MINUTES OF RICHARDS CASTLE (SHROPSHIRE) PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD AT 7.30 PM ON TUESDAY 18 JULY 2023 AT THE VILLAGE HALL
PRESENT: Cllr. H Salwey (Chairman); Cllr. V Hawkins (Vice Chairman); Cllr. D Ayres; Cllr. A Cowell, Cllr. A Hall; and Cllr. A Wright.
IN ATTENDANCE: Ward Cllr. V Parry; and R Hewitt, Clerk. No members of the public were present.
23/19 Apologies – Cllr. R Smith.
23/20 Declarations of Members Interests and requests for Dispensation – None.
23/21 To approve the Minutes of the annual meeting – The minutes of the annual meeting held on 18 May 2023 were approved as a correct record.
23/22 Ward Councillor Report
Ward Cllr. V Parry kindly reported on highways including covers left on drains for the recent resurfacing of the B4361 and sinkhole by Moor Park. Provision of litter bags/ collection for litter pickers will be raised with the county.
23/23 To invite views and discussion from members of the parish
There were no matters raised.
23/24 Report from Representatives who have attended meetings of other Organisations on behalf of the Parish Council – There were no reports.
23/25 Planning
23/02851/FUL Ludlow Touring & Holiday Home Park, Overton Road, Ludlow, SY8 4AD – Change of use of land for extension of existing Touring & Holiday Home Park with 61 pitches for static caravans/holiday homes and associated development, including access arrangements and internal roads, footpaths and landscaping.
The parish council agreed to object to the proposed change of use and extension of the holiday home park on the grounds of visual impact and overdevelopment.
• The proposed increase in number of pitches will increase the size of the holiday home park by 50 percent, from 115 to 176 ‘pitches’. According to the planning application drawing, the additional 61 sites proposed are all for static caravans rather than touring pitches. The parish council considers that this will be too many static sites which have a greater visual impact by being permanently in place.
• Static caravans were not intended to be part of the holiday park when originally established. Static sites were introduced subsequently, and it was understood that touring sites would continue to be dominant in the holiday park. The proposed plans reverse this, making static sites the majority, should the application be granted. The parish council objects to the holiday park being dominated by static sites due to the visual impact and over development of the site.
• Furthermore, the density of the proposed additional sites is too high. The parish council believes more consideration should be given to enhancing green areas, and without this the visual impact is too great.
•The study undertaken by the applicant highlights the scale of visual impact as high to moderate adverse in several locations, for example D1-D3 and C1-C2, which supports the concerns raised by the parish council in respect of visual impact and overdevelopment.
Richards Castle Parish Council believes the visual impact of developing the additional site in an area of open countryside will cause disproportionate harm to the local countryside amenity and urges the planning authority to refuse the application.
The planning authority will be requested to look at several potential planning enforcement matters.
23/26 Friends of Mortimer Forest application to list the area around the Vinnals car park as an Asset of Community Value (ACV)
The parish council agreed to support the application for the land by the Vinnals car park, Mortimer Forest to be listed as an asset of community value (ACV). The all-ability access trail provides extensive support for a wide range of visitors, from the very young to senior citizens, and for the disabled and less fit who would like to enjoy the access to the forest that the all-ability trail provides.
23/27 Financial items
a) NALC Note re: donations to churches: Noted.
b) The following payment was ratified: Corido, Balmoral bench for Coronation (£779.99).
c) The following payments were approved: C Davies, grass maintenance 2023-24 (£133.33) and Clerk, AVG anti-virus subscription (£86.80).
23/28 Highway Items/ Amenity Items/ Footpath Items
a) Provision of waste bins in the parish: No action required.
b) Options to support litter picking: It was agreed to support the request by Ward Cllr. Parry for litter bags/ collection to be provided by the county.
c) Highway / Amenity and Footpath items: The highway authority has advised that recent pothole defects reported have been fixed. Footpaths off the B4361 towards Mitnell Lane were reported to be inaccessible in places.
23/29 Local Plan funded projects
The invitation to share place plan projects funded by CIL and neighbourhood fund monies received by the parish council was noted. A potential project will be discussed with the village hall committee.
23/30 Police and Crime Commissioner Parish Council survey
The annual parish survey by the Police and Crime Commissioner was noted.
23/31 The Coronation of His Majesty The King
It was noted that the community bench to mark the Coronation has been purchased, and delivery is expected to be during the summer months. The meeting agreed to ask the environmental maintenance contractor to install the bench fixings.
23/32 Consultation on Statement of Licensing Policy 2024 – 2029 – Noted.
23/33 Clerk’s Report
The 2023-24 environmental maintenance grant (£750.00) has been received from Shropshire Council. Notices of public rights have been posted on noticeboards and on the parish council website for the 2022-23 annual return. The certificate of exemption has been submitted to the external auditor. The application for a licence to plant seven (7) oak trees on the verge of the B4361 at Batchcott has been completed. A declaration of compliance has been made to the Pensions Regulator.
23/34 Matters raised for next meeting – None.
23/35 Next Meeting – The next scheduled meeting of the parish council is at 7.30pm on Tuesday 26 September 2023.
The meeting closed at 8.20pm.