Troika Planning Application - Riverside Avenue

You may recall that 3 years ago, despite Jane and I fighting this proposed development on land behind the hospital, it was approved at Appeal by the Inspectorate at Bristol.  Now, 3 years on, an application has been submitted to extend the time limit for the implementation of the planning permission.  Although the scale of the development was reduced by the Inspector at Appeal, it remains a substantial development of over 24,600 square metres of office space plus parking on site.

Our concern is particularly the scale of the development and the negative impact on our local road infrastructure in an already heavily burdened traffic area.  Additionally it will impact on the many elderly residents who reside at the Retired Nurses Home in Riverside Avenue whose outlook will change from  green space to a four storey office building.  If you are minded to object to this application to extend their planning permission time, please do put your objections in writing to Planning at the Town Hall, Bourne Avenue - for the attention of Mr Barry Carse, Planning Officer. 

If you require one of our pro-forma letters please do get in touch with me.  I am 'calling in' the application meaning it cannot be determined by a planning officer but must instead go before the Planning Board - this gives us and residents the opportunity to make a deputation to the Board.

I will let you know when this will take place, probably July or August.  Closing date for objection letters to be in is the 18th June.

Fancy a beach hut?

From today (Monday 7 June) all Bournemouth residents are being given the opportunity to lease one of the new Undercliff Drive beach huts.

Charmaine Andrews, Seafront Development Assistant for Bournemouth Borough Council, said: “Customers currently on the beach hut waiting lists were given the first opportunity to lease a new hut site, but a limited number of sites are now available to anyone who lives in Bournemouth. All sites will be leased on a first come, first served basis so I would urge people to be quick in contacting us if they would like one of the new sites as we expect there to be a great demand.”

Residents interested in leasing a beach hut site should call the Seafront office on 01202 451781. The cost of leasing a site within this development from the Council is currently £750 per year, plus beach hut rates.

The huts, due to be fully installed on Undercliff Drive by the end of the summer are traditional-style and painted in contemporary shades from sandy yellows, through to greens, blues, pinks and purples.

Do we like him? No we certainly do not!

Iain Dale is telling this story about a family friend being asked the question "who is the Prime Minister?" To check for dementia upon entering hospital after a stroke.

When Mum had her fall my first question upon reaching her was "Who is the Prime Minister?" to similarly check whether she had suffered a stroke. Her answer was "Gordon Brown".

My follow up question being "Do we like him?".

Her answer: "No, we most certainly do not."

I asked the questions and she answered them every day up until Monday.

Made me smile.

My Mum

I'm sorry to say that My Mum passed away early this morning in Salisbury District Hospital from pneumonia. She'd been there for some weeks after having had a fall in early November and had been recovering well until yesterday. Her end was peaceful and pain free, yet that knowledge makes our loss no less devastating.

Isabel King was born in 1929, the third child and second daughter of a farming family in a small village where Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Essex meet. Although the family never had much money her childhood was idyllic, helping her father look after his heavy horses and working with him in the fields. Her background made her a true countrywoman, atune with nature and the seasons. She shared this knowledge and love of the countryside with me and made my childhood as idyllic as hers had been.

Mum worked as a children's nanny before moving to work for the Eastern Electricity Board in their local showroom. She met my Dad at a motorbike scramble on Royston Heath when he let her stand in front of him better to see the race.

Their courtship saw them riding through the Hertfordshire countryside on my Dad's Triumph motorbike. The episode of their running over a neighbouring farmer's cockrel became infamous in our family's folklore.

They married in 1953 and began a partnership that endured for over 56 years. My parents adoration for one another has always been clear for all to see and I can say quite honestly that I never heard them argue.

They shared the same work ethic and together built three different businesses in Hertfordshire, Devon and finally Wiltshire. Her dedication and sense of duty extended beyond our family businesses to charitable and community work. She collected for the NSPCC, loved amateur dramatics and in latter years was active in the Towns Women's Guild, WI and Conservatives.

After waiting almost 13 years for a child I was born in 1965. It goes without saying I was the apple of her eye. She made my childhood and indeed my whole life special. From our long country walks, through our shared love of reading to helping her with her charity collections, Mum instilled in me the many qualities that shone from her and which I can only attempt to emulate: kindness, gentleness, honesty, honour and duty.

Mum could be remarkably stubborn, wonderfully loving and was generous to all with her time, her knowledge and her affection. Her fantastic sense of humour made everyone around her smile, often self depricating she had a superb sense of the ridiculous never better attuned than when scrutinising my Dad and I.

Mum fought hard and long against her incapacity. Her passing has left my dad utterly bereft and yet he has faced the challenges today brought bravely and with enormous dignity. He makes me proud as I am also proud to be my mother's son.

Isabel M King, d. 05.01.10 RIP Mum we love you very much. x

UKIPs Remembrance Service Shame

This morning, as with every Remembrance Sunday since I was elected, I attended the Service of Remembrance in the Lower Gardens.

Each year it becomes more moving as the old soldiers become older yet also become more determined to pay their respects. As their places are replaced by younger men returned from more recent conflicts. And as the crowds grow ever larger around the cenotaph.

This year though there was a difference. A demonstration by members of UKIP holding political placards during at the end of the Service.

I understand they also layed a wreath under their party colours with a similarly political note attached.

That's not jsut direspectful, it's appalling and despicable and is a mark of the people who took part. They should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.

Remembrance Service is not, and must never be, about politics. It's far too important for that.

Closure of Ashley Road

For those of you who did not see this in the Echo. We have now heard from Network Rail that they have definite dates for the long awaited closure of Ashley Road, Boscombe, while the bridge over the railway it replaced. We have asked that, if at all possible, the closure is delayed for buses and the reopening for buses only is brought forward, even if it means a single lane ‘buses only' section and only for a week or so at either end. They have said that they will try to achieve this, but can make no promises.

Ashley Road will be completely closed at the railway bridge from Monday 19 October until Saturday 19 December.

There will be full possessions of the rail line (so no trains operating) from 01.00 on Saturday 14 November to 04.00 on Monday 16 November, and also from 01.00 on Sunday 22 November to 04.00 on Monday 23 November when the rubble from the present bridge is removed. This will, I understand, be done by road, so there will be large numbers of heavy lorries present on those weekends. All design and supervision works for the bridge replacement will be done by Network Rail or their contractors.
There will, inevitably, be a considerable amount of disruption to traffic flows during this period, but please be assured that we will do all we can to minimise the effects on local residents and businesses.

Parking Problems

I can hear you groan now!

An update: we’re still chasing the issue of residents parking permits.

In the meantime I have been able to speak to Parking and make a temporary arrangement with them. Margaret Leslie is the parking manager, she has agreed that she residents can email her when they know that they are not going to be able to park off road during the designated times and therefore their cars may be left on the lines. She will endeavour to ensure you don’t get a ticket. I must stress that this is not an arrangement that can be used frequesntly and it is for occasions when parking on the road is completely unavoidable.

If you have workmen working at your home you should arrange with them to get their own tradesman permit which will exempt them while working at your property. Again Margaret can arrange this.

This arrangements can not be used retrospectively, so if you get a ticket I’m afraid you will still have to pay it, sorry!

Margaret can be contacted at: Margaret.Leslie@bournemouth.gov.uk

Tree Removal - Littledown Estate

We’ve had this message from the Council’s Tree Officer:

Close to the footway that runs through Littledown estate near to Hartsbourne Drive there is a veteran Oak. It is likely that this tree is in excess of 300 hundred years old. Veteran trees are an important and scarce resource and require sympathetic management.

We need to carry out some remedial works to this tree to reduce the potential for large decayed limbs to break out and strike the footway or neighbouring properties. This work will involve reducing the trees crown to lessen loading on the limbs. The tree is surrounded by young Sycamore and Horse chestnut trees these young trees are very vigorous and will 'swamp' the older Oak particularly following this remedial work. In order to prevent this we will be removing a number of these young trees to create a favourable habitat for the Oak to carry on for many more decades.

Porchester School - Proposed Sports Hall

Porchester School are making a planning application for a new sports hall. It’s another of those occasions when opinion is split. We have had people contact us who are both in support of the application (largely parents and teachers) and those who are against (particularly residents of Petersfield Road who will back on to the site).

The application will come before the Planning Board on Monday 17th August at the Town Hall. The meeting starts at 5pm and the application is on in second place, which means it should be heard about 5.30 – 6pm (Although as those who attended the meeting for Southwick Road know only too well that’s a very approximate time).

I will be speaking for those residents who are against the proposal and Jane will be speaking on behalf of those who are in favour. If anyone would like to talk to us about it before the meeting then please either Jane or I know.

Dave Wells Application - Southwick and Warneford Road

Jane and I and around 30 residents attended the Planning Board meeting last month to oppose the application. The vote was close, but I am pleased to say that the application was overturned. Thanks so much to everyone who came along and to all of you who wrote in with objections. We expect it to go to appeal relatively soon and will of course be supplying letters to object at that point too.

Wind Turbine at Tescos

A quick update for you on some plans at Tescos on Castle Lane East.

Last autumn plans were put forward for the store to erect two wind turbines on their land. The proposal was turned down by the Council’s planning department.

Tesco have now appealed against the refusal of planning permission.

We’ve had correspondence from local people both opposed to and supporting the proposal, for that reason we haven’t circulated objection letters. The reasons people are supporting the application are as you might expect largely around the turbines providing a sustainable source of energy. Those opposing are concerned about the issues of noise disturbance locally.

The details of the application are:

Reference: APP/G1250/A/09/2105900/NWF

Comments or Objections should be sent to:

The planning Inspectorate
Room 3/19a
Temple Quay House
2 The Square
Temple Quay
Bristol BS1 6PN

You should quote the above reference number.

As always, our advice is to make the letter as personal as possible, tell them how the application may effect you.

Because of the split opinions locally we won’t be sending out a pro forma letter for either side. If you would like any help with further information or in composing your letter then do please let either Jane or I know.

Speed Cushions Harewood Avenue

Many of you asked Jane and I to try and have the speed bumps in Harewood Avenue removed and replaced with a more back/car friendly speed control method and so we've been liaising with the highways department at the Council and also Dorset Police.

I'm afraid to say that it rather came to a standstill at a meeting with the police in April as the accident statistics demonstrated that actually accidents have reduced since the bumps were put down.

As the location of the bumps falls within the speed control zone (schools) of 20mph it was suggested by the police that if drivers were travelling at 20mph there would be no damage sustained to vehicles nor discomfort to drivers/passengers. It is unlikely the bumps will be removed as they seem to be working effectively but we will monitor their state of repair closely!

Please do let us know if you find any damage to the bumps.

Free compost

The Council has been given ten tonnes of compost by one of its waste partners, to give away free as a thank you to the efforts of residents who are helping to make the green waste collection service such a success.

The compost is being made available on a first come first served basis at the Kings Park green waste collection point on Sunday 24 May from 9am to 1pm. Anyone can come along and collect two bags/containers of compost on showing their council tax bill as proof of residency. (Residents should provide their own containers).

Wooded Area Adjoining Sovereign Close and Littledown Drive

We have received letters and emails from residents regarding an area of land identified as possibly suitable for the building of residential dwellings in order to fund enhanced recreation/play areas.  The list of land pockets is Borough wide and will be divided into low and high priority.  At this stage we don't yet know if the Sovereign Close land will be low priority.  If not we will of course be seeking a full consultation and will represent the views of residents if asked to do so. 

Ovington Avenue and Holmfield Avenue yellow lines

The consultation process has now concluded and work can now start (within the next couple of weeks) to add the yellow lines to Summerfields, Ovington Gardens, Ovington Avenue and Hursley Close - to prohibit waiting Mon - Fri 11am to 12pm and 2pm to 3pm.  We have knocked on every door in these roads to consult with residents and the lines are a result of this consultation.  It remains our hope to find a better solution for the ward and we are working hard to do so.

Prisoners from Guantanamo Bay

Apparently Gordon Brown has agreed to accept prisoners being released from Guantanamo Bay to help President Elect Obama out of a hole.

The thing is, these people will have no link what so ever with the UK.

Presumably they have been held on Cuba becuase they were considered a threat of some kind. They deserve a proper, just, trial and if found not-guilty should be released to where they came from or to make appropriate applications to countries considereing to take them.

So why are we agreeing to take them, apparently without precondition?

Empty Shops and Empty Pockets?

Now, some people might think that I'm a bit tight. (I prefer to think of myself as appropriately frugal). Anyway, I went shopping for a Christmas present today for one of my God Sons. We'd agreed not to see them until the New Year and I had, genuinely, not had time to find the present prior to Christmas.

I therefore spent a couple of hours at Castlepoint and the shopping centre on the old bus depot site opposite.

What was astounding was firstly how few people there were about, the car parks were busy but by no means full and the shops were equally busy but there were virtually no queues at the tills.

More surprising for me was the lack of stock on the shelves. Admittedly, we are at the end of a week in which there is little stock coming in to the stores, but even so there was a very limited choice of goods. This wasn't just the case in the electrical stores, but also in the food shops as well.

It's a poor augry for the coming year. Little money to spend, both by consumers and by retailers stocking their shelves will surely have a circular and knock on effect, one thing leading on to the other. It doesn't bode well and it proves how wrong the Government's policy of borrowing wildly to pay for tax cuts that have had little effect and to bail out the banks who continue to refuse to lend is.

Christmas Day

James had to go to work this morning, just for a couple of hours to do a ward round. He was met with his first patient, a frail elderly lady, having arrested.

Despite his efforts and those of the team of nurses and doctors present I'm afraid she died.

The staff, particularly the nurses, were very upset. They had called her family, who arrived too late to see her. James had to speak to her daughter to explain what had happened. Her elderly husband was at home.

Christmas is a happy time for so many of us. We spent Christmas with our families, who spent the day with us at our home.

James' experience this morning though provided a timely reminder that Christmas can be a very sad time for some of us. My thoughts and prayers are with you if the festivities provide you with a reminder of sad times.

AFC Bournemouth Planning Application

A fresh planning application has been made for housing adjacent to the AFC Bournemouth Stadium.

As with the application last year the plan is to demolish a family home in Thistlebarrow Road to provide an access road to the site.  Speaking to local people their feelings haven't changed.  There is little concern about the housing development.  There is enormous concern at the additional traffic and light and noise disturbance caused by demolishing the house and creating an entrance to the development at that point.

For these reasons we'll be helping local people oppose the application and will be circulating our normal letters in the next few days.

RIP Harry

My dog Harry died this morning.  He was nearly 17 and if he had lived until the end of the week then we would have been together for 16 years.  

I couldn't have had a more faithful and loving friend during that time.  I don't mind admitting that I'm heartbroken.

Harry came from Battersea Dog's Home, where he had been re-homed three times before we rescued him on a sunny Friday afternoon in 1992.  He was full of character and life; mischievous, obedient and stubborn in equal parts.  

He became known throughout Littledown and Iford as he was the mascot in 2005 of the campaign to oppose the green belt development proposed there, appearing on posters in people's windows across the ward.  

I loved him very much, and I'll miss him terribly.