Harston Residents group
Virtual Zoom meeting 15/02/22
Present. Hilary Roadley (Chair), Brian Williamson, Peter Hayde, Gaynor Hayde, Sandy (Parish Councillor) Mavis Gardner, Terry Gardner, Paru Naik, Irene Richards, Beki Korb, Vince Blocke, Russ Phillippo, Rupert Pearce Gould, Christine Heath, Jan Nanor
Apologies. Joy Richardson, Claire Cock-Starkey, Linda Churchman
Traffic and Transport
Updates on EWR and other consultations
RPG – met with Cambridge Approaches. EWR to set up representative groups from each parish to meet every 3 months. No new core information.
BW – EWR wrote to all PCs. The next meeting with EWR is on 21st Feb with representatives from each parish
HR – Hurrell’s land adjacent to Shelford Rd will be impacted by EWR route.
Air Quality
BW – Zephyr AQ data showed results well within air pollution limits. Data was from period till June 2021 when traffic volume was reduced due to covid.
Action. Ask for more recent data which is more representative of normal traffic levels.
Action. Zephyr report to be circulated
Speed monitoring
Sandy – SIDs are continuously monitoring traffic data around Harston. HPC hopes the data collected will lead to lower speed limits on some streets.
HGVs on Button End
HR – near miss between car and HGV on Church Street recently. Yellow lines needed at bend.
Action. Send traffic information to Chair of HPC
BW – all comments from Church St survey were sent to HPC. Dom has walked around with Highways recently and pointed out problems with road and pavements.
PH – Church St problems have been addressed previously. Button End is a separate issue which needs to be addressed.
BK – Number and weight of lorries are a problem along Button End and Church Street. Will be made worse by new proposed industrial estate – Willow Centenary Works.
HR – can’t retrospectively change planning conditions regarding size of lorries, but could add to new developments.
SCDC’s planning guidance says new development not allowed outside of village envelope so new industrial estate unlikely to go ahead.
RPG – White lines are needed along by church.
Has received a complaint about County Broadband not replacing the kerbstones in some parts of village. A walk-round needed before County Broadband finishes to record where they need to be fixed
BW- asked if Transport Group could have photos of traffic problems to maintain a record.
TG – installing pavements and kerbs along the road in Button End would make it more attractive to vans and lorries using it.
IR – Rapid deterioration along edges of the road. Is there a plan for making the entrance to Button End safer, such as signage or speed reduction?
Action Sandy to take this to HPC.
VC – Suggested speed bumps to slow the traffic.
HR – Could we find out/note which businesses use the bigger lorries and talk to them about it?
PH – Collect information about the type and number of vehicles to pass on to HPC
Any volunteers willing to do the traffic count?
VK – as SIDs record numbers and types of vehicle a SID sited in Button End would collect the required information.
Action – Sandy to take this suggestion to HPC
Communications and newsletter
GH – wanted to put link on Facebook to take people to the newsletter.
Action – PN will take action on getting the newsletter out on to HRG website and Facebook.
Environment
Neighbourhood Plan Community Day and Annual Parish Meeting – 5th March
HR – All letters and fliers have gone out. 6 main areas for Community Day will be displayed around the hall with community groups down middle. School will lend boards, to be collected on Friday evening.
Action – Help is needed to get them into the village hall
Annual parish meeting will be held on the evening of community day
Neighbourhood Plan – evidence needs to be collected from residents towards the plan.
Need lots of feedback.
Caldicote took part in Village Design Plan pilot and have used their Plan to reject an ill-designed planning application. A county-wide website for non-designated Heritage assets/buildings has been started by Greater Cambridge Planning and Harston needs to start adding theirs to it.
IR – Extension of surgery – big problem for surgery staff parking during construction. Has anyone any ideas for where staff can park?
GH – original surgery application is old and has been amended several times.
Harston ECO river group
RPG – talked to rep from Haslingfield and Harlton Eco group, (has sub-group which is River Rhee Group) An aim is to look after wildlife along the river.
RPG will report back to HRG when he has more information.
HR – suggested the detail re river could be added to the Environment display board.
Barrington sewage works is upstream from Harston so sewage outfall needs to be monitored.
Littering in Harston
HR – Litter around shop, littering from cars, Manor Farm to Queens Head. Most of the litter is thrown from cars
Litter Pick on 13th March.
Do we need more frequent litter picks?
PH – could HPC put up warning sign about littering, as along A505 in Royston?
RK – is other wording needed?
GH – timing of litter picks will be reviewed after the March event. A notice between shop and village hall needed.
Sandy –Not enough room for another bin outside shop.
Action – Sandy has made a note about signage to take to HPC.
Community activities
Greener Harston
BK -Lots of snowdrops have been planted. People enjoy helping with planting. Group will try to get more funding for more bulbs.
HR – someone has dug a channel on The Green and water is flowing off on to the Green layby. An expert is needed to look at this as there’s an artisian spring underneath.
BW – since the water fountain was capped off water has got worse in nearby gardens and on The Green.
BW – water comes from the old Barrington cement works site, now a housing development.
County Broadband dug the trench and installed a broadband box on The Green.
Action – HR asked Sandy to ask HPC about a specialist to check on the water
Meadow Way Memorial Garden
David Stierer is developing a space as a memorial garden. He says they need low maintenance plants for the planters.
RPG – where does the orchard fit into the community plan? The orchard is a village asset owned by HPC.
Action – HR to email link person for the orchard to find out more about what he is doing.
Sandy to check what volunteer help he needs.
Planning developments
The revised plan for 8 houses on the Vujon site was accepted but the developers are now appealing and want to reinstate original plan for 9 houses.
18th March is the deadline for representations against the development.
RPG – we can now use Harston’s Buildings of Local Interest to support our appeal.
Byways building (on Station Road just before level crossing). New owners applied for permission for big extension. Revised plan for smaller extension was accepted but the extension is 2m longer than agreed, and dormer windows different from plan. HPC have written to the owner regarding this.
Hauxton P&R (SW Travel Hub) is going to Council Planning Meeting on 24th Feb. Residents have the right to attend
Tanner and Hall will appeal on 22nd Feb
Centenary Works have applied for planning permission for business or residential development at Button End.
Most current planning applications can be viewed on 5th March community event.
AOB
Enquiry about Neighbourhood Watch in the village. No NW groups in Harston.
Next meeting.
15th March at 8pm on zoom
Jan Nanor