MoD to seek local input on Bath future

Following their meeting last week, Undersecretary of State for Defence, Kevan Jones MP, has written to Bath’s MP Don Foster saying that further local opinions will be sought in making a decision on the future of the MoD in Bath.

The MoD had recently announced plans that could see all their staff leave Bath for Abbey Wood. Bath’s Liberal Democrat MP Don Foster secured a meeting with the member of the government, and spoke of the need to keep jobs in Bath.

A working group will now be set up, involving local agencies including the Council, which will work to resolve the issues over the three sites in Baths. The MP has also requested a timetable on the future of Foxhill and Warminster Road. Don said,

My meeting with Kevan Jones MP was very productive. I have made him aware of a number of issues in Bath, and he has agreed that the MoD needs to seek further local advice in putting together these plans. We need to have a timetable for Foxhill and Warminster Road so that we can effectively plan for their future. I think it’s very important that we keep some of these MoD jobs at the Ensleigh site, and this working group will now have a chance to explore that and put forward the case for keeping jobs here. I’m delighted that we have managed to secure local involvement in the decision on the future of these sites.

Read the rest of this entry.

43 Upper Oldfield Park – Resubmission of planning application

Local residents will be very interested to learn that a resubmission of the planning application for the erection of 13 no residential apartments with parking and shared grounds have been received by the Council.

Details of the application can be found below:

Ward: Widcombe
App Ref: 10/00294/FUL
Registered: 12th March 2010
Expiry Date: 11th June 2010
Location: 43 Upper Oldfield Park, Oldfield Park, Bath. BA2 3LB
Grid Ref: (E)374098 – (N)164181
LB Grade: N/A
Proposal: Erection of 13 no residential apartments with parking and shared grounds (Resubmission)
Officer: Mark Reynolds
Applicant: Ms Margaret Favager
Agent: Hadfield Associates Architects, The Old Brushworks, 56 Pickwick Road, Corsham, Wiltshire. SN13 9BX
Oakford House, 43 Upper Oldfield Park, Bath. BA2 5LB

Local priorities from the PACT / Public Meeting on the 10th March 2010

Around 40 local residents attended our regular Oldfield PACT (Public) Meeting took place on Wednesday 10th March 2010 at Moorlands Infant School, Moorfields Road.

These local residents were joined by two of our local Police team (PC Mark Brain and PCSO Paul Spreadbury), representatives from Somer Housing and your local Councillors, Will and Shaun. In addition, the President of the Students’ Union at the University of Bath attended with the new Community Liaison Coordintor from the Student Community Partnership, which I set up (well the Student Liaison Committee, which was renamed the SCP).

Firstly, we discussed the progress in tackling the priorities from the last meeting. Then those present were asked for their priorities, which were voted on. The following three top priorities were agreed at the meeting:

o Parking problems outside St John’s RC Primary School. Parents parking on zig-zags, pavement parking and double yellow lines.

o Student’s behaviour on St Kilda’s Road.

o Reduce the number of ‘To Let’ signs on houses of multiple occupancy.

In addtion at the meeting we heard about the ‘Oldfield Park Growing Together’ project.

We shall together with the Police now work towards resolving these issues and report back at the next PACT meeting scheduled for 6.30pm on 7th July 2010 at St Alphage’s Hall, Oldfield Lane, Bath.

Don backs concerns of Travel Watch South West

Bath MP Don Foster is backing Travel Watch South West’s call for improved rail services in the region. The group have written to Lord Adonis, Secretary of State for transport, welcoming 30 new carriages for the region but raising a number of other concerns, mainly linked to the lack of rolling stock in the South West. Don said,

The level of rolling stock in the South West is simply not adequate to cope with demand. Too many passengers are being left on train platforms at peak time, unable to get on their train. Network Rail reports have shown the need for extra carriages across the region, but the government is not acting. We want more and more people to use the rail network, rather than private transport, but when capacity is inadequate it is no wonder many prefer to use their car. I look forward to seeing Lord Adonis’s response to this issue.

HMO Legislation

The long-awaited amendments to the two Orders relating to HMOs have at last been published. You can find them as follows –

Use Classes Order at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2010/uksi_20100653_en_1 (this sets up a new Class C4: HMOs, and defines HMO as in the Housing Act 2004);

General Permitted Development Order at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2010/uksi_20100654_en_1 (this allows a HMO to return to a dwellinghouse, without planning permission).

Also good news from Plymouth, Cllr Shaun McGall has found out that Halifax Building Society recently refused a buy to let mortgage in the city due to the impending legislation in April.

Gambling Act 2005 – Applications to run a Casino in the city open

Previously the Council, as a licensing authority, agreeded to issue a single one premises licence for a small casino within its area pursuant to Part 8 and Schedule 9 of the Gambling Act 2005 and the Categories of Casino Regulations 2008 (SI 2008/1330).

As part of this process the Council has produced a draft application pack for prospective applicants. The purpose of this application pack is to inform potential applicants of the rules and procedures applicable to the application process. It will be published to conform with the requirements set by Parliament and the Secretary of State, and to ensure an application process which is both transparent, and fair. Copies of the documents can be seen on the Council’s web site .

These documents will also be available for viewing at the Council offices at 9-10 Bath Street, Bath during the hours of 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:30 am to 4:30 pm on Fridays.

Please make your comments on the proposed application pack by Tuesday 6th April 2010. Following this consultation, a report will be taken to the Council’s Licensing Committee for it to consider any proposed amendments and to adopt the documents.

Please send any comments to:

Mr Andrew Jones,
Environmental Monitoring and Licensing Manager,
Environmental Services,
Bath and North East Somerset Council.
9-10 Bath Street,
Bath, Somerset.
BA1 1SN

Email: Andrew_Jones@bathnes.gov.uk

Planting at Oldfield Park Station – On-Board Project

We hope that local residents will be able to join in a planting project, orgainised by the local voluntary group, On-Board, as part of its participation in the RHS Britain in Bloom & It’s Your Neighbourhood Launch Events 2010.

The concept they have chosen to shape the event around is “mass greening/creating a river of green” across the UK so the idea is that the launch events would be centred around planting. They are hoping to catch the press attention particularly because this can be linked into the fact that 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity.

On 24th March the RHS will be organising a national press launch before the local events, to announce this is happening and start generating the media buzz. In partnership with a local group the RHS will stage a “greening event” which the press would be invited to attend.

June Player is entering the On-Board Community Project into this event and she now finalising their involvement before registering it with them, which has to be done as soon as possible. They have been informed that we will be planting on Saturday 27th March in the afternoon (which will last for approximately 2 hours) – actual time will be given this coming week. Can you let us know if you are able to come that day and at what time?

The Council’s Parks Department are kindly helping in this event and there will be 100 whips of a variety of trees and shrubs. There should be a good mix of students, other locals, and ‘On-Boarders’, etc to ‘dig in’!

Many thanks to those who came to the recent Linear Park Litter Pick which was most successful.