Meeting 15 September 2009

Minutes of the meeting of the WICKHAM MARKET PARISH COUNCIL held on Tuesday 15 September 2009 at 7.00pm

PRESENT: Mr M Argent (Chairman), Mr G Plater (Vice Chairman),Mrs P Bell, Mrs J Breese, Mrs J Evans, Miss P Johnson, Miss V Pizzey,Mr M Roseveare,

  1. 1. APOLOGIES were received from Mrs S Lewis, Mr M Manning, Mr P Revett, Mr J Ridd and Mr C Tucker

  1. 2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Mrs P Bell declared a personal interest as a nearby resident and Mrs J Evans declared a personal interest as a shopkeeper within the village. Both members remained in the meeting to speak and vote.

  1. 3. 14-18 HIGH STREET, WICKHAM MARKET, IP13 0HE

Planning application for mixed use development comprising of retail store and 13 dwellings with associated car parking and landscaping.

The Parish Council considered the above planning application and agreed that the proposed development would have a large effect on the way Wickham Market operated. It felt that it was essential that the new store dovetailed in with the rest of the commercial sector of the village. Something that the Parish Council were sure that the Co-op did not want either.

. RESOLVED

That the Parish Council have no objection to the concept of the development but wish to raise the following issues:

  • that the disabled and mother and baby car parking spaces are too close to the access/egress point and require these shoppers to cross the vehicular access to get to the shop. These reserved spaces should be moved to spaces 14 to 18 on the plan on the western edge of the store. From this area neither the disabled or mothers and babies would have to cross the vehicular access although the Parish Council accept that the walk to the shop entrance is slightly longer.
  • the opening hours of the shop should remain from 8am to 8pm as they are at the moment as the shop will be surrounded by residential properties and later opening will inevitably lead to later traffic movements.
  • the design of the 7 terraced properties should be turned round so that the living room overlooks the open vista of playing field and countryside to the west of the development, rather than looking at the store.
  • there should be 1 or 2 more low cost residential units so that the development complies with Policy AP38A of the Second Alteration of the Local Plan. There is always a need for low cost units in the area and to settle for anything less would send out the wrong message to any future developer in the village.
  • good pedestrian access from the store to the centre of the village, the Hill, is vital to maintain the health and viability of the commercial sector of the village. The safest pedestrian route is through the village hall site and the Percy Mason car park out on to the Hill. However the Parish Council feels that it is appropriate that the Co-operative Stores contributes financially to the creation of a safe pedestrian access along this route by meeting the cost of appropriate signing, lighting etc. This is a matter that the Parish Council would wish to discuss with the Co-operative Society before any final decision is made on the application. The Parish Council does not have the finances to meet the cost of creating this pathway the need for which has only come about because of the proposed development.
  • The Parish Council would also like to discuss with the Co-operative society its plans for the existing shop although they realise that this is nothing to do with this planning application.

The meeting closed at 8.15pm