Harston Residents Group Meeting 16/2/21
HRG Virtual Meeting Minutes 16.2.21
Present: Joy Richardson, Margaret Greeves, Peter Griffin, Peter Hayde, Gaynor Hayde, Brian Williamson, Becki Mason, Tony Mason, Hilary Roadley, Claire Cock-Starkey, Dom Bellamy, Ian Sollom, Jan Nanor, Beki Korb.
Apologies: Linda Churchman, Tim Arnold.
Park House Wall: Owners have ignored all correspondence so the PC are escalating it to SCDC.
Remembrance bench being delivered next week.
Greener Harston: First bulbs coming up. Hedging has been parked with various volunteers around the village giving us a year to prepare the ditch area. Once we know what easing of social-distancing is happening and when the weather cheers up we can make a new plan and put call out for volunteers.
Action: Claire to add photos of bulbs in flower to newsletter.
Community Support: Tim Arnold stepping down as warden. Interviews going ahead this week to fill the post.
Action: Jan to contact Claire if they need an advert put in newsletter.
Phone buddies: Going really well.
Action: Jan to email Claire to feature call for phone buddies in newsletter.
Litter pick: Peter hopeful we’ll be able to go ahead 21st March. We’ll need volunteers to help but next HRG meeting is 16 March so can discuss then.
Ditches: Dom suggesting we clear ditches while they are full of water and rubbish floating.
Action: Hilary to borrow Peter’s tool to try and fish some stuff out of the ditches this weekend.
Littering: Problems with people littering in the village.
Action: Any large items report to council as fly tipping.
Shop bins often overflowing.
Action: Dom to ask them to keep on top of emptying bins regularly.
Planning: Dom reports planning application for 19 Queen’s Close to demolish an extension and build flats was refused.
Vujon development: Amendments have been put forward by developers in response to changes suggested by PC and residents. PC have approved but with caveat that they need to come to agreement with near neighbours. Tony Mason has recommended it go to a planning committee.
Beech Farm, Church Street: Only just gone up on planning portal but looks like a development of houses.
Barrington and Shepreth large development: Currently has no planning status and is just speculative. Ian Sollom says it’d need to go in local plan and that a development that huge would be unlikely to get support especially as Anthony Browne against it.
Village Gateway: No signage to show drivers they are entering a village. Joy suggested we resurrect previous plan to try and get some gates or a sign.
Action: Everyone to have a think of ideas for next meeting. Once we have an idea we could take it to the developers of Vujon and ask if they’ll fund it or make a donation towards it.
East-West rail: Ian Sollom gives overview – consultation was supposed to happen in 1st quarter of 2021 but looking like they’ll run out of time. Still many calls for northern option to be considered, including from Anthony Browne. But Ian thinks it’s unlikely to get traction.
Southern route favoured but Grant Schapps says they won’t electrify line which could mean lots of diesel freight trains running close to villages in south Cambs which is of concern.
Tim Arnold has made a leaflet on behalf of PC to be delivered to all houses in Harston to raise awareness and encourage engagement in any consultation.
Bypass: Mayor Palmer said they’d look at bypass but no feasibility study was carried out and it was rejected as an option as 18,000 cars not enough to justify (they say it needs to be 25,000 cars).
Tony Mason is pursuing traffic calming option with combined authority.
Action: Brian to contact Niall to ask to be at meeting with Tony Mason and Combined Authority.
PC pursuing speed limit on London Road via Roger Hickford. This is current priority so they can’t currently look at other traffic issues.
Harston station proposal submitted. Have to wait and see if successful.
Foxton Travel Hub: Plans reduced from 750 spaces to 500 spaces. Consultation should be out late spring.
Action: Claire to link to plans in newsletter.
PC: Second garage erected on rec for mower and new defibrillator on pavilion wall.
Hauxton travel hub: Won’t be considered by planning committee until second half of this year.
Next meeting: Tuesday 16 March 8pm