Minutes 16.3.21 – Harston Residents Group

Harston Residents Group Meeting 16/3/21

Present: Joy, Hilary, Peter Hayde, Gaynor Hayde, Beki Korb, John Holmes, Margaret Greeves, Jan Nanor, Linda, Brian and Tim Arnold.

Apologies: Dom

Park House Wall: Dom says thanks to Peter and Hilary. Previous attempts to contact owner has resulted in no reply. The house is listed but the wall is not. Ian Sollom is looking into it and can ask for the work to go ahead and then try to get the owners to refund them. Hilary & Margaret expressed surprise that the wall was not considered as within the curtilage of the listed building and therefore should be more protected.

Planning application for 19 Queen’s Close was not refused but not supported.

Website: Gaynor worried that the website has wrong information. Tim shared the website on the screen. Newsletter section needs updating. Gaynor also pointed out that other areas need updating. Tim offered to update some bits on the site if other people could point out what needs doing.

Action: Send Tim pages to update and Tim to chat with Claire about sorting out getting the newsletter linked. Tim also offered to do some training for anyone who wants it.

Facebook: Linda to be taken off as admin.

Hedgerows: Hilary sent Tim a sheet with information on hedgerows to add to the website but its not be uploaded.

Finances: Possibility for pursuing grants – Gaynor is pursuing a community chest grant to get high-vis vests for litter picks.

Action: Consult with PC about if there is spare storage for the high vis jackets.

Litter Pick: This Sunday 21st 10am to 12pm. The rules say you can litter pick alone or with family just not in mixed social groups. Four people required to set up. Gloves, grabbers and bags will be set out socially distanced. Pavillion will be open for handwashing and toilet facilities.

Action: Hilary, Joy, Claire and Brian will all go to help set up at 9.15am.

Ditch clearance: Hilary already did the Church Street section and some of the High Street. They pulled out 100 bottles and cans. Peter will bring the ditch clearer.

Tim points out that the more remote roads surrounding the village are awful, he suggested that perhaps we could focus on these areas in September. Peter points out that the speed limit on these roads means that it is not safe to pick litter on these verges.

Action: Who has responsibility for clearance of verges on main road? Is it the council?

Greener Harston: Very exciting to see the bulbs come up. Money well spent as so many have come up. The cleared ditch also looks much better. The ropes look messy so it would be good to find a solution. Tim has some big logs that could be used. Proper posts and rope could work. Tim recommends costing it out and submitting it to the PC.

Action: Beki to come up with plan.

Beki suggests moving the date of Greener Harston as it clashes with Community Orchard group and some people might want to do both. Potentially change it to last Saturday of every month.

Harston Church: Plans to make the churchyard somewhere people could come and sit.

Hedgerows: People in Lawrance Lea disappointed to see hedgerow got cut down by new owners which backs onto many of the Lawrance Lea gardens and which will likely be replaced by a fence. Hilary was frustrated that there is no protection for hedgerows.

Action: Hilary to add hedgerow policy to website via Tim. Would be good if the PC could also keep a copy and have it to give to developers.

The tree that was cut down by the bus stop has still not been cleared away.

Action: Tim to follow it up with PC.

Village Planning: Village gateway: Would be nice for the sign to say ‘Harston Village’ so it shows it is a village. It would look good on the bit of green by Vujon but would be nice to have one at each five entrances to village. Hilary has done a sketch which she has sent by email of a sign with a crest with the words Harston Village. Tim suggests a hare in the middle.

Action: Tim to get some quotes with etched metal or cut-out.

Vujon: Planning has been nodded through so it’s now in the hands of South Cambs and will be seen by committee.

Pemberton: Lead fell off the roof and hit a woman walking past. Tim sent a strongly worded email about it to the owners asking them to sort it out. They’ve taken some lights off the front and closed the windows and they’re now hoping to make a decision what to do with it soon. Application supposedly still going ahead.

Queen’s Head and Post Office have been registered as community assets for another 5 years.

Beech Farm looking to develop two barns into housing. Hilary uncertain what new legislation means re development getting prior consent for development which seems initially to be restricted to 5 dwellings.

Traffic and Transport: Waiting for East-West rail consultation to be announced. Leaflets have gone out to every household about the issues.

Waiting to have a bypass meeting with PC and Combined Authority but no date set yet.

PC have got a speed monitoring device for London Road so it can be monitored to show that people speed.

Jan has written to environmental health department to get information on air quality. But heard nothing yet.

Bus reform taskforce set up by the mayor. They have been given £100K in funding but Tim is not sure what actual work they have done.

Harston Station submission has gone in so just need to wait and see.

Hauxton park and ride might now go to government planning due to concerns about wetlands.

Hilary asks if Tim could follow up with the PC about cutting the verges up London Road and up towards Newton so people can walk.