July 1997 PC Meeting Report

The monthly meeting of the Parish Council was held on 1 July with Mr AD Walmsley in the Chair.

Affordable Housing – Compton.

It was agreed to write to the Hampshire Voluntary Housing Society to determine whether HCC are pursuing the original site for housing at Martins Fields, Compton or another site for two pairs of houses in Compton Street, next to Church Farm and near the junction with the main road.

Aircraft Noise.

Further letters of complaints of aircraft overflying the Southdown area and Hurdle Way, Compton Down, are to be passed by the Chairman to the Parish Transport Representative, Group Captain MEH Dawson, who is to arrange a meeting with the Managing Director, Southampton International Airport.

Beech trees, Compton Street.

The County Surveyor is to be asked to undertake a survey of the remaining Beech trees, opposite the church, Compton Street, in view of the dangers and hazards from their branches falling on to the highway.

Street lighting to garage compound, Martins Fields.

A floodlight has been satisfactorily fixed to the new street light to illuminate the adjacent garage compound.

Proposed grain drier on land adj Shepherds Lane.

A site meeting was held on 20 June to consider positioning of the drier when it was learnt that planning permission was not required for this agricultural building. However, it will be moved from the original proposed site but still near a house owned and occupied by Mr Ah who has been invited to choose colour for painting. Although the landowner and farmer, Mr JG Venn, Silkstead Farm, has a proper right of way through Shepherds Lane for any vehicles he has advised that there are no plans in the immediate future for increasing the usage of Shepherds Lane for vehicles and given an undertaking that the new grain drier and storage will be approached from Poles Lane through Four Dells Farm.

Lease Negotiations re Sports Club.

Councillors AD Walmsley and WJ West had had preliminary discussions with the Secretary of the Compton and Shawford Sports Club. It is suggested that the Parish Council continue the same level of financial input to the running of the field as today. In recognition of that financial input it is proposed that a 25 year lease be granted to the Sports Club for the new pavilion but that the playing field be occupied under terms of a Licence similar to that in force at present. The Parish Council would continue to be responsible for external repairs to the pavilion; the Sports Club would be responsible for internal repairs and fixtures and fittings. The lease would safeguard the interests of both parties and in particular, as promised earlier, would contain provisions regarding noisy events.

Pavilion Replacement.

Updated plans, based on those distributed in the Parish Matters leaflet, were examined. Apparently the Planning department’s rules call for 58 parking places based on the number of teams that use the field. After some discussion it was agreed to instruct the architect, Charles M Walker, to prepare and submit a planning application subject to the following provisos i) the appearance of the building from the rear to be improved ii) to see whether the planners would agree to reduce the number of car parking spaces on the grounds that at peak times there is a car park at the other end of Shepherds Lane Bridge which could be used iii) the pavilion to be located as far back from the field as possible consistent with allowing a reasonable view of the field from the terrace.

Parish Hall Land.

Interest in developing the site with four residential units has narrowed to two private developers and one housing association, all of whom are presently in correspondence with the Parish Council. It is hoped that costs and disturbance will be minimised if the chosen contractor can carry out the site development and refurbishment works to the hall at the same time.

Parish Hall Refurbishment.

Awaiting information regarding interest of architects and their fees and costs before submitting formal instructions to prepare plans.

Hampshire Waste Services/Integra.

A Liaison Group meeting was held on 24 June at the incinerator site, Poles Lane, Otterbourne, when HWS stated that the vehicle traffic was not yet up to capacity (188 vehicles per week) and that another Materials Recycling Facility is to be sited on an unidentified industrial estate close to Winchester, but not close to Compton and Shawford. A representative of Otterbourne Parish Council suggested that traffic problems through Otterbourne could be alleviated if HWS management instructed their drivers from north of the county to leave the motorway at junction 11 rather than junction 12 (Eastleigh North). Cllr Whitaker, for Compton and Shawford PC, strongly pointed out that reducing the problem through Otterbourne by increasing it through Compton and Shawford was not exactly in the spirit of the Liaison Meetings and is unacceptable. He also refuted the suggestion by HWS that the traffic problem should be equally shared as the original plan was for 50% through Otterbourne 30% Hursley and 20% Compton and Shawford which is the approximate level for Compton at the present time. Parishioners should report any increase in the volume of HWS/Integra wagons to Cllr Whitaker.

Chairman to write to the County Surveyor to register the Parish Council’s concern that traffic calming measures in Otterbourne without corresponding measures in our parish would increase our share of waste traffic above the agreed 20%.

Bus signs – ornamental columns for stopwatch displays.

Concern was expressed at the siting of these columns on the footway, particularly at the northbound Compton bus stop, and enquiries are to be made. No consultation with the Parish Council had been invited prior to the installation of the ornamental columns by HCC at three bus stops within the parish.

Shepherds Lane Subway – graffiti.

Reported to HCC and cleaning agreed to carried out before the next council meeting.

Bollard Removal.

The bollards marking the junction of Shepherds Lane Bridge and Otterbourne Road have been torn up twice during the month and replaced each time by HCC within 24 hours of being contacted. Any information on who is doing this damage would be welcomed by Cllr Whitaker.

Footpath from Station Yard to Shawford Down.

Following complaints that access to the Down from the Shawford Station area is difficult and dangerous the matter has been reported and is to be investigated.

D W H RICHMAN, Clerk

7.7.97