Approaching the top of Ralph Allen Drive too it is often not possible to ride on the inside of the row of cars queuing to get out at the junction with North Road, because they are too close to the kerb. The line would give them a guide to where they should be positioned on the road and allow cyclists to get to the head of the queue. I believe that these lines would encourage more cyclists on to our roads and therefore help achieve the Council’s goal of getting more people to use sustainable transport.

Reaction from officers is that Ralph Allen Drive may be too narrow for a cycle lane, but they will check!!!

Planning Applications

2007-01-03T10:42:00.000Z

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/04251/LBA
Parish:
Registered: 12/12/2006 Expiry Date: 06/02/2007
Location: De Montalt Mill Summer Lane Combe Down Bath BA2 5JY
Grid 376224 162007 Listed building Grade: II
Proposal: Conversion and extension Engineman's building to create a dwelling house
Case Varian Tye
Applicant: Mr R Hussey Agent Name: Ashley Design Associates
Applicant Address: 66 Avonfield Agent Address: The Old Ride
Avenue Bath Road
Bradford On Avon Bradford On Avon
BA15 2PB
Wiltshire
BA15 1JF
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/04078/FUL
Parish:
Registered: 11/12/2006 Expiry Date: 05/02/2007
Location: 6 St Winifred's Drive Combe Down Bath BA2 7HR
Grid 376673 162520 Listed building Grade:
Proposal: Erection of a bay extension at ground floor level to front
Case Rachel Le Huray
Applicant: Mr J Coates Agent Name: Mr M Mills
Applicant Address: 6 St Winifred's Agent Address: 60 Bath Road
Drive Atworth
Combe Down Wilts
Bath SN12 8JY
BA2 7HR
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/04247/FUL
Parish:
Registered: 12/12/2006 Expiry Date: 06/02/2007
Location: 14 Cleevedale Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5QS
Grid 375235 162281 Listed building Grade:
Proposal: Erection of a two storey side extension and single storey rear extension
Case Rachel Le Huray
Applicant: Mr S Chaddha Agent Name: Neil Chapple And
Applicant Address: 14 Cleevedale Agent Address: 33 Millmead Road
Road Oldfield Park
Combe Down Bath
Bath BA2 3JP
BA2 5QS
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/04250/FUL
Parish:
Registered: 12/12/2006 Expiry Date: 06/02/2007
Location: De Montalt Mill Summer Lane Combe Down Bath BA2 5JY
Grid 376224 162007 Listed building Grade: II
Proposal: Conversion and extension of Engineman's building to create a dwelling house
Case Lewis Cook
Applicant: Mr R Hussey Agent Name: Ashley Design Associates
Applicant Address: 66 Avonfield Agent Address: The Old Ride
Avenue Bath Road
Bradford On Avon Bradford On Avon
BA15 2PB
Wiltshire
BA15 1JF

Christmas Cheer from Hydrock

2006-12-15T08:22:00.000Z

Hydrock the Combe Down stone Mines contractor usually puts up a Christmas tree on site every year, but this year they have gone one better. Local people can now see the horsechestnut tree in the middle of the field draped with Christmas lights.

Well done Brian McConnell. Thank you and your workers for all you are doing for Combe Down. Given the size of the task the operation is making relatively little impact on the local community.

This photo nearly didn't happen because the security guard at the site would not allow me to take a photo of the tree!

Latest Planning Applications in Combe Down

2006-12-14T16:12:00.000Z

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/04162/FUL
Parish:
Registered: 05/12/2006 Expiry Date: 30/01/2007
Location: Barclays Bank Plc 2 North Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5DQ
Grid Reference: 375635 162407 Listed building Grade:
Proposal: Installation of ATM to front elevation
Case Lewis Cook
Applicant: Barclays Bank Plc Agent Name: Stride Treglown Ltd
Applicant Address: One Churchill Place Agent Address: Promenade House
Canary Wharf The Promenade
London Clifton
E14 5HP Bristol
BS8 3NE
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/04190/LBA
Parish:
Registered: 05/12/2006 Expiry Date: 30/01/2007
Location: 73 Church Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5JQ
Grid Reference: 375902 162316 Listed building Grade: II
Proposal: Erection of single storey rear extension and provision of rooflight to front roof slope
Case Caroline Waldron
Applicant: Mr And Mrs Hammond Agent Name: Western Building Consultants Ltd
Applicant Address:
73 Church Road Agent Address: Unit 20
Combe Down Wansdyke Business Centre
Bath Oldfield Lane
BA2 5JQ Bath
BA2 3LY
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/04164/AR
Parish:
Registered: 05/12/2006 Expiry Date: 30/01/2007
Location: Barclays Bank Plc 2 North Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5DQ
Grid Reference: 375635 162407 Listed building Grade:
Proposal: Display of internally illuminated ATM integrated lightbox
Case Lewis Cook
Applicant: Barclays Bank Plc Agent Name: Stride Treglown Ltd
Applicant Address: One Churchill Place Agent Address: Promenade House
Canary Wharf The Promenade
London Clifton
E14 5HP Bristol
BS8 3NE
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/04189/FUL
Parish:
Registered: 05/12/2006 Expiry Date: 30/01/2007
Location: 73 Church Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5JQ
Grid Reference: 375902 162316 Listed building Grade: II
Proposal: Erection of a single storey rear extension and provision of rooflight to front roof slope
Case Alice Barnes
Applicant: Mr And Mrs Hammond Agent Name: Western Building Consultants Ltd
Applicant Address:
73 Church Road Agent Address: Unit 20
Combe Down Wansdyke Business Centre
Bath Oldfield Lane
BA2 5JQ Bath
BA2 3LY

Latest Planning Applications

2006-12-06T13:20:00.000Z

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/04129/FUL
Parish:
Registered: 30/11/2006 Expiry Date: 25/01/2007
Location: Goldney House The Avenue Combe Down Bath BA2 5EH
Grid 375943 162363 Listed building Grade:
Proposal: Provision of replacement shopfront with new railing to boundary wall and new timber
windows
Case Rachel Le Huray
Applicant: Mrs L Evans Agent Name: Bennett Dlugiewicz Date
Applicant Address: Goldney House Agent Address: 90 Walcot Street
The Avenue Bath
Combe Down Somerset
Bath BA1 5BG
BA2 5EH
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/04111/FUL
Parish:
Registered: 29/11/2006 Expiry Date: 24/01/2007
Location: Monkton Combe Junior School Church Road (pt) Combe Down Bath BA2 7ET
Grid 376495 162225 Listed building Grade: II
Proposal: Proposed artificial turf pitch at playing field
Case Neil Harvey
Applicant: The Govenors Of Monkton Agent Name: Monkton Combe School
Combe
Applicant Address: C/o Agent Address: Monkton Combe
J R Snow (Estates Bath
Bursar) BA2 7HG

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/04025/FUL
Parish:
Registered: 23/11/2006 Expiry Date: 18/01/2007
Location: Street Record The Avenue Combe Down Bath
Grid 376075 162659 Listed building Grade:
Proposal: Erection of telecommunications base station comprising a 17.5m monopole mast
incorporating three shrouded 1.7m antennae at 15.8m and one transmission dish at
15m with associated equipment cabinets on grass verge in front of Combe Down
Case Neil Harvey
Applicant: Hutchinson 3G Now Trading Agent Name: Barton Willmore Planning
As Three
Applicant Address: C/o Agent Agent Address: 25 Marsh Street
Bristol
BS1 4AQ

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/03838/FUL
Parish:
Registered: 20/11/2006 Expiry Date: 15/01/2007
Location: Chanctonbury Shaft Road Combe Down Bath BA2 7HP
Grid 376644 162664 Listed building Grade:
Proposal: Erection of a summerhouse and shed to rear
Case Vincent Albano
Applicant: Mr C J Starkey Agent Name: No Agent
Applicant Address: Chanctonbury Agent Address:
Shaft Road
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 7HP

Lib Dem Local Environment Campaign

2006-12-06T12:17:00.000Z

We believe that our environment is in need of some attention. Already we have had redundant posts removed last summer from Combe Road and taken a dustpan and brush to clear up the glass at the damaged bus shelter at the MoD. Now we want the old, battered oil drum pinch point in Combe Road removed (see photo) now that the road is closed.

I will raise this with our new Highways liaison officer, John Weeks, at my first meeting with him today. Other issues that I will raise:

signage in Combe Down - particularly connected with the new Firs one way system
repair of bus shelter
temporary and permanent bus stops on North Road
fixing a redeployable camera to lamp post for police, to try to catch vandals - highways say they cannot fix until next Wednesday - urgent action is needed following 2 nights of motor vehicle vandalism in Church Road and the Avenue
repair broken water stopcock at entrance to the work site
cleaning out blocked gullies
churned up grass verge at bottom of The Firs
removal of leaves in The Avenue and The Firs - really cleansing dept, but leaves block the gullies, which are cleaned by highways - some joined up government needed here
highways view on the proposal to site a mobile telephone sub station on the grass verge outside Combe Down Garage

Two tasks have been completed following our requests to B&NES Highways:

straighten up light standard at crossing in North Road - see earlier blog
fill deep pothole in Ralph Allen Drive - see earlier blog

Are there any other ways we can improve the local environment?

Blogger News

2006-12-06T11:12:00.000Z

Ben Murch from the Bath Chronicle has reviewed local political blogs in today's Chron. Conventional wisdom is that more and more news will come from on-line sources and TV, Radio and newspapers will no longer be our main sources for news ( some say that this has happened already). So love them or hate them blogs are here to stay.

Ben was quite complimentary about the existing blogs and I am sure that more councillors will set them up as a result of Ben's article. My view is that the blog is a quick way of getting information out to local residents in Combe Down. I would like this to be more a two way exchange than it is already, so comments and ideas will be very welcome. View the article on line on the Chronicle web site - www.thisisbath.co.uk

I am meeting John Weeks, a newly appointed Highways Liaison Officer to the Stone Mines team from the council, in the Information Centre at 2pm today. I will have plenty to say about the satndard of work by the Council's highways contractor, Ringway, and the length of time it takes to get anything done. I have been asking for the signage for the one way system in the Firs to be completed for about a month now. Even a simple repair to the bus shelter at MoD, reported on two occasions in the last month has still not been done. I was also promised the removal of yellow lines in Church Road and the Avenue more than a year ago.

There is also a working group meeting this Friday to consider Traffic Management issues in Combe Down during the stabilisation scheme. This workshop is as a result of my strong criticism of the lack of any sort of plan for traffic flows after the closure of Combe Road. The workshop includes such major players as council highways officers, Stone Mines Team, Utilities (Water and Gas), emergency planners and local schools. We would welcome any gripes, and suggestions for improvements.

Dangerous for Dogs

2006-11-21T17:45:00.000Z

On Friday a number of dog walkers met on Firs Field (see photo) to highlight the poor condition of the perimeter the Field.

On a number of occasions dogs have run out of the field and on to surrounding roads. Cherry and I were contacted by Louise Chambers on behalf of the 'dog walkers' on Firs Field to try to get the perimeter of the Field made secure, as it has been for many years before the work site was constructed.

Louise told us about seven places where there is a need for better security and maintenance:

o The gate on to the Avenue is broken and has been open for some time
o The new gate on to the Firs is not fixed to the fence on either side and in any case this may not be an appropriate gate
o The other gate on to the Firs is also broken and does not shut properly and the fence post next to the gate is broken
o The place where the two large gates were for the old Vet’s car park is not secure
o The fence in the top corner of the Field is so low that it is easy for dogs to jump over
o The temporary barriers at the new entrance to the work site have been removed and dogs have run on to North Road because of this – it is here that we have asked for a new gate to be placed so that school children can walk along inside the Field and be safer than walking on the very narrow pavement
o The double gates to the Library car park are left open all the time, making it easy for dogs to run on to the Firs

The work site is excellently kept, access to the War Memorial is also much appreciated and the play area and equipment is very good, but the rest of the Field has had very little care and attention. The Field needs to be secure to make it accessible for dog walkers, a group who probably use the Field more that anyone.

On ThursdayI sent an urgent email to the Parks Department and to Mary Stacey, the Stone Mines Project Manager asking for urgent action.

Cherry and I feel that it is vital that what is left of field for the public is useable by the whole community throughout the duration of the project. So far action has been taken to restore the temporary gate next to the work site entrance. (Photo by kind permission of the Bath Chronicle)

Off in the USA

2006-11-15T11:44:00.000Z

This is the first post since October. I have been to see my sister and her family in Idaho in the North West USA.

Blanche, my eldest sister was a GI bride in 1946. Like a good many young women just after the second world war she made the 6000 mile journey by sea and by train to California to marry an American serviceman.

She has been there for 60 years and this, to my shame, was my first visit. I went with Nic, my partner and my son and daughter Tom and Erica.

Emmett and Horeshoe Bend are the two towns where the family live. Well out in the country with no buses or trains, so a motor vehicle is a must - everyone drives and no one walks.

Horseshoe Bend has 770 people living there and Boise the capital of Idaho has about 180,000 population. Boise is about an hours drive away from Emmett where we stayed.

We happened to be in the USA at the time of the mid-term elections, which saw the Democrats gain control of the Senate and the House of Representatives. In Idaho though all the main posts went to Republicans. However, the Mayor of Boise is a Democrat. TV political adverts are something to behold - incredibly negative. I hope we never get to that stage here!

What a country though - mountains and valleys to die for and everything from cars to meals much bigger than I have ever seen before.

I thought of Combe Down and the efforts made voluntarily by individuals to keep the village clean when I discovered that Families, groups, companies and institutions can 'adopt' a highway. Signs at the side of the road give the names of who has volunteered to pick up litter at that particular spot. They get about a mile of highway to clear about once every 3 months and it seems to work quite well.

In the land that invented chewing gum, there is very little gum litter on the streets. In some of the pedestrian areas, as a way of financing the paving, people can pay to have their names inscribed on small paving blocks.

Altogether a different culture, but up in the 'wilderness' there are hot springs (see picture) just coming out of the hillside, where people can bathe in all weathers, very much like our own waters.

Local news will get back to normal just as soon as I recover from 'jet lag'.

Lighting up Foxhill

2006-10-30T15:57:00.000Z

Lights have recently been installed at the Park in Meare Road Foxhill. This will allow young people to use the very popular football and basketball area during the long winter evenings.

The request came from the youngsters themselves when Sam West, formerly the youth service outreach youth worker on Foxhill, persuaded some of the young people in Foxhill to make video diaries about what they wanted in their area. This was after a troubled few weeks with disturbances around the Bradford Road shops, a couple of years ago. They really took to this task and one of the requests that came up a lot was for lighting in this part of the Park.

Sam managed to get the some finance from the Council's Community Safety budget, but it was very expensive to get the lights linked to the electricity supply and there was a £4,000 shortfall.
It was at this time that the Medlock Trust stepped in to make up the balance and the supply has now been connected just in time for the winter. (Photo by kind permission of the Bath Chronicle)

Dangerous Pothole?

2006-10-27T15:40:00.000+01:00

For sometime when riding or driving down Ralph Allen Drive I have had to remember to avoid the pothole in the carriageway at the National Trust Garden entrance.

Last week I remembered to do something about it. It had been ringed in white which means the council had it noted for repair, so we measured it and found it was 2.5 inches deep. The photo shows Cherry and me taking our lives in our hands seeing how deep it was!
The council's response was that the 2.5 inches is "below our dangerous intervention level and the base of the pothole is in good order and will last the period of response". The period of response is within 28 days.

For those of us on two wheels and who drive cars without modern suspension (my 1989 mini reponds to every bump in the road) a pothole of this depth is a death trap. Thankfully no unsuspecting two wheeled vehicle rider came to grief.

The council has a priority list of road users with pedestrians at the top followed by cyclists, motor cyclists and people who are disabled. It would surprise me if this priority list is used in the judgement of which potholes are dangerous and which are not. I fully accept that modern day car suspension and 4x4s would have no problem with this depth, but not two wheeled vehicles.

I have now asked the Council what depth they consider so dangerous that an immediate response is required? Watch this space.

Combe Down Traffic Update

2006-10-24T11:55:00.000+01:00

There's always something happening in Combe Down, if its not road closures or collapses underground its changing weight limits!

The pinch points in Ralph Allen Drive and in North Road to the west, have been removed
The Firs will be one way out of the village by 30th October
Signs will be placed along North Road, at the Combe Road/North Road junction and at the top of The Avenue to advise traffic that access to the village is via The Avenue
The barrier in Combe Road has been moved up to the Westerleigh Road junction - photo shows Roger and Cherry at this smaller closed area - residents can now park their cars closer
An area of poor ground condition has been found to the east of the Ralph Allen Drive/North Road junction. In order to allow workers into this area and for it to be stabilised a weight limit needs to be placed on a small section of road which will run from the horse trough at the top of Ralph Allen Drive for about 150 metres to the other side of Tyning Road.
There will also be a ‘road ahead closed’ sign at The Avenue/Church Road junction to prevent people getting to Combe Road only to find it is closed. A sign will also be put at this junction to advise that turning left into Church Road towards Tyning Road is unsuitable for HGVs.
In addition to these signs there will be signage on North Road to direct site vehicles to the worksite on Firs Field, preventing them from entering the village.

Please email any comments or suggestions.

Business as Usual

2006-10-19T18:59:00.000+01:00

Since the closure, businesses in Combe Road have found that people do not know that they are still acessible. There is no problem getting to them. I contacted the Highways Department to ask for signs, but there are no 'off the shelf' signs to tell people that businesses are still functioning as normal, so they had to be made specially. Business as usual signs are now in place at the top and bottom of the Avenue and in Summer Lane.

The latest timetable for the opening of Combe Road is after Christmas and probably around February or March. The removal of the 'pinch point' on North Road is imminent, but we are still waiting for the Firs to be made one way out of the village and for the barriers in Combe Road near the King William to be moved up to the old telephone exchange.

Leaning Light

2006-10-13T10:14:00.000+01:00

I reported this leaning lamp post and crossing beacon on North Road this morning. There's never a dull moment on Combe Down. I hope the highways department will quickly put this pole back into its normal position

We are waiting for the Highways Dept to make the Firs one way out of the village and to improve the signage, so that no one has any doubt that Combe Down is still open for business.

Both Mike in the Hairdessers and Graham in the King William have reported a drop in trade. I am told that the signs are being made, because there is not an 'off the peg' sign which will cover what needs to be said. As soon as they are ready they will be installed.

The yellow line at the bottom of the Firs has now been removed, as have some double yellows in Westerleigh Road.

Is the Council Connected?

2006-10-09T16:16:00.000+01:00

We noticed that the bus shelter at the MoD on Combe Down had been vandalised last Wednesday 4th October, so I rang Council Connect, B&NES new call centre, to report the smashed bus shelter window. I was told that the cleansing department would be informed to come and sweep up the glass - today, Monday 5 days later, the broken glass had still not been cleared, so Cherry and I did the job.

To be fair the council's successor to Action Line is proving to be quite successful in dealing with a much wider range of calls, but surely something as simple as this should have been done much quicker.

Most calls to Council Connect come from the public and in my view should be given the highest priority for action. It is not good enough to put these calls to the back of the queue. I am though annoyed that I am unable to ring up over a weekend and leave a message for a job to be done on Monday, as there is no answerphone!

Let us know of your good and bad experiences with the Council's Call centre, Council Connect - the number for Council Connect is 01225394041.

Work Site Tours

2006-10-06T19:50:00.000+01:00

The work site tours began this evening with seven groups numbering around 15 people in each group. Each person was issued with a fuorescent yellow jacket and hard hat.

Wet and windy weather buffeted people and umbrellas alike; hardly ideal conditions. Exhibitions by Friends of Firs Field (FoFFs), the Combe Down Stone Mines Community Association and the Combe Down Heritage Group gave some added interest for residents.

The work site itself is clean and tidy and what struck me was the protection afforded to the horse chestnut tree and the War Memorial. Both are well protected by fences and Phil Bishop was pleased to see that the council's parks department has done some planting and tidying up in preparation for Remembrance Day on 11th November.

At one time there was a proposal to drive a ramp from the surface to the mine floor, but Robbie Narbutt from Hydrock showed us how the company had decided on an alternative of a pulley system to get materials into the mine to construct the roadways. This has saved a considerable amount of space on the surface.

At present 1200 cub metres of foamed concrete per day is being pouredinto the mines. The plant has a top capacity of 1500 cub metres.

It is a really worthwhile exercise to allow local people into the work site to see at first hand the professional way that the project is being managed.

Save St Martins Garden School

2006-10-04T17:47:00.000+01:00

Last night the Scrutiny panel voted 4 - 2 to send the decision to build a supermarket and demolish St Martins Garden School back to the Cabinet for a rethink.

Voting to refer back were in favour - Cllr Marie Brewer (Conservative) Cllrs Dave Dixon, Caroline Roberts, Ruth Griffiths (all Lib Dem), and against - Cllr David Hawkins (Conservative) and Cllr Chris Cray (Independent).

There was a vociferous gathering of parents, children and local residents outside the Guildhall before the meeting, demonstrating to 'Save our School'.

This is small victory, because the Cabinet can ignore the reference back. Cllr Colin Darracott, the only member of the cabinet to vote against the proposal to demolish the school will suggest taking the site out of the local plan, until a retail strategy and a green spaces strategy is produced. Local residents should then be involved in any discussion on the future of the site.

Now sign the petition at www.savestmartins.moonfruit.com

Council Take Action on Residents' suggestions

2006-10-02T20:57:00.000+01:00

Some of the suggestions that I passed on from residents at last Thursday's public meeting have been acted on by council Highways officers.

Following the closure of Combe Road and the possibility that the road may remain closed for a period of time it is proposed to undertake the following works:
1. Make The Firs one way for traffic heading out of the village
2. Erect additional signing on Bradford Road, North Road and Ralph Allen Drive, directing traffic to the village down the Avenue
3. Provide additional signage at Summer Lane to prevent drivers heading towards Combe
Road
4. Remove most of the build outs and lines on Westerleigh Road (some will be kept)

Following further discussions with the Stone Mines Team it may be possible to reduce the length of road closed to traffic which would help parking but keep traffic away from the area where underground conditions are known to be poor.

Letters delivered to residents in the immediate area today state that "owing to the poor ground conditions it is unsafe to progress underground roadways. As a result engineers are looking at another way of getting concrete into this area without the use of a roadway. Once pouring is complete surface drilling will be done to ensure complete stabilisation of the area".

I am pleased that there seems to have been some real progress in trying to keep Combe Down functioning and to solve the underground problems, which have led to movement both above and below ground.

Open Days at Firs Field Work Site

2006-09-30T16:26:00.000+01:00

The Stone Mines Project Team is offering local people the chance to tour the Firs Field Work Site on 6th and 13th October from 5.30pm to 7pm. Each tour will take about 15 minutes.

Friends of Firs Field (FoFFs) and the Combe Down Heritage Group will have small displays of their work at the site.

If you want to join one of the tours contact the Project Team on 477200.

Chris Huhne MP Visit to Bath

2006-09-30T15:56:00.000+01:00

Chris Huhne MP, Lib Dem Shadow Environment Spokes came to Bath on Thursday 28th September to look at some of interesting Environmental successes and challenges in the area.

First he was taken to ECT's Recycling Depot at Keynsham to see the very successful operation that helps to take our recycling percentage to more than 40% and then to a woodland area in Keynsham where there is a move to build.

Next it was back to Bath to look at the Midland Road Recycling Centre, where he saw how we have improved the extraction rate of recyclable materials from 37% to 69% in the past year.

From here he was taken to the YMCA where an invited audience from Bath and North East Somerset's environmental groups listened to Chris describing the Lib Dems latest environmental tax initiatives of shifting the tax burden from personal taxation to taxes on pollution (details of this can be found by hitting the 'simpler, fairer, greener button on this blog). He then took questions from the audience.

Chris is a rare bird being an economist and environmentalist. He wrote for the Guardian on economics for many years, before becoming a Euro MP and in 2005 being elected MP for Eastleigh. Earlier this year he was one of the candidates for the leadership of the Lib Dems.

The day continued with visits to Wessex Water and to the Cleveland Baths to talk to reperesntatives of the group trying to retain the Baths as a Lido and ended with a BBQ.

Public Meeting about the Mines

2006-09-30T09:47:00.000+01:00

The regular monthly public meeting of the Combe Down Stone Mines Community Association about the Mines, was well attended last Thursday, with about 60-70 local people present in the Church.

As you can imagine high on the agenda was the closure of Combe Road. There is not much more to say about the problems, but there has been no further movement since work underground stopped and the road was closed.

There was discussion about the following points:

whether all of the road needed to be closed from the King William to the Dentists?
can vehicles be prevented from coming to the barriers where they turn and cause chaos going back into the Avenue?
could residents be allowed to park their cars in the road by moving the barriers up the road to the old church?
could some yellow lines in the village be removed to ease the parking problems?
could The Firs could be made one way out of the village?
could Parking wardens patrol more frequently?

I will talk to Highways Officers next week and raise these issues and suggestions with them. One of my neighbours asked how the recyclers and waste collectors would get to Combe Road so I have aked them to make arrangements to continue collections - the milkman seems to have got through all right!

Colin Harris from Scott Wilson Engineering doesn't yet know what can be done to solve the problems of subsidence. We hope that in the next week we will know more. However, it doesn't seem that the road will be opened in the immediate future.

An interesting fact came to light at the meeting - there are 748 houses in total to be stabilised and 60 have been done so far.

There was some discussion about security at the Work Site on Firs Field and I will be discussing this with our local beat manager, PC paul Honeychurch.

Combe Road Closure

2006-09-26T09:18:00.001+01:00

Yesterday the section of Combe Road from the North Road junction to Rockhall Lane was closed as a precautionary measure after some movement on the surface over the mines was identified. It is thought that the vibration from traffic may have caused the movement. Work has also been progressing underground and this may have been a contributing factor.

The safety of people on the surface and of the workers in the mines is of paramount importance so the road will remain closed to traffic for a minimum of a few days, but it could be for much longer. An assessment of the risk will be made by the Stone Mines Engineers during the next few days.

In an attempt to avoid chaos during the morning 'rush hour' I spoke to the deputy headteacher at Monkton Combe Junior School and he decided to tell parents picking their children up last night that the School's normal one way route to the School, across the school field and out via Combe Road, would be changed to coming in by The Avenue and out via the school field.

This change seems to have been effective this morning because although there was more traffic in the centre of the village than usual there were few holdups. Any comments from people experiencing problems would be welcomed.

Buses now go along North Road as they are no longer able to access the village through Combe Road, so Cherry Beath and I have spoken to the Council's public transport officers and temporary bus stops have been identified in North Road.

Route Change for Bus Service 2

2006-09-25T23:27:00.000+01:00

Local Combe Down residents voted overwhelmingly for a change to the bus route - some 80% of those who responded to our survey said that they would prefer the route to return to Bath via North Road. The changes will not operate until new bus stops are in place and the road closure in Combe Road is removed. Temporarily buses are going both ways along North Road at present.

When the one way loop is operational people will be able to get on at the Hadley Arms stop and ride all the way to the MoD and into the city for the same fare as people who get on at the MoD.

The photo shows Cherry, Ray Hardy First Group Manager and Roger holding the completed survey forms (photo by kind permission of Bath Chronicle).

We were very pleased with the response to the survey and the next step is to meet Highways officers and Ray Hardy in North road to identify sites for bus stops.

Call-In of Superstore Decision on Odd Down

2006-09-24T18:09:00.000+01:00

Together with nine other councillors I have 'called in' of the Cabinet decision to allocate Hayesfield School Playing Fields, St Martin's Garden school and open space at Odd Down for commercial development in the Local Plan.

The 'call in' means that another group of councillors, who sit on a Scrutiny Committee can decide to:
a) dismiss the call-in or
b) uphold the call-in and refer the decision back to the Cabinet Member
c) proceed to a second meeting to consider further evidence before determining the outcome
of the call-in.

The call-in meeting will be held at 6.30pm on Tuesday 3rd October at the Guildhall. Members of the public can speak at the meeting, for not more than 3 minutes. Details from Democratic Services 01225 477000.

The decision by the Cabinet was taken solely on the late recommendation of the Planning Inspector, without consultation or supporting evidence. The decision could mean that the new £2m 'Sure Start' extension to the school will be demolished along with the rest of the school, which also houses the Margaret Coates Unit for Autistic children.

There has been no investigation about whether there is a need for a Superstore in this part of Bath and what the effects would be on the local environment or on shops in the city, in Moorland Road, Odd Down, Southdown, the Bear Flat or in Combe Down.

This call-in is a chance for the Transport Planning and Sustainability Scrutiny Committee to tell the Cabinet to gather more evidence before making such an important decision.

An Inconvenient Truth

2006-09-03T23:28:00.000+01:00

I saw this Al Gore documentary on Climate Change at the Little this morning. It is frighteningly frank about global warming and its consequences. The ice in the Arctic and Antarctic continues to melt and eventually sea levels will rise by about 20 feet, flooding many low lying places and making millions of people homeless, particularly in the developing world.

None of this is new. Its just that the presentation of the issues is done in a very professional manner by an accomplished speaker and politician, known around the world and the issues are covered more comprehensively than in any other documentary that I have seen. Al Gore starts out with the quip "I was at one time the next President of the United States".

Al Gore is optimistic that Climate Change can be reversed. He believes we have all the means at our disposal at present to avert disaster, but that we lack the Political Will to do so.

Go see it at the Little from 15th September and visit the web site www.climatecrisis.net

The Spa

2006-09-03T20:11:00.000+01:00

Is the Spa a costly ‘white elephant’ or a development which will ensure Bath’s economic future? There was only one way to find out and that was to visit. So on Saturday 2nd September Nic my partner, Erica my daughter, two friends from London and I, tried our luck for two hours between 7 and 9pm.

First of all though, in the afternoon we visited the old Roman Spa at the other end of Bath Street, to find out what happened 2000 years ago. I can see why the Roman Baths continue to be amongst the most popular visitor attractions in the country, with the new commentary by Bill Bryson a further useful recent addition.

I certainly believe that we should use the natural hot spring waters in a similar way to the Romans, and so I am pleased that the scandal of the waters running off into the river Avon for the last 30 years without being used, has been ended. In the new Spa the experience is certainly communal, just as in Roman times, because you pass and chat to people as you move from one pool to another.

After entering we secured the small plastic wristband containing the microchip to our wrists and entered the individual changing cubicles. A door on one side of each cubicle gives entry and then on the other, access to the lockers. The numbers of our lockers were contained in the microchip, so there was no need to remember them.

First of all we went up by lift to the rooftop pool on the third floor, hoping for a spectacular sunset, but alas the sky was overcast and it was spitting with rain! The views though are spectacular; the Abbey in all its gothic glory, an ancient tower in Swallow Street, which is almost impossible to see from the ground and Bath’s ‘green hills’ to the south and east.

The pool itself has an area where people can sit and be bombarded by warm water pumped from the seats and from the floor and sides of the pool, but it is simply stunning just to be able to swim or float in this pool on the roof.

We went next to the second floor and the steam pods, footbaths and shower (more of a torrent than a shower) of cool water in the centre of the room. Time in the steam pods, and we tried them all, made a cooling shower essential.

Next the New Royal Bath on the ground floor where we caught site of a clock – 8.15 already we had been in the Spa for one and a quarter hours. Here again the water bubbles around you and the whirlpools make swimming interesting. In the centre of this pool there is a social circular area where people can stand and enjoy the foaming water and chat to each other if they wish.

To finish off our visit we returned to the rooftop pool, by now in darkness except for the underwater blue and green lights. This time Bath Abbey, Sham Castle and Prior Park all stood out floodlit against the darkening sky. I wonder what the Romans would have thought about this outstanding atmospheric twenty first century experience?

We all agreed (I am biased of course) that the new Spa should enable local people and visitors alike to enjoy a world class experience, unique to the UK. As well as the eighteenth century architecture and the Roman Baths, this new Spa should enable local people to be even more proud of our city. Despite the problems of construction, the cost, the delay, the criticisms, the Spa is already very popular and has put a smile on the faces of all who have used it so far, after just a few weeks of operation.

Combe Down Litter Pick

2006-09-02T09:49:00.000+01:00

In July local resident Tim Pentreath emailed local councillors to complain about the poor street cleansing in Combe Down, but this was not just an ordinary complaint! Tim also offered to do something about it.

The upshot of this was that on 19th July 2006, Tim and a group of 10 of his friends and contacts and both local councillors turned up in the Firs and using kit supplied by the council, spent a couple of hours picking up litter in the village.

Tim had divided the village up into 'picking routes' and each 'picker' was armed with a 'picking stick' and bag - you can see from the picture the amount of litter collected - 6 bags.

The litter pick revealed to me the ingrained dirt and detritus in the gutters, built up over the years - Paul, a volunteer from Hawthorn Grove, and I did Westerleigh Road and Combe Road between us.

To get the gutters and pavements really clean, a 'deep' clean with brush and shovel is needed. I will be talking to Trevor Cummings, the officer who manages the street cleansing operation at the council to attempt to get a 'deep' clean in Combe Down. But of course this would not be needed if people did not drop litter in the first place!

Well done Tim and his gang of helpers. In a strange sort of way I found the exercise to be quite satisfying, but then I am a waste and recycling anorak!

The only hot water Spa in the country opens

2006-08-13T22:52:00.000+01:00

Last week the Spa at last opened to the paying public. Business has been brisk and even at the end of the first week there were still queues of people waiting to sample the waters or to book for the future. I made a booking on Tuesday for the beginning of September. Two hours from 7pm to 9pm at the resident's rate of £16.10 should allow us to be in the rooftop pool when the sun goes down and I am looking forward to seeing the floodlit Abbey and Sham Castle from the pool.

Some national newspapers have already reported favourably on the Spa. For the Independent one of their reporters went in during the session for the press the week before opening and shared the pool with an electrician even then still doing some last minute work on the pool's underwater lights. However, as well as documenting the problems of the Spa, he commented that the real problem was that there had not been a spa in the city for the last 30 years. Architect Nicholas Grimshaw broke his silence on the construction for the first time by saying how pleased he was with the finished building and he gave a glowing tribute to the council for its perseverance.

I remember swimming in the spa waters of the old Royal Baths, that were demolished for a shopping centre in the 1980s (now BHS). The waters were lovely when you first entered, but after a while swimming in the water I became pretty hot so I used to sit on the steps to cool down.

The old Cross Bath has also been restored and local residents can swim here for £6. The bath will only take 12 people a a time, so I can see this becoming pretty popular for small celebration parties. I have swum in this bath in the past too, when playing rugby for Avon RFC, probably in the 1960s or 70s, when for a short period of time Old Edwardians Rugby Club used the bath after rugby matches - not only did the water clean our grubby bodies, but it also served to ease the aches and pains collected during the game. Modesty was not a consideration - there were no swimming trunks in evidence then!

Of course it is early days, but those of us who have believed in the Spa from the outset now hope that it will be successful and give a shot in the arm to Bath's faltering Tourist Trade. The confidence shown by the company which has bought the old City of Bath College Gainsborough Building (I hope it becomes the Gainsborough Hotel) will give added impetus to the Spa.

I will be trying out the Spa on Saturday 2nd September 2006, so watch the blog for a report about the experience!

Fence Controversy

2006-08-13T22:32:00.000+01:00

Councillor Roger Symonds and Cllr Gitte Dawson (Bathavon South) have been trying to prevent the proposed six foot high fence being erected between Oldfield Rugby Club's ground and the pathway linking Combe Down with Mount Pleasant.
It was very unfortunate that Council staff offered to fence in Oldfield Rugby Club’s land for them as compensation for the disruption caused by the bat mitigation works – without talking to residents or even informing any of the three councillors in the two wards involved. That is at the root of the impasse that has arisen at Combe Down / Mount Pleasant over the fencing of the public footpath.
The Rugby Club has every right to fence in their land. A fence up to 2 m requires no planning permission, nor are there any AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) rules to prevent it. But local people will not like it – they are used to the open space there and the pleasant walk along its edge.
Already, seven years ago, the other side of the path was fenced in with 6-ft high wire mesh. It really spoiled the look of the path. But there was real danger on the other side – cavities in the ground from the old quarry – and there was nothing councillors could do to get it removed, or even changed. People learned to live with it. What grates with people now, over this current dilemma, is that the proposed new fence on the other side (not 6-ft wire mesh now; but a rather more attractive 4-ft metal railing) is to be constructed by the Council, with public money. Alerted by local residents, councillors were able to stop the work temporarily so discussions could be held, residents consulted and alternatives discussed. Now that there is full awareness, it is apparent that people do feel very strongly.
We have seen a petition with 94 signatures on it – pleading with the Club not to fence in their fields and thereby this public path. Many personal letters have also been written. Those we have seen make no demands; they plead with the Club to reconsider. A main concern is that a fenced-in path will feel unsafe, a view confirmed by the Police.
This fear may not be rational, but it is still a fear. People will use the path less with a fence on both sides – especially parents with children. They will end up walking along Shaft Road (which does not have a footway) or go by car. What a shame – in a Council which actively promotes walking.
Cllrs Symonds and Dawson also have a great deal of sympathy with the Rugby Club. Their wish to keep the grass free of dog mess is totally understandable. It is unbelievable that dog walkers are so insensitive as to let their dogs mess up sports grounds, and particularly rugby pitches! But it happens - the evidence is there. Anyone who cares about open spaces can help by challenging people who do not clean up after their dogs. If it’s regular walkers, they should contact the dog warden who will come and challenge offenders. The fine can be as high as £1000! We should make use of it.
So now it is stalemate over the fence. Cllrs Symonds and Dawson sympathise with both parties – the residents and the rugby players. They feel the Rugby Club is entitled to the money to build the fence – as that promise has definitely been made, is in fact laid down in a contract. Plus the Club have already had to put up with much more upheaval from the bat mitigation earthworks than they ever bargained for, and, being delayed, the work is now interfering with the rugby season!
This is poor, and the Club deserves an unreserved apology from the Council, and some real compensation. But local people should also receive an apology for the thoughtless way that the Council has behaved over this issue. Compensation the Club should have, money with which they can, if they wish, build that fence. But should it really be the Council doing the building? Cllrs Symonds and Dawson think not. It is not the Council’s job to construct a fence that is thoroughly unpopular with its own Council Tax payers – especially without consulting them. The decision about the fence must be with the Rugby Club, not the Council.

Recent Planning Applications

2006-08-08T08:12:00.000+01:00

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/02686/FUL
Parish:
Registered: 27/07/2006 Expiry Date: 21/09/2006
Location: 33 Southstoke Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5SN
Grid Reference: 374777 162077 Listed building Grade:
Proposal: Erection of a single storey rear extension and first floor extension
Case Mr Britton Britton
Applicant: Mr And Mrs Webster Agent Name: C G Davies
Applicant 33 Southstoke Road Agent Little Solsbury House
Agent Gloucester Road
Combe Down Swainswick
Bath Bath
BA2 5SN BA1 8BJ
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/02533/FUL
Parish:
Registered: 24/07/2006 Expiry Date: 18/09/2006
Location: 25 Horsecombe Brow Combe Down Bath BA2 5QY
Grid Reference: 375170 162178 Listed building Grade:
Proposal: Erection one and a half storey side extension and extension to conservatory (Resubmission)
Case Danijela Karac
Applicant: Ms C Ellery Agent Name: Western Building Consultants Ltd
Applicant 25 Horsecombe
Brow Agent Unit 20
Combe Down Wansdyke Business Centre
Bath Oldfield Lane
BA2 5QY Bath
BA2 3LY

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/02562/OUT
Parish:
Registered: 19/07/2006 Expiry Date: 13/09/2006
Location: Beechwoods 1 Beechwood Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5JS
Grid Reference: 376018 162116 Listed building Grade:
Proposal: Residential development (Resubmission)
Case Danijela Karac
Applicant: Mr L W Norfolk Agent Name: Cluttons (Romsey)
Applicant Beechwoods Agent 1 Eastwood Court
1 Beechwood Road Agent Broadwater Road
Combe Down Romsey
Bath Hamps
BA2 5JS SO51 8JJ
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/02587/FUL
Parish:
Registered: 19/07/2006 Expiry Date: 13/09/2006
Location: Cypress Lodge Bramble Way Combe Down Bath BA2 5DR
Grid Reference: 375587 162534 Listed building Grade:
Proposal: Erection of rear conservatory.
Case Rachel Le Huray
Applicant: Mr And Mrs Davies Agent Name: Leekes
Applicant Cypress Lodge Agent Mwyndy Business Park
Bramble Way Agent Pntyclun
Combe Down Rhondda
Bath Cynon Taff.
BA2 5DR CF72 8PN

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/02373/FUL
Parish:
Registered: 13/07/2006 Expiry Date: 07/09/2006
Location: Netherleigh Pioneer Avenue Combe Down Bath BA2 5QX
Grid Reference: 375004 162227 Listed building Grade:
Proposal: Erection of second storey extension.
Case Lewis Cook
Applicant: Mr And Mrs Fairman Agent Name:
Applicant Netherleigh Agent
Pioneer Avenue Agent
Combe Down
Bath
BA2 5QX

Have Your Say About service 2

2006-08-03T22:31:00.000+01:00

Cllr Roger Symonds has asked First Group to change the route of Service 2 to take it one way through the village from the city and to return to Bath via North Road and Ralph Allen Drive. First is carrying out a consultation on the change of route.

This would provide a better service for people living on the city side of North Road, whilst retaining the village service and would reduce congestion in Combe Down village. Buses would no longer have to negotiate the dangerous junction with North Road coming from the Avenue. Consultation Leaflets can be found on the buses and Roger has left limited number in the Newsagents and the Doctor's Surgery in the Avenue.

If you are unable to find a leaflet ring Jenny MacLeod on 01225 466889 or write to Ray Hardy, First FREEPOST (BS8931), Bath BA1 1XX expressing your views on the change of route for Service 2.

Environmental Improvements and resurfacing in the Firs and Firs Field

2006-06-18T19:59:00.000+01:00

The Firs has taken the brunt of traffic during the Mines 'emergency works', but with the full stabilisation scheme now set to start in August and the new entrance from North Road completed, relief is in sight.
The agreed environmental works in the Firs, will start later this year. Cllr Roger Symonds has managed to get the Council to agree to resurface the road at the same time.
Removal of the satellite compound in the north west corner of Firs Field, removal of the road inside the Field and restoration of the
grass should also be done later in the year.
The Mines Project Team has also promised that the area used for gravel storage in the south west corner of Firs Field will be restored and fences removed so that once again this area can used by residents.
Most of Firs Field will be out of use to the community for the next 3 years, but the Friends of Firs Field (FoFFs), a residents group, set up last year to safeguard the Field for the community in the future, is hoping that more people will join the association to actively help in deciding what is needed in the Field after the stabilisation. The Association is Chaired by local GP Andrew Smith, the secretary is David Morris and membership forms can be obtained by telephoning or emailing Cherry Beath or Cllr Roger Symonds.

Further letter to Adam Crozier, Post Offic boss

2006-05-11T08:30:00.000+01:00

The first reply to my letter about whether Bradford Road Post Office was safe did not answer this question, so the following letter has been sent by Cllr Roger Symonds to further clarify the position of the Bradford Road Post Office:

Dear Adam Crozier

Thank you for the response of 28th April 2006 to my letter concerning the future of Bradford Road Post Office in Combe Down, Bath.

Whilst I am grateful for your commitment to finding a partner to run the Post Office if by any chance your present partner Smiles, withdraws, this did not really answer my question.

If the Government carries through its plans to remove the PO Card Account from the Post Office and a further 10,000 Post Offices close, would Bradford Road Post Office be one of the remaining 4,500 Post Offices.

I look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely

Cllr Roger Symonds

Planning Applications

2006-05-11T08:29:00.000+01:00

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/01489/FUL
Parish:
Registered: 19/04/2006 Expiry Date: 14/06/2006
Location: De Montalt Mill Footpath Summer Lane Past De Montalt Lodge Combe Down Bath BA2 5JY
Grid Reference: 376224 162007
Proposal: Conversion of the Apprentice Store building into a single family dwelling, and the dismantling
and rebuilding of the single storey lean to.
Case Lewis Cook
Applicant: Mr. And Mrs. Cooper Agent Name: Threefold Architects
Applicant 87 Hainbalt Road Agent 5 Turville Street
London Agent London
SW4 9EQ E2 7HX

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/01304/LBA
Parish:
Registered: 02/05/2006 Expiry Date: 27/06/2006
Location: 22 Combe Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5HX
Grid Reference: 375639 162325
Proposal: Roof conversion, relocation of bathroom addition of WC, replacement of ground to lower
ground staircase, reinstatement of external door and timber sash window.
Case Robert Sutcliffe
Applicant: R Symonds And N Rattle Agent Name: Llewellyn Harker Architects
Applicant 22 Combe Road Agent Home Farm
Combe Down Agent East Pennard
Bath Shepton Mallet
BA2 5HX BA4 6TT

Lib Dem Plans for Post Office

2006-04-29T17:07:00.001+01:00

The Liberal Democrats have endorsed a 5 point plan to safeguard and enhance the Post Office. We would preserve the network in the following ways:

1. £2 billion investment in Post Office branches
2. New branches where there is a need
3. Retain Post Office Card Accounts for benefit payments
4. Free the Post Office from Royal Mail restrictions to let it develop new business
5. New requirement for the Government to maintain the local Post Office network

Labour is proposing not to use the Post Office Card Account to pay pensions and benefits from 2010, opening specialist passport offices and not confirming renewal of the Rural PO subsidy. Now we hear that the BBC will no longer allow the TV licences to be renewed at local Post Offices.

Cllr Roger Symonds said:
“Under the last Conservative Government, 3500 post offices closed, and under Labour another 4000 have closed, hitting communities, including Combe Down, across the country. 10000 more could close in the coming years, reducing the number to a mere 4000. Neither Labour nor the Tories have any plan to safeguard the future of our vital Post Office network.”

Letter from Cllr Roger Symonds to Post Office boss

2006-04-29T17:07:00.000+01:00

21st April 2006

Dear Adam Crozier

At a meeting with MPs recently you are reported to have expressed the view that if the Government carry out their plans to continue to remove business from local Post Offices that the present 14000 branches could reduce to 4500.

The Post Office closure plan has recently seen the closure of the local Post Office in Combe Down village and much of the business has transferred to the nearest Post Office, which served a neighbouring community, Bradford Road Post Office, Combe Down.

This further threat to Post Offices has caused some disquiet in the area and fears that we may lose the Bradford Road branch by 2010. Therefore I am asking for your assurance that the Bradford Road branch will remain open to serve the Combe Down community.

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely

Planning Applications

2006-04-29T17:02:00.000+01:00

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/01238/VAR
Parish:
Registered: 30/03/2006 Expiry Date: 25/05/2006
Location: De Montalt Mill Summer Lane Combe Down Bath BA2 5JY
Grid Reference: 376224 162007
Proposal: Variation of No 27 condition of consent 04/02868/ful to omit passing bay and substitute
widening of track DWG2297-S-01C
Case Caroline Fulton
Applicant: Richard Hussey Agent Name: Ashley Design Associates
Applicant 66 Avonfield Avenue Agent The Old Ride
Agent Bath Road
Bradford On Avon Bradford On Avon
BA15 1JF BA15 2PB
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/01441/LBA
Parish:
Registered: 26/04/2006 Expiry Date: 21/06/2006
Location: 5 Byfield Place Combe Down Bath BA2 5JB
Grid Reference: 375797 162222
Proposal: Provision of 8no.replacement windows and front door
Case Jessica Hunnisett
Applicant: Ms S Johnson Agent Name: PDM Consultancy
Applicant 5 Byfield Place Agent 25 The Fort
Combe Down Agent Cawsand
Bath Torpoint
BA2 5JB Cornwall
PL10 1PL
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/01399/OUT
Parish:
Registered: 10/04/2006 Expiry Date: 05/06/2006
Location: Beechwoods 1 Beechwood Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5JS
Grid Reference: 376018 162116
Proposal: Outline application for residential redevelopment
Case Andrew Ross
Applicant: Mr. L.W. Norfolk Agent Name: Cluttons (Romsey)
Applicant Beechwoods Agent 1 Eastwood Court
1 Beechwood Road Agent Broadwater Road
Combe Down Romsey
Bath Hamps
BA2 5JS SO51 8JJ
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/01427/FUL
Parish:
Registered: 13/04/2006 Expiry Date: 08/06/2006
Location: 4 Combe Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5HX
Grid Reference: 375527 162188
Proposal: Replace existing conservatory with single storey garden room.
Case Hazel Short
Applicant: Mr. And Mrs. Glenday Agent Name: Mitchell Taylor Workshop
Applicant 4 Combe Road Agent 87 Walcot Street
Combe Down Agent Bath
Bath BA1 5BW
BA2 5HX
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/01320/VAR
Parish:
Registered: 03/04/2006 Expiry Date: 29/05/2006
Location: Combe Down Stone Mines Firs Field The Firs Combe Down Bath BA2 5ED
Grid Reference: 375929 162508
Proposal: Variation of condition 4 of planning permission ref: 03/00021/EREG03 to substitute the
specified plans/documents ref: Firs Field with plan no 04016/c002/REVD and report ref: 4104-
FFWS REV 1
Case Paul Thompson
Applicant: CDSM Project Team Agent Name:
Applicant 10 Palace Yard Agent
Mews Agent
Bath
BA1 2NH

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/01400/LBA
Parish:
Registered: 11/04/2006 Expiry Date: 06/06/2006
Location: The Old Vicarage 110 Church Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5JJ
Grid Reference: 376081 162275
Proposal: Refurbishment of The Old Vicarage including fitting central heating, replace basement
windows, re-instate fireplaces, revert to single occupancy, update/make good internal
decoration, kitchens and bathrooms.
Case Caroline Waldron
Applicant: Mr Edward Turner Agent Name: Mr C Rupert Baller
Applicant 25c Fitzroy Square Agent Whitehouse Renovation Limited
London Agent
W1T 6ER The Old Bakehouse
Goose Street
Beckington
Somerset
BA11 6SS

Coping Stones Saved

2006-04-14T22:37:00.000+01:00

Part of the stone wall boundary of Firs Field on the North Road side has been removed to make an entrance for lorries bringing materials and equipment into the work site. A local resident wrote to Cllr Roger Symonds asking whether the Project Team would keep the stone and rebuild the wall with the same stone when the project is finished.

The council Project Team said that this was not a condition of the Planning Application, but they would keep the coping stones, but not the rest of the walling. So not entirely successful, but some of the stone will be salvaged.

Work site construction begins

2006-04-14T22:29:00.000+01:00

Firs Field now looks like a large work site. Soon activities will be hidden behind a high fence, but the stabilisation programme is continuing at a good pace with the work site due to be operational in time for the main scheme to move into top gear in August 2006. The stabilisation scheme should end in 2009.

The Friends of Firs Field (FoFFs)will be asking local people whether they wish to see any changes to the field once the stabilisation scheme is completed. One idea from the Combe Down Heritage Group is to move the old stme mines crane from the Combe Grove Country Club to Firs Field. The cran could then be a lasting tribute to all the work which is now going on to make the Stone Mines safe.

Invitation to Mayor Making

2006-04-14T17:37:00.000+01:00

The 779th Mayor of Bath, Cllr Carol Paradise will be installed on Saturday 13th May 2006. This year the 'Mayor Making' Ceremony will be different. In the past the ceremony has been in the Council Chamber in the Guildhall and was watched by less than 100 people.

This year the 'Mayor Making' ceremony will be in Bath Abbey, with a procession from the Guildhall to the Abbey for 11am on Saturday 13th May2006. Everyone is invited to the ceremony in the abbey.

This new format was suggested by Cllr Roger Symonds, 777th Mayor in 2004/05. It has taken two years for him to convince colleagues of the benefits of making this ceremony accessible to hundreds of members of the public.

Cllr Symonds said:
"In my year as Mayor I wanted to give the Mayoralty back to the people and one of the ways of doing this was to take the 'Mayor Making' out of the Guildhall to a venue where more people could watch. I have finally been successful. The Mayoralty is loved and respected by local people and the ceremony is a fine Bath tradition which should be shared with residents and visitors to our city. I hope that by having the ceremony, after a procession to another venue in the city, with the retiring Mayor leading from the Guildhall and the new Mayor leading the way back, the 'Mayor Making' will become a popular annual event".

WATCH THE PROCESSION FROM THE GUILDHALL TO THE ABBEY AT 10.40am AND JOIN COUNCILLORS IN THE ABBEY FOR THE CEREMONY TO INSTALL COUNCILLOR CAROL PARADISE, AS THE 779TH MAYOR OF BATH ON SATURDAY 13TH MAY 2006.

Traffic Problems in Hawthorn Grove and Sedgemoor

2006-02-26T21:58:00.000Z

Last year, in response to residents' complaints, Cllr Roger Symonds and Cherry Beath called a public meeting about speeding traffic in Hawthorn Grove and Sedgemoor Road. Officers from the Council then went away to work on some options. The officer who was working on this issue has now left the Council, so we are at present talking to officers to find out who will be taking this issue over.

Cherry Beath and Cllr Roger Symonds have recently called on every house in Hawthorn Grove asking people whether they want traffic calming or not. The overwhelming reponse was that residents do want some form of traffic calming. The council officer who was looking at this has not yet been replaced. The findings of our survey will be presented to the South Local Committee to be sent on to the Transport Department to investigate.

We would like to thank the people who took part in the survey. If you were out and wish to have your views recorded please contact either of on the telephone numbers or email addresses on our 'calling card'.

Cherry and Roger, with the help of a local resident will carry out a similar survey of residents' opinions in Sedgemoor Road.

More Temporary Traffic Lights

2006-02-26T21:43:00.000Z

There will again be traffic lights set up at the Ralph Allen Drive/North Road Junction during the last week of February to find out whether there is a need for any 'top up' of the fill already put into the road between Hadley Road and Ralph Allen Drive.

Investigations will also be carried out between the junction of North Road and Combe Road to just past the MoD entrance in Bradford Road, to findout the underground condition in this part of Bradford Road.

Teporary traffic lights will be in operation in either of these two areas throughout March and possibly even into April.
For further details ring 01225 477200 or call into the Information Centre in the Avenue on Mondays from 1pm to 5pm or on wednesdays from 3pm to 7pm.

Planning Applications

2006-02-26T21:35:00.000Z

Ward: Combe Down App.Ref: 06/00399/LBA
Registered: 2 February 2006 Expiry Date: 30 March 2006
Location: West Brow Belmont Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5JR
Grade II Listed Building
Grid Reference: 376035 - 162187
Proposal: Partial demolition and replacement of retaining wall along Summer Lane, reconstruction of a collapsed section of the wall
Case Officer: Bob Cannon Type: Listed Building Consent (Alts/exts)
Applicant: Gill Leonard
Address: Swallows Letting Agency No 3 Miles Buildings Bath BA1 2QS
Agent: Ruth Haynes Telephone: 01225 832909
Address: 4 Courtmead South Stoke Bath BA2 7EB
_____________________________________________________________________

Ward: Combe Down App.Ref: 06/00464/LBA
Registered: 3 February 2006 Expiry Date: 31 March 2006
Location: Flat 3 West Brow Belmont Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5JR
Grade II Listed Building
Grid Reference: 376035 - 162187
Proposal: Conversion of flats 3 and 4 into a single maisonette
Case Officer: Caroline Waldron Type: Listed Building Consent (Alts/exts)
Applicant: Mr and Mrs D Fallon
Address: Flats 3 And 4 West Brow Belmont Road Combe Down Bath BA2 5UR

Planning Applications

2006-02-26T21:32:00.000Z

Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/00574/FUL
Parish:
Registered: 09/02/2006 Expiry Date: 06/04/2006
Location: 25 Horsecombe Brow Combe Down Bath BA2 5QY
Grid Reference: 375170 162178
Proposal: Erection one and a half storey side extension and extension to conservatory
Case Danijela Karac
Applicant: Ms C Ellery Agent Name: Western Building Consultants Ltd
Applicant St Pirran
25 Horsecombe Agent Unit 20
Brow Wansdyke Business Centre
Bath Oldfield Lane
BA2 5QY Bath
BA2 5QY BA2 3LY
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 06/00580/FUL
Parish:
Registered: 13/02/2006 Expiry Date: 10/04/2006
Location: 95 Hawthorn Grove Combe Down Bath BA2 5QG
Grid Reference: 375172 162432
Proposal: One bed dwelling on land adjoining 95 Hawthorn Grove
Case Danijela Karac
Applicant: Mr & Mrs K Gammon Agent Name: Graham Savage Associates
Applicant Agent The Chestnuts Studio
Burymead
Codford St Peter
Wiltshire
BA12 0NU