There is a 'Cri du Coeur' in the December 2004 edition of Focus, attributed to The West Tisbury Parish Council which body can now be so easily confused with the Tisbury Parish Council. Possibly because the Parish Clerk of the one is a Parish Councillor of the other. In July Tisbury Parish Council rejected the idea that the two Parish Councils amalgamate. That decision is one that others may disagree over. The letter referred to is about Community Planning. Mentions that 'Tisbury is a large Village, and that local Parish Councils are willing to support further housing, always provided that the Village infrastructure is maintained and developed in such a way that the growth would be beneficial to the overall Community'. The Person who penned this letter had last August written a letter to the Western Area Planning Committee after its decision to reject those houses at Station Works accusing them of acting' without skill,' and of being
ill advised to extend the period of time allowed for Statements from Members of the Public from three minutes to six. I can not think why that was written because the writer of the letter was the only member of the public to exceed the overall time limit of six minutes. That letter suggested (etal.) that the Chairman of West Tisbury Parish Council should have been allowed to address Western Area on an ex officio basis. Why? Station Works is not in West Tisbury Parish Council's area. Should we have heard ex officio complaint from Ansty and Swallocliffe too? It is rumoured that they are less than enthusiastic to have cars from any Development at Station Works belting through their villages en route for the A.30. Clearly there is a sense of frustration among hard Working Parish Councillors that their deliberations are so often seemingly disregarded by Western Area. It is no less vexing to the possible majority in the Village that their own
viewpoint is un-represented even in amidst the Co-opted membership of Tisbury Parish Council.
I have bombarded the Parish Council and others with an alternative point of view over Station Works. When that first application came before Tisbury Parish Council, mention was made of a 'letter of objection received'. It was only because a Parish Councillor requested to hear the content of the letter that it's substance was revealed. Unfortunately due to being 'Hospitalised' I did not get to Western Area that time, even so the application was rejected by them. As the applicant then voiced an intention to re-submit, I raised that matter too before the Parish Council, but having been interrupted by the Chair telling me my three minutes would soon be up. I did not finish that statement. Another letter which I had personally addressed and hand delivered to some members of the Parish Council, was acknowledged and considered by the Parish Council.
Prior to their forty minute meeting on December 16th 2003.when the second application was first considered each Councillor should have received a further letter of objection. One heard no mention of that letter at the meeting, nor was there any acknowledgement, or is there a record of it in the Council Minutes.
I believe sacrificing Station Works our one remaining place of employment, mostly for the construction of sixty to eighty houses to be chiefly occupied by Commuters and my fellow Geriatrics would be a disaster for the future of this Village as a thriving Community. I do not understand whom it would benefit other than the Shareholders of the Property Company involved and the residents of Hindon Lane. One of them was represented by an Architect from London when Western Area eventually refused the Station Works Application in August this year. Please understand that however you have seen the same fact differently expressed elsewhere.
There was absolutely no support for this Planning Proposal from any member of Western area, other than from the Proposer and Seconder, Councillors Hooper and Couper. Now this application has gone to appeal and the outcome might go either way. If the Appellant wins, at least any builder would now have an obligation to build more units of affordable housing than would hitherto have been the case.
Messrs Fry of Dorchester had offered to purchase the site at it's current valuation of £800,000, and to subdivide it to meet the requirements of small business. One is given to understand that last June all the existing buildings had tenants, and there was no shortage of interest in the accommodation had longer leases been on offer. In the Richard Dimbleby Lecture last evening Shaftesbury's Mr.Dyson made a plea for the UK to entice back our manufacturing base. It was Government restrictions and his inability to expand his Malmesbury
Works that forced his factory abroad, there he was close to his component suppliers. It is the Sacrifice of the like of Station Works Tisbury, such as the old Wellworthy sites at Harnham, Lymington Town, and their 'Ampress Works' there too, which has fostered the decline of our innovative manufacturing industry.Previous Government has a lot to answer for. The UK will soon lose its edge in the Service Industries. I attempt to type this on an IBM Computer. I believe such machines hitherto an American product, were only this week sold off to the Chinese. My new keyboard and the mouse, and the laser printer are all made in China, as too soon maybe Rover Cars. The list goes on and on, and after the manufacturing base has gone, all other business will follow. I suppose that if no one has any work then house prices might eventually fall.
Affordable and other housing in Tisbury?
Recently a Developer won that Appeal to build houses off
Duck Street. That application was opposed seemingly by one and all, including the then Parish Council. Amongst the reasons given was that there was no affordable housing on site. Now the site owner has come back to the Council with an alternative plan. Instead of building the original five houses, he plans to build more units on the same site footprint. It would necessarily mean that the market price of each unit would be less. Their Architect attended the Parish Council Meeting on December 7th.2004. Made a statement to the effect that having taken into account local needs, his client was willing to accede to local demand. The application did receive the 'ok' but the recommendation was so set about with 'fever trees,' Stone this, unrendered that, wrong shape, limited hours of work, limited access, no footpath'. (The Parish Council stated that it was not allowed to create a public footpath, no one asked them so to do). A Parish Council is
there for consultation, it is either Western Area or more often the Planing Officers who actually approve Plans.There was no promise of affordable housing but regrettably even cheaper housing comes at a price! Do we want it or don’t we?
The Parish Council was none too keen on the subdivision of the 'Old Garden' Premises to form smaller units of accommodation. Nor about the housing proposed for the old Allotment site behind Church Street, nor of course about Hindon Lane. Unfortunately all three sites are infilling, and all will have houses built on them, however much one huffs and puffs.
Station Works is an irreplaceable place of employment, sited outside the Village building line and it is in everyone's better interest that it so remain.
Retirement of County Councillor.
As rumour had it, Richard Willin Is to retire as Our County Councillor in May 2005. (Did he mention business in China?) Sorry to see his departure from
the Dynasty. I believe his Father was a County Alderman and Chairman of the County Council. It is beneficial that he made his statement of intent Public, too often such cards are played too close. I believe Tisbury will soon be in a different Ward, so we would have been parting company anyway.
Nadder Valley School Hall
Has been saved for Village use, not by the Plymouth Brethren but by the County Council and the effort of all Councillors involved. It is seemingly a most satisfactory outcome, one heard at the Parish Council meeting that it will be restored at the cost of the County before the Village regains access. The Brethren are to purchase only the Class room areas for use as a denominational school. The Village has got use of the piece we need, without those earlier horrendous financial obligations. Well done!
Parish Councillor Vacancy.
Unfortunately there was no public offer
made at yesterday's Parish Council Meeting, to fill the current vacancy. One must not doubt that someone will turn up privily to fill the post. If so please might Councillors co-opt a dissentious voice for a change? Failing that there is no rush, just pretend the empty place at the table, is laid for an unexpected visitor.
Paying Parish Councillors Expenses?
That beacon of Tisbury Parish Affairs, the West Tisbury Parish Council is resolved to pay such money to their Councillors after next April. That should put everyone's Community Charge payment up to £5 per day. It was recently the case that such money was not payable to co-opted Councillors is that still so? Is such payment not another good reason for the two Councils to amalgamate,so cutting down on the number of eligible Councillors. More especially as the New Nadder Hall is to be for West Tisbury's benefit too?
Seasonal Greetings
John B. Pope,
Upper Chicksgrove,
Thursday, 09 Dec. 2004
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