Harston Residents Group Meeting 21/9/21
Present. Claire Cock-Starkey, Brian Williamson, Peter Hayde, Gaynor Hayde, Russ Phillippo, Rupert Pierce-Gould, Paru Naik, Carole Stafford, Hilary Roadley, Tim Arnold, Mr Richards, John Holme, Christine, Jan Nanor
Apologies. Joy Richardson, Linda Churchman
Traffic and Transport
EWR
Environmental studies along route are imminent,
· Monitoring water for birds and wildlife,
· Buried Iron Age and Roman sites
· Rights of Way and their use
· Bat surveys
RP-G said a survey found lizards on his land.
Traffic monitoring equipment will be put up overnight.
No information on level crossing survey at Harston
The EWR Statutory Consultation starts next year so a meeting is needed soon.
Church Street
The survey was completed, with good results, and has been sent to Harston Parish Council. It is hoped it will be discussed at the HPC meeting in October.
The Church Street working group will keep monitoring the traffic. County Broadband has been working on Church Street, which has made the congestion worse.
Update on consultations
Ox-Cam Arc
Only the Ox-Cam Arc consultation is open. It closes on 12th October. It’s very important that residents respond as the population is projected to increase by 60%.
Cambridge Approaches has a survey on their website to gauge people’s response.
Action. CC-S will post a link to information and the survey on the HRG website.
Foxton Travel Hub
Meeting attendees voiced concerns about safety, particularly regarding pedestrians crossing the A10. A Foxton resident has posted a video about safety issues on YouTube. There are environmental concerns as cars will still drive along the A10 to get to the travel hub.
Foxton residents say the travel hub is counter to their village plan.
Speed
SIDs monitors are installed on London Road and Station Road. They will be moved to Church Street and High Street later. An evidence base is being built to show speeding is a problem in Harston and to make the case for enforcement of speed limits.
HPC has put 20mph flashing signs outside the school. There are also plans to extend the double yellow lines near the school.
Information about speed will go into the parish magazine.
Air Quality
Data from the Zephyr monitor near the school is not available yet. SCDC says air quality is improving across S Cambs.
Action. TA will contact Soraya Hashimi (Cambs Environmental health) and Tony Mason (LibDem councillor) for up-to-date information.
Bypass
A bypass is still an aspiration for Harston. Dom Bellamy (HPC Chair), has contacted the mayor to arrange a meeting about a bypass and other traffic issues. HRG Transport Group will be invited.
Communication
CC-S will write a newsletter next week.
Action. Email her with any items to include.
Litter Pick
PH thanked the volunteers who set up, supervised and dismantled the event. New Hi-Viz jackets were used for the first time. 20 adults and 18 children took part, slightly lower than previous ones but a good response. Thank you to Peter and Gaynor for organising such a successful event.
HRG received grant funding from South Cambridgeshire Community Partnership to purchase Hi-Viz waistcoats.
Environment
GH and HR asked about closer working with HPC and all the greening groups in Harston. It would be useful to have a meeting of all the groups. HR suggested an item in the newsletter followed by an event to encourage residents to become involved.
HR has sent ideas to HPC.
GH suggested interested people should informally contact each other to arrange projects.
TA volunteered to be involved in scheduling green activities and publishing dates so that residents can join in.
Action. Meeting to coordinate proposed for Tuesday 5th October at 8pm.
Action. HR to send out her list of ideas again
Beki Korb asked where the whips are that will be planted near the Vujon this autumn.
Please contact her with this information.
War memorial – a new volunteer for the upkeep of the memorial is needed, due to retirement of the current volunteer, Roger Summerfield. Greener Harston will take on the upkeep of the memorial.
Neighbourhood planning.
Sue Romiero presented a talk about the Neighbourhood Plan being developed at Swaffham Bulbeck. They employed a landscape specialist to advise on their green spaces. The parish council devised a questionnaire and distributed it themselves.
There is a lot of information and examples online.
A Neighbourhood Plan includes where to site new development.
The first step is to find out the amount of interest in the village for a Neighbourhood Plan.
There needs to be-
· Wide representation from within the village.
· Involvement of a wide range of residents from the start.
· Public meetings
· Wide representation of residents on the steering group
Action. Neighbourhood Plan will be the focus of the next HRG meeting.
Buildings of local interest
HR and DB are to have a meeting with the Historic Environment team.
SCDC and Cambridge are preparing a local plan.
Planning applications and buildings of local interest-
25 Royston Road – planning application was withdrawn but is current again.
Massive loss of biodiversity due to chopping down trees prior to development.
Hope Cottage – Hope Cottage got listed status in May 2021
Vujon – nothing happening
Pemberton Arms – nothing happening
Liaison with HPC
1 or 2 councillors will attend HRG meetings.
Harston Parish Council
Hedge cutting and other environmental issues – there will be closer working between HPC and HRG.
HR asked if the grass between London Road and the railway bridge could be mown to make a path for walkers. Local Highways Improvement funding creating a path here.
Harston/Haslingfield path – landowner needs to be contacted.
A volunteer is needed for the next HPC meeting.
Action. CC-S will send out a request for someone to attend.
Next meeting is on 7th October in Parish church.
Next HRG meeting will be on Tuesday 19th October.
Jan Nanor