Community Network Meeting - mostly rural roads

There was another Truro and Roseland Community Network Meeting on 21st January 2014 chaired by Truro Councillor Charlotte McKenzie.

Councillor Bert Briscoe, Cornwall Council portfolio holder for Transport and Waste, gave an account of the challenge facing the Cornwall on funding the rural road network. This was also recently reported in the news.

"The vast bulk of our productive economy lies down tracks and unclassified roads," he said. "But we are in a world of shrinking resources. And if our maintenance budget is being shrunk we are going to lose the battle. We are talking about beginning to abandon parts of rural roads which are the nervous system of the Cornish economy." (Source: Cornwall councillor's fears on rural roads upkeep. BBC 14th Jan 2014)

Whilst rural roads are extremely important to the farming and leisure community given the current squeeze on finances it is proving difficult to maintain them. In fact Cornwall Council is aware that the backlog of repairs may only become greater.

He asked parish councils to consider talking with the farming community. One suggestion has been to place an additional voluntary levy on businesses that use rural roads to help fund their upkeep. This would be analogous to the BIDs (Business Improvement Districts) schemes in town centres. There also needs to perhaps be consideration about the size, frequency, and speed of vehicles that use the lanes, he said, accepting that this is, of course, a sensitive issue in the rural economy.

Water damage is the principle reason for deterioration of the road network. Councillor Briscoe talked about the reintroduction of lengthsmen employed by parish councils. A lengthsman would walk a section of road looking for early signs of damage and undertaking minor preventive work - clearing drains and ditches. "Their principal role is to carry out minor highway maintenance on a regular basis, looking after a number of parishes. Each parish has a number of days allocated to this work. The Parish Lengthsman helps to alleviate regular problems relating to the highway." (Source: Parish Lengthsman. Devon County Council)

Also at the meeting there was information on school numbers - there is a boom in children numbers in Cornwall - and also about social services for families and children centres.

Finally, an emergency planning meeting is being arranged for 18:30 March 11 in Gerrans.

Community Network Meeting - mostly flooding

Two parish councillors attended the Truro & Roseland Community Network Meeting yesterday evening. Councillor Charlotte MacKenzie was elected chair of the group.

Roger Paynter and I sat through an extensive discussion on flooding with presentations from the Environment Agency, South West Water, Cormac and a couple of seasoned councillors who had particular expertise in flooding.

Among other things we learnt that the name Truro is derived from 'Tri-veru' meaning 'three rivers' - the Kenwyn, the Allen, and the missing Tinney which apparently runs under the Trafalgar Roundabout and Tregolls Road but now seems to be much smaller than previously described. We learnt a new word 'riparian' (see below) and heard about the grants and funding support that Cornwall Council could provide to community projects. We heard that crime figures are generally down and the police station in Truro will definitely be moving.

There were also some useful pieces of information relevant to Grampound with Creed.

Keeping waterways clear

A waterway in Grampound near Fal Bridge

One of the duties of the Environment Agency and Cornwall Council is to work to prevent flooding. This involves ensuring that waterways are clear. However, landowners whose property is bordered by or includes a river are also responsible for the free flow of water. There is advice on the Environment Agency's website for these so-called Riparian Owners. There are a few such properties in Grampound with Creed and it may be that the Parish Council needs to work with them to identify what maintenance needs to be undertaken on the waterways.

Drainage and flooding on the highway

The Cormac representative at the meeting reminded us of the contact number for any blocked drains affecting highways. They have a schedule of maintenance and inspections but welcome notification of problems.

Urgent problems of flooding should be notified 24 hours a day to 0300 1234 222. The same number is used for non-urgent problems such as blocked drains or gullies during normal opening hours (8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 4pm on Saturdays), or email roadstransportandparking@cornwall.gov.uk or report it online at http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=17585. For more information see the Cornwall Council Website page for drainage and flooding on the highway (http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=20129).

There were a couple of 'at risk' drains noted in the recent village walk at the bottom of Old Hill and in front of the gates to the recreation ground.

Debris blocking drains

When drains and gullies are unblocked by Cormac the waste may not taken away because of the risk of incurring landfill tax. The Cormac team may take this waste away if it is not contaminated with oil and rubber (such as on rural roads) or if there is a local site identified for the waste. Councillor Chris Jones from Ladock, who is a farmer, said that he has a license from the Environment Agency for receiving such waste and welcomes it. Councillor Rob Trethewey from St Erme also mentioned the composting of tons of such waste at Ocean View (?) in the past.

As this has been an issue in Grampound with Creed, mentioned in previous minutes, it is something worth investigating to try and ensure that debris blocking drains is taken to a suitable local site for disposal and not left near the drain to block it again next time it rains.

See also: May 2013 Community Network Meeting.

Local Planning update for Renewable Energies

In May, at the Truro & Roseland Community Network Meeting, there was a discussion about a 'Landscape Report' that informs Cornwall Council's Local Plan. Previously we listed the two Landscape Character Areas covering Grampound with Creed and gave a summary of the design statements for renewable energies from the Landscape Report. (The full title for this 'Landscape Report' is Technical Paper E4 (a) An Assessment of the Landscape Sensitivity to Onshore Wind and Large Scale Solar Photovoltaic Development in Cornwall).

© Copyright Rod Allday and licensed for reuse.

Members at that meeting asked that Cornwall Council was urged to make the advice into a 'Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)' putting it out for formal public consultation.

There has now been an update in a letter to the network members from Terry Grove-White, Assistant Head of Planning, Housing & Regeneration, Cornwall Council. It says:

"As well as informing Local Plan policy, the Landscape Report also sets out detailed siting and design guidance for each of Cornwall's 40 'Landscape Character Areas'.  Although the Landscape Report contained some information on assessing cumulative impact the Council felt that further, more detailed guidance would be useful.  Such work has now been undertaken and is nearing completion.

I can confirm that the Council's planning guidance for wind development, including both the landscape guidance and additional guidance on cumulative impact will be published for consultation before being adopted as a formal 'Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)'.  The programme for undertaking consultation and progressing the guidance as a formal SPD is currently being developed but it is anticipated that it will be considered by the Environment, Heritage and Planning Portfolio advisory committee at its meeting in September to agree its approval for consultation."

It appears therefore that additional work has been undertaken looking at cumulative impact of wind turbines and solar farms and this will be reviewed by Cornwall Council in September - possibly going for public consultation after that.

Note: "Supplementary planning documents provide guidance on local planning matters. They can be quicker and simpler to prepare than development plan documents. There is no requirement for them to be listed in a local planning authority’s local development scheme, so they can be brought forward as circumstances change. Whilst they are not examined by an Inspector, a supplementary planning document is still subject to a process of consultation and engagement with relevant parties". Source: Planning Advisory Service.

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

At the May 2013 Community Network meeting Corine Dyke, principle development officer, introduced a document that listed a number of possible projects that could be funded by the new community infrastructure levy (CIL) (pronounced 'sill').

A number of Grampound projects including school improvements, play area improvements, multi-use games area (MUGA), footpath to Tregony, river paths, and even the bypass are listed. We were asked to comment on the priorities listed to Corine by the end of June:

Are they needed for growth?
Are the priorities right?
Are there others?

A copy of the Cornwall Infrastructure Needs Assessment: Truro and Roseland Schedule has been circulated to councillors for comment.

Some of the items (some of which may be out of date) from the Needs Assessment directly affecting Grampound with Creed are:

536 Primary School. Grampound with Creed CE School. Necessary. £337K. Under Consideration.
"1 additional classroom recommended. Pupil numbers are consistently above capacity which suggests its continued popularity. Nearest school within 2 miles is Gramopund Road CE which is also at capacity. The next Nearest school with room is Probus CP (currently large housng development underway which will have an impact on demand for places at Probus CP). The school is also mid way between Truro and St Austell - 2 areas identified for major housing growth over the Core Strategy period; it is likely to feel the 'knock on' impact of demand for pupil places."

551 Childrens' equipped play areas, Sports pitches, Walking & Cycling facilities. Green infrastructure Grampound with Creed. Desirable. Cost unknown. Local aspirations
"Parish plan desire to: a) Renovate children's play area, b) Approach Sport England for funding for football pitch drainage and a MUGA (multi-use games area), c) work with Trewithen Estate to secure a new footpath to Tregony. Enhancement of environment by providing footpaths and nature trails. Work with NRA to enhance river paths and encourate additional services (e.g fishing)"

556 Road Schemes. A390 Grampound. Desirable. Cost unknown. Cornwall Council aspiration.
"The A390 runs through the village of Grampound creating hazards for the population and considerably slowing this main route between St Austell and Truro. There have been continued attempts at slowing traffic speeds, including speed activated signs and gateway measures. Proposed improvement - create a new carriageway around the village."

Cornwall Council is finalising its plans for this levy. It is a Government initiative.

"The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a new levy that local authorities can choose to charge on new developments in their area. The money can be used to support development by funding infrastructure that the council, local community and neighbourhoods want." Source: Planning Advisory Service

(Blog entry updated 20/6/2013)

Renewable energy and landscape sensitivity

At the May 2013 Community Network meeting a discussion on renewable energy projects and planning strategy in Cornwall was introduced by Ellie Inglis-Woolcock and Carol Reader of Planning and Regeneration for Cornwall Council.

They highlighted the Local Plan (download the draft Local Plan 8MB) which has just finished its public consultation. They also referred to an informal planning guide which many members were unaware of. It is technical evidence supporting the renewable energy statements in the local plan - Technical Paper E4 (a) An Assessment of the Landscape Sensitivity to Onshore Wind and Large Scale Solar Photovoltaic Development in Cornwall. It gives a guide as to how planners judge the impact of wind turbines and solar farms on the environment and is based on the Landscape Character Areas defined in 2008. Grampound with Creed is in two Landscape Character Areas (LCAs) - CA13 Fal Ria, Truro and Falmouth which contain Grampound Town, Creed and areas around the tributaries of the Fal, and CA40 Gerrans, Veryan and Mevagissey Bays which is most of the east of Creed ward. Cornwall Council have published a map of LCAs. The Technical Paper on landscape sensitivity for renewable energies needs to be read with these LCAs in mind and the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) but there are none in Grampound with Creed Parish.

For easy reference I've labelled the areas below on an excerpt from Cornwall Council's Interactive mapping service. The green lines mark the boundaries of the LCAs and the ones covering Grampound with Creed (CA13 and CA40) are labelled.

CA13 (i.e. Grampound Town, Creed and areas around the tributaries of the Fal)

Wind Turbines: Moderate (Moderate-high within AONB) Landscape Sensitivity.

"The landscape strategy is for a landscape with occasional single turbines or small to medium sized clusters of turbines, comprising turbines that may be up to and including medium scale outside the AONB with no turbines in the intimate wooded creeks, along undeveloped estuary edges or on the undeveloped coastal edge and its immediate hinterland. Within the AONB a landscape without wind energy development (except for occasional very small scale single turbines linked to existing buildings eg farm buildings)."

Solar PV: Moderate (Moderate-high within AONB) Landscape Sensitivity.

"The landscape strategy is for a landscape with occasional very small or small solar PV developments with no solar PV development on upper slopes, along undeveloped estuary edges or on the undeveloped coastal edge and its immediate hinterland. Within the AONB a landscape without solar PV development (except for very occasional very small scale well sited developments)."

CA 40 (i.e. most of the east of Creed ward).

Wind Turbines: Moderate (Moderate-high within AONB) Landscape Sensitivity.

"The landscape strategy is for  a landscape with occasional small clusters of turbines, or single turbines, comprising turbines up to the lower end of the 'large' scale, and with no turbines along the coastal edge or its immediate hinterland. Elsewhere within the AONB development limited to occasional very small scale single turbines linked to existing buildings (eg farm buildings)."

Solar PV: Moderate (Moderate-high within AONB) Landscape Sensitivity.

"The landscape strategy is for a landscape with occasional very small, small or medium solar PV developments, and with no PV development along the coastal edge or its immediate hinterland. Elsewhere within the AONB development limited to very occasional very small scale PV development."

There was disappointment at the meeting that a strategy is still not in place despite many years of work and that farmland and visual character may be lost in the absence of a strategy. There were technical and legal issues highlighted. However, the adoption informally and preferably formal adoption with public consultation of these technical documents was encouraged.

Community Network Meeting May 2013

I attended the Truro & Roseland Informal Community Network Meeting on 28th May 2013.

Two significant issues were discussed and I've made separate summaries for each.

Renewable energy and Landscape Sensitivity

Community Infrastructure Levy

This was the first network meeting that I have attended as representative of Grampound with Creed Parish Council. Previous agendas and minutes can be found on the Community Networks Meetings page at Cornwall Council.

The next meeting is on 23rd July 2013.