GENERAL MEETING - Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership - Charity Number
1112151
Tuesday 17 July 2018 from 6.00pm
Present: M Bell, J Blackburn, J Blakey, R Cowen, J Geyer, M McKeon, G Parker, S
Raine, J Richardson, M Syer In attendance: Cllr Dunn
1.Apologies: D Paget, M Ridley
2. Declarations of interest: Declarations of interests would be made as required
throughout this agenda.
4. Security: (i) Police update: No update from the police.
Cllr McKeon reported that the walkabout to the north end of Bowburn did not show up
any problems, but there was talk of recent burglaries and anti-social behaviour.
The next walkabout should be scheduled for 3 August at 10am meet at Bowburn
Community Centre.
Break-ins at Old Quarrington had resulted in some arrests but not for all four incidents.
Use your postcode to get access to local news and events from your Neighbourhood
Policing Team, at https://www.durham.police.uk
5. Minutes: Minutes of the General Meeting 19 June 2018: The minutes were
approved and agreed.
6. Finances:
i) Treasurer’s report: £620 for the seat in Bowburn Park has been sent to the DCC
finance department for clearance. £10.50 was collected at the meeeting in Tea and
Raffle monies plus a donation of 72p.
The Coop community fund for the bird box cameras now totals £463.29
The third prize cheque for the quiz has not been cashed. The secretary will make
enquiries. JANET
CDCF informed that they are unable to collect the full amount towards the grant for
trees in the Mary Terrace area. However, if the Partnership were to match fund with
£600 from the Foundation Fund, CDCF could raise approximately £3700. See Item
10ii. Trustees agreed to the payment of £600.
6ii) Raffle: S Raine won the prize kindly donated by R Cowen; Joyce Geyer will donate
a prize in August.
6iii) Quiz: The new quiz ‘On the Move’ is on sale at £1 with a closing date of 18 August
2018.
7. ITEM FOR ANY OTHER BUSINESS: None
8. LOCAL REPORTS:
8i)Planning issues: The Durham Plan: Thanks were given to the chair, who has
compiled the following list of Preferred Options related to our area:
Housing allocations: No sites are allocated, however, sites within settlement
boundaries that may become available could be given permission.
Bowburn Relief Road: A line is shown on the Plan and the site is safeguarded.
Employment: Integra61 is allocated for employment use as is land at Bowburn N
industrial estate.
Magnesian Limestone escarpment: The policy is generally against any new areas
being given permission, but if they are they should avoid prominent ridges.
Countryside: Development in the countryside will not be permitted – but countryside is
not defined in the Policy. The text indicates it is meant to be land outside a settlement
boundary that is not allocated for any purpose in the Plan.
Design: There is a policy to cover design including roads being navigable and density
of housing. Adverts and signage should not be detrimental to the visual amenity.
Landscape character: Development should not cause harm to the landscape, features
or views
Trees woods and hedges: A policy protects important trees woods and hedges and
generally seeks to prevent the removal of trees for development unless the benefit
clearly outweighs the harm
Natural environment: There are policies to protect biodiversity and nationally and
locally important wildlife sites. These would appear to protect Cassop Vale National
Nature Reserve and Crow Trees Local Nature Reserve but there is nothing in this Plan
as I see it to protect Coxhoe Ponds Wildlife Site
Historic environment: There is a policy to protect Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas
and Registered Parks, and contains a provision relating to non-designated assets. For
our area, this covers Tursdale House (listed building), the Bowburn and Old Cassop
Conservation Areas and Croxdale Historic Park. For the Neighbourhood Plan it is
looking at some non-designated assets such as the air raid shelter in Parkhill Wood
and the Newcomen Engine buried close to the Wildlife Site.
The meeting asked for the Leamside railway to be added to the list of ‘options’.
It was pointed out that a section of the Relief Road was missing from the plan and it is
important that this is addressed.
It was asked if the second phase of Parkhill housing would not be built
The chair replied that there would be objections from the developers and settlement
boundaries may change.
DCC Headquarters: There were mixed views as to the proposed allocation of the new
DCC Headquarters on The Sands car park in Durham City; for it being accessible by
bus and regenerating the city centre; against it because of the unsafe, restricted
access.
Agreed that members should send their comments individually to the consultation
document.
Hill Top View footpath: It was suggested that the path could be incorporated into the
redesign of the MW roundabout.
JANET
Parkhill development: There has not been any contact from the site manager as to a
possible Nature Trail around the site.
RICHARD / MIKE
At this meeting there was discussion about the development of the site, and a hope
that the planning enforcement officer will ensure that all conditions are observed, and
that the site management team will be considerate to the residents.
Bowburn Hall: A revised application has been submitted for the 5 lodges.
Former Coop area: Cllr McKeon has had talks about registering the Old Coop as a
blighted building, but she hopes to soon see a start to the work.
Barn at Old Quarrington: Cllr Blakey informed that the matter has been referred to a
planning officer.
8ii) Community Centre: After the flash storm on Monday the Centre fortunately
escaped being flooded when the storm drain burst at the bottom of Burn Street and a
deluge of water flowed from Monteigne Drive and Runcey Road because Andrew and
Martin kept the drains around the Centre clear.
Members were extremely concerned about flooding in Bowburn being a regular
occurrence because of the limited space in the drainage system for an ever-increasing
amount of sewage.
Cllr McKeon informed the meeting that discussions are taking place with Northumbrian
Water to design a scheme (for which funding has been allocated) that will alleviate the
problems.
8iii) Youth Club (Contact 0778827732): Some sessions will be changing in September
to ensure we cover all relevant age groups. Young people carried the Children’s
Banner on big meeting day, which was a great day for the Community and very proud
of our Young People. All Youth Clubs will be running over the School Summer
Holidays. Health and safety PAT testing has been completed; Spin bike and Gym
equipment is checked and maintained daily. The grounds are kept in very good repair
with regular grass cutting and general maintenance of plants and trees. Staff training -
one staff member has completed the level 2 Youth Work Course. All staff and Gym
Volunteers have completed First Aid Training.
The AGM took place on17 July.
8iv) Primary school:
CISWO has agreed in principle to the parking spaces on the entrance road. There are
delays in starting the scheme, but the councillors are confident that a new primary
school will go ahead.
9. CORRESPONDENCE: Wheels to work.
10. REPORTS IN THE WIDER AREA:
10i)AAP: EDRC Annual General Meeting and Board Meeting 3 July Key Messages:
Cllr Maura McKeon was appointed as the new Chairperson for 2018/19; Ian Walker
was appointed as Vice Chair (Partner Representative); Jen Straughan-Hawley was
appointed as Vice Chair (Public Representative).
Thanks were offered to the outgoing Chair and Vice Chairs for their commitment to the
AAP. Tony Cutmore from The Cornforth Partnership replaces Barbara Hind from
Durham Community Action as the VCS representative on the Board. Cllr Jan Blakey
was recognised and thanked for all of the work she had undertaken to support the
Board. Jan has been a longstanding Board member who has stood down and has
been a Board Member since the AAP’s inception in 2009.
Michelle Robinson from the Planning Team, DCC delivered a presentation on the
County Durham Plan – Preferred Options Stage. The consultation period ends on 3
August 2018 at 4.30 pm.
Further information on the County Durham Plan can be found on the following
webpages -
http://www.durham.gov.uk/article/7440/What-is-the-County-Durham-Planhttp://
www.durham.gov.uk/article/7563/Have-your-say-on-the-plan
Cllr Stuart Dunn gave an update on progress made through, and following the Joint
Priorities Task and Finish Group meeting held on 19 June 2018. The Board agreed to
support the following area budget projects - Keeping Safe and Well in EDRC – Age UK
- £10,000.00; Revitalise – Foundation of Light - £6,040.00; Kicks – Foundation of Light
- £13,000.00. Inspector Sarah Honeyman gave a verbal update on local policing
information. The following Neighbourhood Budget project; was shared with the Board -
Name of Scheme: Kelloe Bowling Green Improvements Councillor(s): Dunn /
McKeon. Interest Declared: None. Amount: £1,227.00 (£613.50 per Cllr). The Board
was happy for this project to go ahead.
Date and time of next meetings Thursday 6 September from 5.00 pm – 7.00 pm at
Sedgefield Methodist Church Hall, North End, Sedgefield, TS21 3BT.
10ii) County Councillor roundup:
Cllr Dunn Tursdale residents’ consultation meeting was well attended in Bowburn
Community Centre where all opinions were shared with a representative for Integra 61
and a planning officer. It was made known that there would be a footpath to the Integra
complex from the A177; a safe walk to school is being encouraged; it is hoped to have
pelican crossings at Bowburn and Parkhill.
Cllr McKeon Walkabouts took place through Bowburn Estate highlighting a need for
tidying the area, improved wheelchair parking; enhancing the Tweddle Terrace area
with an avenue of trees. She walked the route of the Gala day parade to check that it
was in a tidy state.
At this meeting it was said that the grant for trees from CDCF could possibly be used
for both Mary Terrace and the Tweddle Terrace areas. See Item 5.
10iii) Cassop-cum-Quarrington Parish Council Meeting 20 June 2018:
James Taylor of Nathaniel Lichfield attended the meeting to answer questions about
recent planning applications for Integra 61. Whilst members supported the application
in principle, there was concern about lack of consultation with Tursdale residents, who
would be greatly affected by the latest development. It was agreed that Integra 61
should hold a consultation for Tursdale residents, with a computer-generated image of
how the proposed unit nearest to them would look when completed.
Discussion took place about the latest planning application from Integra 61: members
agreed there should be two roundabouts on the A688, giving better access to the site,
but were concerned that there were no dual carriageways on any of the estate roads;
they also stressed the importance of traffic from the motorway services turning left on
exit and going around the first roundabout to travel eastwards; it was suggested that
the new roundabout could also be connected to Tursdale Business Park, to make that
entrance safer.
The Parish approved an advertisement for the post of assistant Clerk, which had been
considered necessary in the light of a recent increase in the Clerk’s workload. This
would be displayed on the CDALC website.
Neighbourhood Plan: A meeting will take place at the Parish Council on 18 July.
Next meeting 18 July at Bowburn
Litter pick: Saturday 4 August – meet at 9.30am in the car park of the Community
Centre
Coal Column: The funding is available.
10iv) Quarry Liaison:
A discussion took place which aired concerns about the permanent closure of the ‘Blue
route’.
11. Group Noticeboard:
(i)Banner: Successful Gala Day
(ii) BVC Interchange: The lead article in Issue 87 of the Bowburn Interchange proved
to be extremely useful to residents especially those at Tursdale who sent their thanks
to the meeting.
The next Quiz Night will be held on Friday 20 July in Crowtrees Club at 7.30pm.
(iii) History: The Resources Room is open every Wednesday 1pm till 3pm.
12. AOB: None
13. NEXT MEETINGS: General Meeting 21 August at 6.00pm in the Community
Centre.