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REFERENCE TO,
The S.D.C. Cabinet Meeting 7thJune 06

The Salisbury Local Plan and
The Phase Two Housing Allocation. > This was item nine on the Agenda.

Consideration was given to :
Land at Wick Lane Downton H11A fifty houses
Land at Bulbridge Wilton H15 forty five houses
The Hindon Lane Site TisburyH14/E14 seventy five houses with Pool and employment area.>
And to the matter of a suggested Brownfield and alternative sites. In Tisbury these were,

The Station Works, (former Parmiter Site) and Land adjoining South Western Hotel. >

Planning Decisions Made :
As I understood it

Wick Lane. Recommendation to build
Bulbridge Wilton. Recommendation to build. Hindon Lane, Tisbury.Recommendation to prevaricate in the nicest sense of the word, but no development at the South Western.>

All sites are subject to relevant Detailed Planning Approval. Concerning Hindon Lane the delay is to give the Applicant at Station Works further time to Market the existing Station Works Accommodation.

There was a very good Public Attendance at this Cabinet Meeting which further considered the matter of building at Bourne Hill. More of that later.

There was a good attendance from Tisbury. The Chair of the Parish Council was there, as was the Deputy Chair. There was a member of the TisVis Committee, and an ex member; myself. There were written submissions including two letters from The Tisbury Parish Council, which advised that the existing Agricultural Business was no more, but there were now 60 persons employed at the site in the truck repair business, and others in the Office Accommodation.

There was mention of Traffic Problems, and of any large scale housing developments. I am not sure whether the reference was to the suggestion of the proposed houses at Station Works, or whether the reference was to the proposed 74 houses at Hindon Lane. Seemingly the objection must be to both sites. There was talk of brownfield, and further reference to Traffic and Pedestrian Safety; and that ‘The Review’ seemingly considered Consultation but a cursory extra. Etc.

A Resident of Hindon Lane wrote of the Wild Life situation.

A Parish Councillor wrote of his concern that the Public Consultation was held in the Public Library, and that he considers Station Works a redundant site and that what is needed is ‘Light Industrial Units.’ {But mentions the vacancy of nearby Units. There is apparently a legal complication affecting the accommodation this co-opted Councillor’s wife ,was formerly a Parish Councillor, who then voted against the proposed Development at Station Works. I believe I heard her say after the vote was taken, that ‘there were just too many houses.’}

A second Member of the TIsVis Committee also a co-opted Parish Councillor wrote on planning aspects.

Another TisVis Committee member, formerly a Parish Councillor, covered some thirteen different points. He too a resident on Hindon Lane was against Development there.

Cllr Jeremy Hooper spoke in favour of redeveloping Station Works with Housing and Light Industrial Units. He was not happy concerning Council Officers.

A Former District Councillor supported the suggestion of building at Hindon Lane because it conformed to the Pre-eminent District Plan; and wrote of Local Opinion being misleading, and that Station Works was a vital local resource.

A Local Landowner thought that Station Works was better Kept for current usage, and suggested that a named member of the Parish Council was less than objective in outlook. There was too the matter of Traffic.

There were further reported statements for and against. The written word confused as to precisely what others were for or against.

I had ‘written in’ that Station Works was an essential employment resource for the future well being of Tisbury. That possibly if retained there would be no call for any Industrial Use at Hindon Lane. That 49% of those who answered the TisVis questionnaire thought that the site should be retained for its present use only. Also I mentioned that there had been no Query on the Questionnaire concerning Hindon Lane. {There was a question concerning the field adjoining the former Nadder School. This was an area offered to the Parish Council by the County for affordable housing-Why was no question asked by Tisvis about building at Hindon Lane?- I can but suggest that some feared the answer would be less that satisfactory. I was on the TisVis Committee but resigned from it because basically I could not accept the way the ‘field adjoining The Nadder School’ question, had in my opinion been misinterpreted.} I further expressed the opinion that both the Tisbury Parish Council and the TisVis Committee were unduly representative of the Hindon Lane Cause.

I had not requested to address the Cabinet Meeting, but when an invitation so to do came I did so. Telling the Cabimet that I carried no candle for Hindon Lane, but thought the Council Officers had assessed Hindon Lane and Station Works sites very fairly.

The Vice Chair of the Parish Council a Hindon Lane Resident, gave a cogent explanation as to why the Parish Council thought it would be better to build on Station Works than on Hindon Lane. It was good to hear all he had to say. I recall that he was acting as Chair of the Parish Meeting that first considered the the ‘Parmiter Application’. {What a shame that there had been so little discussion on either of the applications submitted to the Parish Council. How could our Parish Council have agreed to the disposal of the ‘Jewel in Tisbury’s crown for such a mess of pottage’ On whose authority did they do so, when 49% of the Village reject the idea, and a further 25% just ‘didn’t know?’

None would disagree that 85% of the Village is against large scale Housing Development. It was misleading to tell that 85% of us are against such Development in Hindon Lane; whilst allowing the Cabinet to wrongly surmise that 85% of us would not have similar objection to such a Development at Station Works.>

Neither would it be proper to suggest that the aspect of Station Works can only be enhanced by a mixed Development of Housing and Industrial Units. Of course few will want such large premises as now on site.. Knock them down by all means, and redevelop it with small units over all. The site has been valued by Middleton and Major at £800,000. An offer made to purchase at that figure and to remodel existing accommodation into more desirable units, was seemingly refused, possibly because if the site owner receives the permission sought, the site becomes worth several millions of pounds. Win some lose some?}

The Meeting heard from a Planning Consultant, and from a Management Consultant, each representing the ‘Tisbury Action Group’ and from a different Planning Consultant etc. Given so much talk now, I do not understand how it was that both Planning Applications went through Tisbury Parish Council, more or less on the nod.?

None the less too many houses remain too many houses, whether built off Hindon Lane or at Station Works.

I do not understand why our sometime Tisbury Parish Council, and too the West Tisbury Parish Council, are so supportive of building those sixty houses at Station Works, whilst being so ‘anti-’ the construction of houses off Hindon Lane.

The Primary cause of Village objection concerned the quantity of housing, not its specific location. However later, a percentage of forty nine, expressed the wish that Station Works be retained as a place of work only.

I do not see that latter figure is open to reinterpretation even if it doesn’t conform to another’s equally valid contrary opinion. The Chairman of West Tisbury PC. addressed the Cabinet Committee. He also ‘sat in’ on that fateful meeting of the Tisbury Parish Council that decided to approve the Station Works Planning Application. Possibly his view was taken into account when the voting figures were quoted in the Minutes? They did not add up!

Why did Tisbury Parish Council fight the,
‘Where are these houses to be built battle ’?
Rather than tell Salisbury District Council that,
‘The Village doesn‘t want so many houses on either site’?

Lack of Skill?
A ‘main string’ of the no housing at Hindon Lane campaign should surely have been to support the The Necessity of retaining Station Works as a place of work. That would have got rid of at least one massive Housing Development which few want.

Maybe the Station Works site might have provided a different sort of workspace as the New District Council HQ?

Had not forty nine per cent of the village been so busy defending Station Works, then they too might at least have been available to give impartial consideration to ‘The Hindon Lane Cause as espoused by the Hindon Lane Brigade’. ( Is that term now synonymous with the Tisbury Action Group?) Further more, possibly the 25% ‘Don’t knows’ on the TisVis Questionnaire might have been less indecisive ,even supportive of those who campaigned against The Hindon Lane proposal.

Since the Village would rather not have such bulk developments, why did the Parish Council suggest that it was acceptable in one place but not in another? Some might come to the unwarranted conclusion that it was a matter of Nimbyism. I would not believe such a thing for a moment. Had it been so , there would have been declarations of interest, possibly resignations.

It is all very well to complain that Western Area does not listen to the voice of Tisbury. Why should they even bother when Tisbury Parish Council seemingly fails to hear it either? It is not for the Parish Council to forge their own decisions, It holds Office to represent everyone

During my quarter of a century in Tisbury, new Estates have become ubiquitous; Duck Lane, Targetts Mead, Snowhill, The Old Farmyard; The Mallards, Castle Mount, High View Close, Lady Down, St.John’s Close, Springfield and the Brooks, Parsons Mead, Church Close; and the Allotments yet to come. The Churchill Estate has been the subject of redevelopment as too Bennett Mews, and The Old Garden, and the second Gurd’s Garage now a Dental Surgery, and the Over House site. Whilst Place Farm has been renovated, seemingly for office use rather than promised workshops.

The list seems to go on and on. Tisbury had little to say in favour of any of it. But then ‘we wouldn’t would we’?

I would not be keen to have all these new houses built in ‘my back yard’ either. However even the splendid listed Farmyard adjoining our Upper Chicksgrove cottage is under pressure of re-development. Are the buildings to be residential as is the case at it’s sister farms Ley and Ham Cross in the adjoined Parish; or will it too accommodate business users, or a mixture of both? To date there have been half hearted possibly indecisive ‘Spoiling’ Planning applications in each direction. These three farms formed part of the former Wyndham Estate, as too did Chicksgrove Quarry, now reactivated.

Why was the whole of Upper Chicksgrove omitted from the last District Plan? It would have been helpful had the Parish Council and our then sole District Councillor been as attentive to our cause, as each hasbeen to the Hindon Lane Affair.

Families need Homes, families need Work, and families need Schools and Transport. It is unhelpful either to bury ones head in the sand, or to be too reactionary. Things have to change, it has ever been so.

Ours is a Railway Village, This of itself attracts new residents. Double Platforms and enhanced Parking at the Station would be a further attraction. There was a proposal submitted to the Cabinet Meeting, by a local resident, (he of the thirteen points) that an underground Car Park be built at the Station! Is it our wish to remain a Village Community, or are we trying to wreck the place?

Maybe the Station should have less Parking, so to leave more ‘WAITING SPACE’. It is often impossible to stop when delivering or collecting passengers in any way that avoids impeding others . Two or three years back when all those inconvenient yellow lines first became apparent, The Parish Council might have done better to suggest placing a restriction on the length of time one can stay in the Council Car Park. There are cars and vans parked there on a semi permanent basis. Why not, each has every right so to do?

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A ‘RED HERRING’ >
I have not heard whom Councillors co-opted to the PC this month but there would seem to be an alternative approach to the matter of Local Council Elections in France. There a ‘want to be’ Mayor selects his or her own team of supportive would be Councillors. The locals know the platform of each team, and the whole team is voted into office en masse.
In Tisbury we might have the ‘Tisbury Action Group’; or the’ lets keep jobs at Station Works Team‘; or lets have or not have ‘Large Housing Redevelopments in the Village’. Under either system, maybe the outcome in Tisbury would have been much the same.

********************************

The lack of enthusiasm, we the Public have for subscribing to the Democratic Process is regrettable. At the last County Council Election, Tisbury and Mere rejected a long serving hard working Independent District Councillor, in favour of the latest Conservative apparatchik. Fine, such is Democracy; but what of our new County Councillor previously?

Why should anyone with aspirations, be bothered to become a Parish or District Councillor when there is the possibility of being ‘parachuted’ into office either by a Political Party Committee, or mere co-option. {See Struther below}

What did Burke have to say about the price one had to pay for not voting …..? I really can’t remember, but it was more apposite than Plato‘s original remark.

. It would be an excellent idea if the ‘Cabinet’ System on the District Council be abandoned, and that final decisions are taken on a ‘Cross Party’ basis by the FULL Council, or if necessary for practical considerations, on an Area basis.

What became of that one man (or woman now) one vote principle?

We in Tisbury have two votes in District Council Elections, there are other Wards where Electors have three votes to cast. Why should we who each have two votes, or others who have three, have such undue influence on the composition of The District Council?

If there are to be multiple Voters, it seems that it would be a better idea if one had the freedom to cast all ones votes for just one Candidate should doing so, better express one’s wishes. Under current procedures an Elector either has to vote for a Candidate for whom one doesn’t want to vote, or else waste ones second (or third) vote. This is a matter for the Electoral Commission who hopefully are considering it.

Recycling. COMPOSTING SITE etc.

This project seems of doubtful benefit. Which self respecting Gardener would dream of giving away potential compost ? The scheme must cost money, and will seemingly be frightfully inefficient in it’s financial consequence. How much one can not tell as no accounts were distributed at the Parish Assembly, nor have I yet seen any published on the Parish Notice Board. We are all soon to be issued with ‘Wheelie Bins’ why not distribute compost bags as well? Such largesse would prove more cost effective. Just think of all the wasted fuel to be involved at either end of the Tisbury Composting Scheme. Not all the Parish lives close to the site, and probably most have no suitable transport. Maybe the Link scheme could be involved, or better than that the whole project should be binned?
Salisbury District Council has for a long time collected ‘Garden Waste Bags’ together with our dust bins.

Does the Parish Council have any plans to enhance the aspect of the Recycling bins in the Car park. .These are an eyesore to one and all. A matter brought to the Parish Council’s attention prior to the advent of the current Parish Clerk.

Struther.
When a knight won his spurs in the stories of old
He was gentle and brave he was gallant and bold
With a shield on his arm and a lance in his hand
For God and for valour he rode through the land

No charger have I and no sword by my side
Yet still to adventure and battle I ride
Though back into story land giants have fled
And the knights are no more and the dragons are dead

So let faith be my shield and let hope be my steed
Against the dragons of anger the ogres of greed
And let me set free with the sword of my youth
From the castle of darkness the power of the truth.

(Hymn by Jan Struther. Usually sung to ‘Stowey’)

(The children of the West Country schools sing about dragINs. There hasn't been a dragON west of Salisbury since before the ark. )

(If one feeds the first six words of the hymn into Google, Mudcat will provide you with the sounds of ‘STOWEY’). But doesn‘t seem keen to become hyperlinked> .mailto:pionono@tiscali.co.uk