Dear villagers,

I was never quite sure how useful my regular newsletter was but I have received sufficient enquiries over past months to justify a relaunch and here it is. Just a few changes really. It will be less chatty and more succinct and the frequency will be quarterly. So, the next one will be end of February.

This one is a bit long. I realise that!!! But it’s because I’m catching up on things. However, there is some really important information here. I hope you find it interesting.

Planning

1.      Local Development Framework Timetable

I am often asked about the next stage of consultation for the Local Development Framework, (LDF). The LDF is a District Council strategy document that sets the broad principles for housing and similar development for East Hampshire and, of course, specifically in Grayshott. During the earlier part of this year the first draft was put out to consultation and I organised a well attended meeting in the Church Rooms in January to discuss it.

Across the District there have been, (as in prior years), thousands of responses from all types of consultee from private individuals to large property development corporations. It takes a while to process all of these comments and to be sure to weight them all fairly.

One slightly unpredictable matter concerns something called the Regional Spatial Strategy, or RSS. All of these development strategies are rather like Russian Dolls, each one has to fit neatly inside a slightly bigger one. In our case, the EHDC LDF has to sit neatly inside the South East England RSS.

Following the General Election, the Coalition Government abandoned Regional Development Agencies and tried to invalidate the local RDA’s planning document which was the South East England RSS. However this was challenged in court and it was found that the secretary of State, (Eric Pickles), had acted illegally. As a result the RSS is now back as a “Russian Doll” within which EHDC’s strategy has to sit.

Although EHDC has, wisely, continued with its LDF, (some authorities had stopped work when the RSS was invalidated), ensuring ours fitted inside will also add some complexity to the process described above. Hence there is further uncertainty about the publication date of the next draft.

As a result of all these factors it is unlikely that we will see a revised draft until the middle of the year, in my estimation. When it is available, as was the case previously, I will ensure you are notified.

2. Recent Cases

During the second part of this year there have been a large number of planning applications submitted for development in Grayshott, in fact I can’t recall a busier six month period since I became District Councillor in 1999. In many cases it seems inappropriate to go into too many details especially when it affects someone’s home. However I can say that I’m really pleased with all of the decisions that have been made.

For the most part, a good result is achieved for the village simply by the private discussions I have with the Council’s officers in the period leading up to their published recommendation. In the few cases where I have had to take issue with the officers’ recommendations the decisions have gone in favour of the village and the position I have articulated.

I’m also far more encouraged about the attitude of the Planning Inspectorate who hear appeals from applicants who have not achieved their wishes. All appeals so far this year against EHDC refusals or limits to permission, have been dismissed by the Inspectorate.

There are some extremely sensitive planning applications outstanding at the moment which I am dealing with in my discussions with officers and you can view all outstanding planning applications on the EHDC website here http://planningdevelopment.easthants.gov.uk/dconline/acolnetCGI.gov and type in Grayshott where it says “Search by Address”.

3. Serious Misconceptions About Recent Planning Legislation.

Following the General Election, there is a general belief that the coalition government has outlawed “garden grabbing”, a term used to describe selling off part of one’s garden so that a new dwelling can be built on it.

This is not the case at all.

What has actually happened is that back gardens are no longer viewed as “previously developed land” in government guidelines. In addition, the minimum density stipulation inside the Settlement Po9licy Boundary of 30 dwellings per hectare, (30 dph) has now been withdrawn. However all other relevant planning laws and policies remain intact.

To try and be as brief as I can about something that took almost an hour of training time at EHDC, a few months ago, this designation change swings the balance of argument in favour of a refusal by no more than a tiny amount. In Grayshott, the other laws and policies have been used with great effect both my myself and officers, to ensure that inappropriate development does not go ahead, even in the days when back gardens were considered “previously developed”.

One of the most powerful planning policies, supported in law, for development within the Settlement Policy Boundary, is the one about density. In all cases, the proposed density of any development, even for one dwelling, has to be in keeping with the surrounding area.

A back garden development that would have created a density out of keeping with surrounding properties would have been refused under the old guidelines, regardless of the land’s classification. Indeed we have had many cases of successful refusals in Grayshott in this basis; a good recent example was the Clinic site when the original application for four dwellings was refused when I took it to the planning committee and that refusal stood up on appeal. We were successful because the density was out of keeping with surrounding properties, even though it was consistent with the one next door. A lower density was finally approved.

This factor does of course work in favour of an applicant. So, today, despite the de-designation of gardens as previously developed, anyone can apply to build on a back garden provided, amongst other factors, the density is compatible with the surrounding area.

So, from my perspective as a practical hands on planner, this change of guideline hasn’t affected things at all!

What is useful is the removal of the 30dph guideline. Although it never happened in Grayshott, I have sat through many cases where the minimum 30 over-rode the principle about consistent development with the surrounding area. So, now, if someone living in an area of 10 dph wants to sell off an unusually large garden, such that a new dwelling was to be built and the resulting density on that plot would be 10 dph, it is likely that, ignoring other factors, consent would be given. Under the old guidelines, EHDC would have been under pressure to have required a density of up to 30.

This change to planning guidelines has received a lot of political hype and misreporting in newspapers. I hope this note is useful to you.

Police

1. Event in village

Back in August I held another “meet and greet” our local Police Officers in the village centre. As usual, over 100 villagers were kind enough to come and say “hello” to our two local officers. Most people know PCSO Jim Leggat who has been the face of visible policing in the village for quite some time now. However a new face to most was PC Lucy Ryan who has replaced Kirsty Langridge as our local beat manager. Lucy is an experienced officer working part time now and covers Grayshott and Headley.

I expect to hold a similar event in the Spring,

2. Review Meetings with Police

Every couple of months I attend a Community Safety meeting with the local Police and other agencies connected with Community Safety. The objective is to review tactical actions to maintain community safety and give District Councillors such as me, the opportunity to raise important issues.  The shorthand title of these meetings is CTCG.

If you have a pressing matter please tell me and I will ensure it is raised at the meeting.

For information, the general level of reported criminal damage and anti social behaviour in Grayshott is extremely low. However, each reported incident is identified by the Police and can be reviewed if required.

3. Burglaries

At the most recent of these CTCG meetings we discussed the matter of the October burglaries. There were four in total, two of houses and two of mobile homes or caravans. The Police are still looking for leads, so If you know anything at all, please contact them at their “surgery” in the Headley Road car park in the village, in person if you see them, or by simply dialling 101 which is the non urgent number and is still used in Hampshire, (but not in Surrey).

However, despite these incidents, the crime detection rate for Grayshott is, I am assured, very good and I do know that for East Hampshire as a whole, it is better than the national average.

Officers tell me that crimes such as these are often committed by people who commit numerous crimes. Eventually they are caught and then confess to the crimes they have committed. This causes the detection rate to go in waves with periods of low detection followed by a sudden spike as someone confesses to multiple crimes. Grayshott’s detection rate spiked last year with the arrest of an offender who had committed several crimes in the area over many years.

However, following October’s events I asked the Police what they could do and one option is to relaunch “Operation Shut Out”. This project deals with the phenomenon that when one property is burgled, statistically another close by is likely to suffer similarly. Shutout involves officers visiting all the homes or businesses within a certain radius of a crime scene to alert people and suggest that they implement additional security precautions. It’s a proactive way to reduce the risk of crime hot spots developing.

The CTCG meeting I attend includes our sector sergeant PS Paul Brommel who is an extremely caring, professional and responsive officer.

4. Budget cuts

All District Councillors were advised by our Police divisional commander, CI Phil Kedge, that Hampshire Constabulary is likely to suffer swingeing budget cuts in the new spending round next year, possibly in the region of 22%.

I know from conversations I have had with Chief Constable Alex Marshall that “back office” functions have already been severely cut back and so I fear for our front line uniformed officers. One immediate consequence is that the command structures of East Hampshire andWinchesterare to be combined. This will reduce uniformed officer strength at senior levels and I regret the possible loss of local focus that, surely, will be the inevitable result of a more distant management. Let’s hope that is not extended to our local PC and PCSO.

Highways

This has constituted my greatest workload over the past 6m. Here are some the matters under way.

1.      MP Group

In many ways, Grayshott has suffered further from the Tunnel project by lack of planning and consultation over the minor road infrastructure. Probably the greatest degree of irritation in the village was the refusal of Surrey County Council to consult with Grayshott over theirHeadley Roadimprovements and disinclination to work co-operatively with our own Hampshire County Council.

In addition to this problem we have the incredible shrinking road to the east of the village. I’m referring to what used to be the A3 and into which most of us turn fromCrossways Road.

After receiving countless complaints, calls and emails from upset villagers, I met with our MP, Damian Hinds to discuss what could be done to look at current projects and to avoid any more issues. I’m pleased to say that Damian has secured the co-operation of Jeremy Hunt, the MP forSW Surreyand, of course, Secretary of State, to offer Parliamentary oversight across this contentious boundary.

They will chair a small meeting of the three Highway authorities, (Surrey CC, Hampshire CC and the Highways Agency) plus relevant local councillors, (which will include me and a representative of our Parish Council). The purpose will be;

a)     To assess what can be done with completed schemes, such the incredible shrinkingLondon Road, to improve matters.

b)     To ensure full consultation and cross-authority co-operation of any remaining alterations up to the tunnel opening

c)      To ensure the Headley Road traffic calming, (sadly just started), meets the need of the Grayshott community of 2,500 as well as those of the few Hindhead householders who live along that stretch of road, (and who were, in fact, consulted).

I had hoped that Surrey CC might have just held off for a few weeks before starting their project so that all parties could have been involved, especially as their work affects dramatically the entire approach to Grayshott from the east. I must say I’m even more dismayed to see that their state of the art answer seems to be the much discredited and 40 year old solution of  kerb build-outs which we know are not only ineffective but also create new highway safety issues of their own.

We have been successful in persuading Hampshire CC to hold off a solution pending assessment of the actual situation when the tunnel opens and subject to an evaluation of the latest approaches to the problem. Surrey CC are a fine authority with a good reputation and I’m flummoxed to see this apparent intransigence.

2.      Traffic Speed West of Grayshott

Two things are happening here. Firstly, Hampshire Constabulary are about to commence speed monitoring along this stretch of theHeadley Roadup to Ludshott Common. The monitoring will be carried out by Fratton Roads Policing Unit, (RPU) and I am in contact with the Police Sergeant in charge of the project. This monitoring may lead to new speed restrictions in that part of Grayshott and arose from one of the CTCG meetings I referred to above.

Secondly, I have been in contact with Hampshire CC Highways about the general safety and speed restrictions along that stretch of road given the bend at Waggoner’s and the number of important side roads, (such as Firway,Kiln WayandLadygate Drive). This review will also include the problems of low winter sun along part of that stretch which causes a disturbing and blinding low level blast of sunlight. Their senior manager has promised me that these matters will be included in a review of the B3002 to be carried out during 2011.

3.      20mph and parking restrictions

Happening now, along the lines of the project just mentioned, is a review of the need for a village 20mph limit and additional parking restrictions. This project had its genesis a couple of years ago when Grayshott Parish Council and I approached Hampshire CCs regional highways team with a long list of concerns from residents.

Since then Grayshott Parish Council have been doing a great job at pushing this along and just recently we were contacted by Hampshire CC to offer views. Because the project involves looking at village centre parking restrictions, I took the liberty of also involving Dick Smith on behalf of the business group BIG.

I have met with the County’s officer and he has developed some draft ideas which look very good to me. He has agreed that they can be published on grayshott.com and also displayed at the Parish Council offices, so I will take on the task of arranging that so you can see the details.

I’m pleased to report that the draft ensures some common complaints are dealt with, for example;

a)     A slightly extended no parking zone inHeadley Roadwhere it is joined byGlen Road, to overcome the dangerous blind spot you experience when trying to turn intoHeadley Road.

b)     Proper legalisation of the disabled bays so that able bodied parking can be fully penalised.

c)      New restrictions along residential roads which are close to the shopping centre.

d)     A 20 mph limit for the village centre

I am assured the yellow lines to be used will be the new narrow lines with the less vivid yellow paint, which I hope will be acceptable to those concerned about too much street furniture and signage. In fact there is more good news on this front because we will be able to benefit from the latest legislation and have some of the existing metal posts removed.

As to enforcement, please see the next section.

4.      Decriminalised Parking Enforcement

Of course this, too has an acronym, given the mouthful of jargon, called DPE. Most local authorities inBritaincontrol car parking enforcement. In a few cases, for historical reasons, it is done by the police. In Hampshire only one council has the police do it and that is EHDC!!

Because the police do it in EHDC, illegal car parking on the highway is a crime. However you’ll be pleased to know it is not an arrestable offence and is governed by a system of fixed penalty notices. EHDC s about to take control of car parking enforcement on the highway and so that it why it is described as being “decriminalised”.

This will be effective within the next few months and parking enforcement will be an EHDC task as will the levying of fines. Parking wardens will be EHDC employees or sub contractors.

To correct one myth reported by a national newspaper just recently, parking fines can, by law, only be used to pay for the enforcement of parking restrictions. They cannot be used to pay for or subsidise any other council service nor can they be used to “swell the council’s coffers”. Most councils make a small loss on parking enforcement.

Because of this, there may not be many parking wardens appointed. However a community such as ours, through the Parish Council, can offer to part finance a warden if local enforcement is an issue for the community.

5. Wayside Tree

Just beside Tesco is a large Beech tree and a small block of flats. The flats are called “Wayside” and the pavement in front of Wayside, including the tree, is owned by the owners of Wayside, it isnotCountyCouncil highway.

In a previous newsletter about 5 or 6 years ago, I reported that the tree had been diagnosed as suffering honey fungus terminally and it was dying. The concern, raised by EHDC’s arboriculturalist, was that as the tree dies, the risk if a heavy branch falling causing serious injury or death, was, at the time, significant and increasing. Just recently the tree was examined again and the findings included this statement;

The first occasion I saw Honey Fungus on this tree was 5 or 6 years ago and was a small cluster of fruiting bodies in a single area on the western side of the trunk (shown in picture 3150 attached).  On this occasion I have found evidence of the fungus on the north, south and west sides of the main stem.  The area on the north side is associated with a large dead area of bark at the base.  From this I conclude that the fungus and, therefore, the decay has progressed significantly through the tree.  If this tree is not dealt with soon (felled), it can only be a matter of time before the tree snaps off at the base. 

Both I and the Parish Council are in possession of this information. We all love the tree. But can you imagine how we would feel and how a victim’s relatives would feel, if knowing this we failed to take action to have the tree removed, and then a branch, or the whole tree, fell and killed someone? I can see no option but to act. I don’t see this as Health and Safety gone mad, which annoys me as much as anyone. I think we have to be realistic here.

Wayside is managed by a tenant group called an RTM and the Wayside RTM have been notified, (as they were 5 or 6 years ago). However the Wayside RTM seem not to be taking action and the County Council have therefore served a legal notice requiring the tree to be removed. I am in full support of this enforcement action and I am confident that so, too, are the Parish Council.

I know how people feel about the tree. I know that to a layman the tree looks fine. However a leading expert who I know loves trees, (as those of you with TPOs will attest!!), has ruled that it is very dangerous. You can see from his text that this not just hypothetical, it is real.

And finally…

…that brings you pretty well up to date on the District Council and my work as your District Councillor.  One thing hasn’t changed: if you want to discuss any of these items or any aspect of my role as District Councillor, please contact me at fcowper@aol.com or on 01428-609858.

Happy Christmas!

Ferris Cowper

EHDC Ward Councillor for Grayshott.