Possible pedestrian crossing(s) for Grampound

Bob Egerton, Cornwall Councillor, set up a meeting this morning with Peter Tatlow of Cormac to explore the Section 106 money provided by an agreement with the developers of The Tannery housing project in Grampound. The agreement says:

"for the study into the need and viability for pedestrian crossing(s) on Fore Street, the implementation of any traffic regulation order (tro) that may be necessary and the construction and/or laying out of such pedestrian crossing(s)"

It may be possible to release some of the available funds (the total amount is £44,800) to explore likely crossing points in coming weeks. A further study (probably in 2014) of pedestrian and vehicle numbers would be required when The Tannery development is complete.

"Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 allows a local planning authority to enter into a legally-binding agreement or planning obligation with a land developer over a related issue. The obligation is commonly referred to as a 'Section 106 Agreement'." 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Some of the items (some of which may be out of date) from the Needs Assessment directly affecting Grampound with Creed are: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.