Minutes of a meeting of the Committee held on Monday 25th September 2017 at St Peters Church, Bournemouth. Meeting began at 2pm and closed at 2.55pm
Present:
John Barker, John Soane, Sally McGrath, Ken Mantock and Hilda Brownlow
Apologies:
Jean Bird, Paul Newsome, Elaine Cooper, James Weir
Minutes of the last meeting:
The Minutes of the meeting held on 24th July 2017 were agreed as a true and accurate record.
Matters Arising from the Minutes:
None
Local Development Framework
There had been a meeting on 4th September at which a presentation was given on the Poole Local Plan which is now undergoing public consultation together with updates on Heritage and Conservation matters including Old Christchurch Rd Conservation Area and Local Planning in Boscombe and Pokesdown. Consultation on the Bournemouth Local Plan Review was underway and feedback was needed by 10th November. The next LDF Steering Group Meeting was on 3rd November with most of the items relating to Minerals and Waste Planning plus updates on the items raised earlier this month.
Heritage and Conservation
Cliff End Hotel, Manor Road – Plans to redevelop the entirety of the fire damaged building had been on public exhibition ahead of a planning application. The scheme appeared very large and modernistic with no attempt to retain the historic middle section of the existing fire damaged building or relate to the adjacent Victorian buildings – it did follow the scale of the adjacent high rise flat blocks instead.
Copies of the slides and plans at the public exhibition had been received from the consultants working for the Meyrick Estate and it was hoped a meeting couple be arranged with them to discuss the proposal.
Westover Road Cinemas – Our objections to the flats/shops plans proposed for the ABC Cinema had been submitted by James in August and he had also created the Viability Study for the Regent Cinema which had been shared with the Council and other interested partners. The Echo had run several well illustrated articles on this and on the potential interest by an art house operator to re-establish cinema use here. No news was forthcoming from the developer on their plans. Efforts to chase the Council to extend the Old Christchurch Road Conservation Area to include the cinemas continued. We were kept aware of campaigning by the “Striving to keep Cinema Theatrical” group and efforts to work together continued.
Boscombe & Pokesdown – Plans to convert 3 Wickham Road to flats whilst less destructive than the previous proposal to redevelop the site still could be much better and highlighted loopholes in the planning system for unlisted buildings and heritage assets outside of Conservation Areas. James had drafted proposals for dealing with this through Article 4 directions. A Cultural Heritage Strategy was being developed for Boscombe and Pokesdown, separate from planning policies in the developing Local Plan. Plans to redevelop 40 Florence Rd, currently a very well preserved Victorian villa in use as a doctors’ surgery had been deferred for procedural reasons.
2 a and 2b Bradburn Road – Plans to redevelop rather than renovate the existing historic buildings on this prominent town centre site by the Gardens had been objected to and Historic England had similarly voiced concerns.
Echo Building, Richmond Hill – It was hoped to meet THAT Group team members in October to learn more on their plans to renovate , convert and extend the building
Built Environment
Land Adjacent to Bournemouth Hospital – The local campaign group continued to work hard to establish detail and impact of the building , highway and environmental impacts of the proposals and most recently the Echo included features suggesting that current air quality hereabouts exceeded recommendations.
Lansdowne Area – Our recent comments on the change of character of the area of Holdenhurst Road brought about by Bournemouth University and office developments , not all negative, making the streetscene reminiscent of down town Los Angeles had been featured in the Echo.
76 Wimborne Road – At a request form a member we would take a look at the plans to add a roof extension to this property and comment as necessary in the next monthly digest.
Planning Applications
Refer to J Soane Monthly Digests for July and August summarised as July: Christchurch Road etc, Bournemouth and Poole Lansdowne College – refurbishment and new build, Oxford Road etc, Bournemouth University new builds, 59-61 St Alban’s Avenue- flats, 6 Nelson Road-two houses, 11a Southcote Road – 15 flats, August: 24 Percy Road – flats, 169 Belle Vue Road – flats, 39 Poole Hill – new bar/restaurant, 8 Cranbourne Road – flats and 140 Alumhurst Road – unauthorised extensions and alterations.
Planning Sub-Committee
The Society’s Planning Sub-Committee had not met since the last main meeting
Planning Board Observer’s Report
Sally attended the Council’s Planning Board meeting in August and reported as follows: 49 West Cliff Rd – TPO confirmed on 2 cypress trees, 25 McKinley Road – plans granted for elevational changes, 25 McKinley Road-Permission granted for felling one tree, 45 Richmond Park Avenue- permission denied for conversion of 2 flats to 5, 88 Alma Road-permission refused for conversion of 2 flats to 3, 40 Florence Rd – redevelopment plan deferred
Due to a misunderstanding no one from the Society attended the Council’s September meeting. The October observer would be Sally, November would be tbc and December John S. It was agreed that a calendar for 2017/2018 would be agreed and featured in the minutes so every meeting was covered by an Observer and a deputy would be available should the main observer be unavailable.
Communications
The Summer newsletter has been printed and distributed. Draft items for the Christmas newsletter needed to be with John B by the end of November at the very latest.
Civic Voice
Newsletters and campaigning information had been received and circulated and was on the link on our website
Bournemouth 2026
No news since last meeting
Bournemouth in Bloom
No news since last meeting
Activities
No news since last meeting. Reminder for bookings for Christmas Dinner to go to Beryl asap.
Membership
One new member who was a studying for a MSc in Urban Planning, holds legal qualifications and is interested in helping with the future of the Odeon cinema.
Website
The new website was up and running and already two unsolicited comments had been received about it. Ken and Debbie were having website training with Alex next Thursday.
Treasurer’s Report
Lloyd’s account £1705.79 and CAF account £7410.44.
As CAF had written to us informing us that they were closing our account it was agreed, having been proposed by Ken and seconded by John S, that the Treasurer transfer the £7410.44 to Lloyds. A donation of £50 had been received from member David Hellewell – Ken had written and spoken to him with thanks.
Meeting with Head of Planning Services on 8th September
The meeting had been postponed so a new date for a meeting with Andrew England would be arranged by Jean.
Any other Business
Dorset Architectural Heritage Week – Ken noted that the restored Chapel of the Resurrection at St Peters Church along with an exhibition on its builder and history had been visited by 189 the previous week. Ken also noted that on Saturday he had spoken to Bournemouth Natural Science Society and given a talk on the history and work of Bournemouth Civic Society.
Talk to Throop, Holdenhurst & Strouden Park Area Forum – The Forum were hoping for a talk from the Civic Society at their meeting in October but as it was a Thursday evening neither Ken nor James were able to attend.
Metropole Market – The pros and cons of the recent street market at The Lansdowne was discussed
Dates for next year’s meetings – These were confirmed at 2pm on the following dates: 22 Jan, 26 Feb, 23 Apr, 21 May, 25 Jun, 23 Jul, 20 Aug, 24 Sep, 22 Oct, 26 Nov and 17 Dec. AGM Mon 9th April