2008/2009 has been a very hectic period.

We have had several very contentious planning applications, changes in policing our area, growth in traffic using our estate roads, additional congestion of our estate roads during school opening and closing hours and two applications for Off Licenses.

Planning

We have seen several applications for very large extensions to existing moderately large houses being approved practically unconditionally.  Fences, ancient hedges have been taken down or destroyed and 2metre walls or fences have been substituted.

Several properties have been extended, fences, and walls erected without prior planning approval which have subsequently become the subject of retrospective approval much to our dismay. This activity does, of course, allow works to be undertaken without permission and a measure of impunity if owner/occupier/landlord is never found out.   

There have been two very contentious planning applications.

The first was for the change of use of Threshers, Wine Shop, which received a conditional approval.    NNA position was that the application should not be approved as it was, in our opinion, clearly out of sympathy with both the local Winslow Road shopping precinct and our local environment.  We were concerned about the hours of opening, anticipated increase of traffic, car parking, noise, smell, and an attraction for our local young people, as well as our very large population of school children to eat food which may be inappropriate. 

There were also several legal and administrative errors.  First of all the address given in the application was incorrect and secondly public notices were not promulgated and then to go further local abutting, adjoining and nearby residents were not officially informed.   The whole process was an administrative and professional mess and when City Council Planners were challenged on whether the proper process had been invoked there was very possibly, a fudge, and the application was allowed to stand.  This was not public partnership and participation as we have previously expected but NNA have now become more wary.

Off Licenses

This was, again, on Threshers.   It appeared that the fast food outlet scenario was dropped and an application was submitted for an Off Licence.   Now, came, a problem, was the original conditional approved abated, did it remain extant, did that mean that if the Off Licence application was approved then the Fast Food Outlet, if opened, could sell alcohol.  All very difficult to sort out!   NNA objected and asked for the application to be refused.  The outcome was that NNA appeared before the Licensing Sub Committee and our presentation was in part accepted but the application was approved with some conditions on opening hours, rubbish collection and so on.  It remains to be seen what the ‘turnout’ on this shop will be.  It was suggested at Committee that if residents became aware of any conditions not being adhered to then they were to report to the Licensing Officer.

The second Off Licence application was by The Netherton Football Club for their Club House on The Grange to sell alcohol.   NNA submitted several comments, recommendations for consideration by the Licensing Officer.  Following that submission it was NNA intention to appear before Licensing Sub Committee saying that whilst we agreed that Club Life was an integral and generally accepted part of the British Sports way of life we were concerned about access to alcohol by young persons and other possible anti social behavioural activities.   As you know the Police have accepted The Grange as a priority area of anti social behaviour and the area would be subject to surveillance.   Following NNA representations the Licensing Officer sent to us a copy of the application papers and from researching those detailed papers NNA became of opinion that all their representations, recommendations had been covered so far as was possible and NNA withdrew their representations.

Changes in Policing

The Police changed their Neighbourhood Policing Strategy from Officers randomly policing to Rapid Response Teams becoming active when needed.  This strategy reduced the numbers of Officers patrolling our area and whilst preliminarily NNA did not agree with the strategy we had no alternative but to accept the situation on the promise by the Police that if it did not work then their would be either reversion back or a different strategy invoked.  I doubt if we have noticed any change except that our PCSOs appear to be more active than ever.   Sgt Tinsley has been posted out of Bretton Sector Police Office and his replacement Sgt Nikki Hall has now been in post a few weeks. Sgt. Hall should be with us this evening.  We now have PCSO Natalie Marshall, Safer Schools Officer, in her all day post at Jack Hunt School which, has, from expressed opinions, brought some prevention and lessening of bad behaviour.   PCSO Ronnie Burrell maintains his watch over us.

Traffic

The Police are continuing to monitor, as a priority, speed, and parking resulting in obstruction, of our local estate roads.   NNA was represented at a recent meeting of a PCC sponsored Road Safety Seminar which was very well presented and NNA became aware that our problems had not been put on the ‘back burner’ but were constantly being monitored.   Road Safety has now become part of the Traffic Management Team.  We raised several points of view and complaint which were accepted and would be investigated.   Perhaps it does not tangibly appear that anything is being done on road safety but you can be assured that a watching brief is in place.  There was no doubt that statistics of the numbers of people killed and injured proves Road Safety is now a seriously high priority problem for the Peterborough Town Area.

Environment

As you will have noticed Jamie McFarlane, an Environmental Officer of the City Council, has been quietly, efficiently and effectively maintaining a daily watch on the tidiness around the shops at Winslow with great success.  NNA believes he has somehow prevented litter from being dropped which has made the area appear much tidier and attractive.  He is unable to be with us this evening but NNA thanks him for his achievement.  

Eric Dent

Secretary

October 2009

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