Archives for January 2018

On behalf of Bluntisham Parish Council I would like to update you on the actions the parish council has undertaken this week, in relation to the local plan.

The Parish Council submitted their concerns on the changes to the local plan status, click here, to the MP, Secretary of State and HDC on Tuesday 23th January along with 132 signed objection letters from parishioners in support of the parish council.

A letter from HDC has been received, click here, and a personal phone call from the MP’s PA has also been received.  The MPs PA confirmed that a written response will be sent to the parish council by the end of next week and that a further letter has been sent from the MP to the Leader of HDC.  She also advised that all those people who supported the parish council will receive a response from the MP next week.

This website will be kept updated with regular updates on the status of the local plan, and any correspondence received.

A big thank you to everyone who took the time to read the information sent by the parish council, and who responded within the tight timescales.

Non-emergency situations can now be reported to the police online if people would rather do so than call 101.
In October last year Cambridgeshire Constabulary re-launched their website with added functionality to report non-emergencies via specially designed forms or a live webchat.  The live webchat option enables people to communicate directly with a member of staff in the control room, just as would be the case when calling 101. Online forms are processed in the same way as a call and the person reporting can expect a response within 24 hours.
Due to the high level of demand there are often queues when calling 101. Reporting online is quick, easy and free of charge.
Superintendent James Sutherland said: “In the digital age people are doing more and more online. I’m pleased that our website now has increased capability to allow people to contact us in this way.  “The system went through a thorough testing process and has been used successfully thousands of times since being introduced.  “Feedback from a recent survey suggested that some people wanted to communicate directly with a person rather than submitting an online form. The webchat function allows people to do exactly that.  “Reports submitted online are treated in the same way as when people call 101 and will receive the same outcome.”
To view the online reporting section of the constabulary’s website visit www.cambs.police.uk/report/.

The live webchat function is available by clicking on the green icon on the bottom right of the page.

To view the submission to HDC in relation to the proposed changes to the local plan can be found here.

PC response – soundness & legality

Any questions please speak to me or a member of your parish council.

Bluntisham Highway Schemes 2018
Frequently Asked Questions

Resurfacing work
When will the road be closed?
The road will be closed overnight only between 8:30pm and 6:00am. The road will be open during
the day for traffic.

I live on Station Road/Rectory Road in Bluntisham how can I get access during the road closure?
Our contractors will allow you access to and from your property. Depending on where the works are
at the time, you may be escorted through the work to ensure both yours and our workforce’s safety.
Please be advised if material has just been laid you may experience a wait.

I live in Bluntisham but not on Station Road/Rectory Road, how can I get access during the road
closure?
Where possible our contractors will allow access to residents of Bluntisham however, we advise
residents to enter and exit Bluntisham via other roads as you may have to wait if material has just
been laid.

I don’t live in Bluntisham, where do I go when the road is closed?
There will be a fully signed diversion route in place. The plans for the diversion routes can be found
here on www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/bluntisham-earith-cycleway (this will be available from 16.1.18)

I have an important delivery arriving during the road closure hours, will they be allowed through?
Yes, as long as the driver explains they are delivering to a resident in Bluntisham then our
contractors will let them through when it is safe to do so.

Will there be a lot of noise during these works?
There will be some noise, but where possible noise will be kept to a minimum. Our contractors will
ensure the noisiest machinery is not being used after midnight, when possible.

Cycleway works
There are TV/fibre optic cables in the verge outside my house, are these going to be in the way of
the works?
No, all utilities have been picked up as part of the design. Everything will be marked on site and trial
holes will be dug before work starts.

My access is in poor condition, will you resurface it when you widen the footway?
Where possible and if required, we will be resurfacing accesses along the cycleway route up to the
highway boundary.

Will I be able to get out of my driveway when you are building the cycleway outside my house?
Yes, our contractors will ensure all accesses remain clear. When resurfacing work is due to take place
directly outside your property the contractors will liaise directly with you to make sure you are
aware.

What times will they be working during the day?
Working on site will generally take place between 8:00am and 6:00pm.

What times will the temporary traffic lights be in place each day?
At times there will be traffic lights in place 24/7 due to sections of the footway being closed and a
temporary one being set up on the road. These sections will be kept as short as possible to keep
disruption to a minimum. Our contractors will be manually controlling the traffic lights during the
busiest periods.
When the traffic lights are not required to be in place 24/7 they will be used between 8:00am and
6:00pm.

Click here for plan showing maintenance/works  Footpath – road closures plan 1

Click here for plan showing speed limits to new areas Bluntisham – Earith speed limits

Bluntisham Parish Council Statement – Change to HDC Local Plan 2036

In the summer of 2017 HDC, put out to consultation their proposed new Local Plan 2036 document. This plan lays out their proposed house building criteria for the next 20 years.

Within this original Local Plan 2036 Bluntisham was defined as a Small Settlement. Huntingdonshire District Council’s (HDC) definition of a small settlement is:

LP 10 Small Settlements Each Small Settlement to which this policy applies is defined:

 Development Proposals within the Built-up Area

A proposal that is located within a built-up area of a Small Settlement will be supported where the amount and location of development proposed is sustainable in relation to the: a. level of service and infrastructure provision within the settlement;

1. opportunities for users of the proposed development to access everyday services and facilities by sustainable modes of travel including walking, cycling and public transport;
2. effect on the character of the immediate locality and the settlement as a whole.

Development Proposals on Land well-related to the Built-up Area.

A proposal for development on land well-related to the built up area will be supported where it accords with the specific opportunities allowed for through other policies of this plan.

 In 2017 as you are probably aware a large new housing development was proposed on Colne Road and a planning application was submitted. Also in May 2017 another large scale application for 30 houses on Station Road was submitted on land that had been designated as suitable for rural exception, another application will be submitted for 20 houses at the top of Wood End, again on a rural exception site. However, under the auspices of the new Local Plan 2036 had Bluntisham remained a Small Settlement.  Granting any large scale developments, that didn’t comply with the planning rules for rural exception sites and small settlements, would have proven difficult to gain permission under HDC’s planning guidelines.

In November 2017 a decision was made by HDC Development Management Panel, (the people who make the rules) that that changes were needed and they commissioned a new Infrastructure Development plan. We are lead to understand that the reason for this, is that the proposed large scale development of up to 1750 homes at RAF Wyton was rejected due to lack of suitable infrastructure.  Consequently, new areas on which to build needed to be found and existing sites increased in numbers. This new plan added another tier to the Local Plan 2036 – Local Service Centre. This new level has been defined by HDC as follows:

There are a number of large villages, outside of spatial planning areas, that offer a range of services and facilities to meet the daily needs of their residents and to some extent the residents of other villages nearby. The local service centres contain a lower level of service provision than the key service centres but all offer at least: primary school, public house, doctor’s surgery, convenience shop and a public hall.

  Bluntisham was added to this group and as such HDC planning guidelines change significantly:

LP 9 Local Service Centres Each Local Service Centre to which this policy applies 

Development Proposals within the Built-up Area

A proposal for development on a site which is additional to those allocated in this plan will be supported where it is located within a built-up area of a Local Service Centre.

Development Proposals on Land well-related to the Built-up Area

 A proposal for development on land well-related to the built-up area may be supported where it accords with the specific opportunities allowed for through other policies of this plan.

At no stage were Bluntisham Parish Council consulted or made aware of the proposed changes to the new Local Plan 2036.  The first mention of this change was made by our two District Councillors during the Parish Council meeting on December 6^th 2017. The new Local Plan 2036 was approved by HDC on December 13^th 2017, including the proposed changes.

Our District Councillors both opposed this change, however at the full council meeting in December 13^th 2017 the District Council voted unanimously to approve this new Local Plan 2036 including the change to Bluntisham’s status to a local service centre. This plan has gone to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to assess its “soundness” and to ultimately approve this new version of the Local Plan 2036.

This in effect means that HDC have changed the planning guidelines for Bluntisham and potentially can approve all applications for large scale development within the village. The new plan earmarks us for an additional 179 houses in the next five years alone.

Bluntisham Parish Council strongly opposes this change in status and feels that the justifications for the change are not sound and it will mean that our village, potentially, will become vastly over developed.

The Parish Council recognises the need for affordable housing in the village and accepts that with that, comes the need to provide market houses at the same time.  However the Parish Council believes that any such new developments need to be in line with the existing character and setting of the village and be of a scale in keeping with the guidelines set out for small settlements in the Local Plan 2036.

A very small window of opportunity exists to comment on the soundness of this plan.  This window closes on 22^nd January 2018. Bluntisham Parish Council will be writing to HDC, our MP, other local MP’s, and directly to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to make our opposition clear and request that our small settlement status be reinstated in the Local Plan 2036.

We are writing to every household to ensure that they are aware of this change and the implications of it and ask that if you wish to send a duplicate of our letter in opposition yourselves or add yourself as a signatory to our letter then please let us know by contacting the Clerk or one of the Parish Councillors.

More reading and other documents can be found here.

http://consult.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/portal/pp/hlp2036/lp2036_pro_sub?tab=files