Minutes May 2009

MINUTES OF INVERNESS SOUTH COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING

Monday 4th May 2009
at 7pm Inshes Primary School

PRESENT:

Bob Roberts Chair
Jean Pumford Secretary
Veronica Mitchell Treasurer
Liz Gilchrist
Gavin Norton
Councillors Jim Crawford
Thomas Prag

Members of the Public 13

APOLOGIES:

Cathy Sengupta
Meg Gunn
Barrie Haycock
Kevin Findlay
PC Gary Taylor

INTRODUCTION & WELCOME
Bob Roberts (Chairperson) welcomed & thanked every one for attending especially since it was a Bank Holiday

MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
The minutes were proposed as correct by Liz Gilchrist & seconded by Jean Pumford. They were approved.

COMMUMITY POLICE REPORT
PC Gary Taylor was unable to be with us due to the Bank Holiday.
He had sent in his report for April and The Chair read the report.

April 96 calls, last month 59
Thefts 3 (Diesel from Lorry, Inshes Retail Park, Youths at Tesco. Golf Clubs from insecure shed)
Vandalism 4 (Bus Shelter x2, Window Broken, Cedarwood Cres, Padlock on Farm Gate)
Children& Youth (non crimes) 2

Issues for concern:
Anti Social Behaviour at rear Matalan, Stevenson Rd.
Patrols to be increased
Large number of calls re - travelling people camping in the Slackbuie Area

PC Taylor had visited Rainbow Club at Culduthel Christian Centre to give a talk.

Concern was raised by members of the Public about the speed of Vehicles on Stevenson Rd especially the Service Buses around School time(3pm), also it was noted that this also occurs at Milton of Leys. Jean will E-mail the Community Policeman and Stagecoach Buses.
Concern was also raised about anti social behaviour by a group of Youths in Milton of Leys.
Jean will E-mail the Community Policeman and ask if more high visible Police Patrols can be carried out.

MATTERS ARISING
1.Community Policeman has requested a copy of the minutes after they are adopted.
2.Bus Shelter, Stevenson Rd, Repeated glass broken, has been measured for Poly-carbonate replacement, and now in place
3.Highland Housing Fair.  Susan Torrence & Fiona Porteous have accepted to speak at our Sept Meeting. Still waiting for a reply from Councillor Urquhart
4.Milton of Leys Primary School repeatedly asked for information, still waiting.
5.Rubbish at Dell of Inshes, Phoned in, Peter Taylor(Fly Tipping) was investigating & will pass the message on to Ian Fraser(Rubbish), Liz has had a word with SEPA
6.Exhibition of 337 Houses Parks Farm, well attended (see under planning)
7.Treasurer has paid for our membership of the Scottish Association of Community Councillors for this year
8.Youth Shelter Milton of Leys  As this is on Tullochs land Public Liability is theirs.
9.Lorna Patterson Inverness Courier has been invited to June Meeting It was suggested that neighbouring Community Councils should be invited to hear about the Future Vision of Inverness.  Jean will contact Westhill, Drakies, Hilton/Milton, Lochardil and Holm Community Councils with an invitation

PLANNING
Note: Councillors Crawford & Prag took no part in these discussions.

1. Tullochs Parks Farm 337 houses.
There was a good attendance at the exhibition of this development but it was an exhibition not a consultation. Members of the public were encouraged to make their concerns to the developers.
The Community council objects to this development on several issues
a.Density & lack of amenities
b.Drainage. Very wet steep hill side, unhappy with SUDS pond in District Park as this was for educational purposes. SUDS should be nearer development, French drains can be blocked in time & it is a long way to District Park ? contamination /depth of water if pond in District Park used
Phase 1&2 have steep gradients, will this lead to flooding of houses lower down & Boswell Rd?
c.Link Road should be completely finished before construction starts to minimise disruption to neighbouring estates& great care to keep it clear of debris
d.Paths. There are linking paths throughout the development because of the steep nature they must be properly drained &constructed with a non slip surface
e.Affordable Housing The allocation is not 25% and not evenly distributed throughout
f.Open spaces There are no details on landscaping. Safety measures are needed for the steep sided Burns for small children.
There are no play areas at all on the development for 337 houses
g.The House Designs Very little variation in design or materials. Three Story Flats on the hillside could be very prominent. Comments made about sustainability and energy efficiency appear to be likely but should be a condition.
(For more details see letter to Planning Officer)

2. Tulloch Amendment House Types Culduthel Mains 09/252FULIN
The number of homes remain the same. One detached design substituted by another. No objections


3.Tulloch, Milton of Leys District Centre 09/00249
While the application to start this development is welcome there are strong objections to this plan
a.It is against the Local Plan which designates this area for community use not a large residential section
b.The area has been gradually eroded in size.
c.There is no NEAP which has already been granted planning permission.
d.There has been a great deal of consultation over the years but non has been heeded
e.The residents were promised Shops/PO, Church, Playing Field, Public open space Park & a Primary School, now it seems to be shops, Care home, Nursery , Church/Community Hall , Primary School with a kick about pitch and nearly 25% of the land for Residential.
f.The Residential Area would seem to be flats possibly 3 storeys and 100 dwelling. Very high density so close to the Primary school
g.The Nursery Site is near to the main Road  and will have to be fenced, out of the original site on land fill with bad drainage.  Safety worries for small children
h.School Application is to go in separate. There is a delay as the Education do not have the resources to manage in - house and the application has gone out to tender to external Architects. There is no provision for dropping off pupils.
i.The Care Home , there are no details to size and design

The application should be refused as it is not complete with no details of Nursery, Care Home or Residential units, making it impossible to envisage the completed Amenity Facilities.

It was also pointed out by local residents that the site flooded into the neighbouring gardens.

We would like the plans to be revised by consultation with the Planning Dept, Tulloch & the Community.

Amenity Facilities are needed more than ever if 337 houses are to built at Parks Farm and NOT more dwellings.
(More details in the letter to the Planning Dept)

CORRESPONDENCE
Consultations:

1. Highland Council on Housing in the Countryside. To be answered by 22nd May
2. The Scottish Parliament, David Stewart MSP re Victim’s Commissioner for Scotland.  To be answered by July1st
3. GP. Survey from Scottish BMA reply by 12th June
4. Letter from Highland & Island Enterprise thanking us for attending public consultation on Inverness Campus
5.NHS Team Update monthly News, Copy available
6.NHS Poster & Leaflets about new Dental Service have displayed in Inshes Library & Dow’s Chemists

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

a. Scottish Green Party Tues. 5th May Spectrum Centre 7-9-30pm Subject A96 Corridor 
b. Ward Forum Rural Development 7-30pm Town House Tues 5th May
c. Library Prizes to be presented on Sat 9th May 11-30am in Inshes Library
d. Inverness Community Council Forum Tues 12th May 7pm in the Town House, Speaker Mr M. Macleod Future Vision of Inverness
e. City Wide Forum Mon 18th May in the Town House 7pm for 7-30pm -  Subject Local Transport Strategy for the Highlands
 
A.O.C.B.
Gavin Norton had attended a meeting with Cairn Housing.
Their houses are allocated on a points system. The mixture of lettings are 50% lets & 50% shared ownership. He discovered they were being charged more by Greenbelt for land maintenance.
They wish to be included in Milton of Leys Residents Association.
Greenbelt Questionnaire is in hand to ascertain the feelings of the residents.
The residents association are working very hard to resolve the problems with the maintenance or not of the open spaces by Greenbelt.
A short informal discussion was held about producing a Newsletter, this is in hand.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Monday 1st June in Inshes Primary School at 7pm.
Main Speaker - Mr Malcolm Macleod on The Future Vision Of Inverness

Tea & Coffee was served after the close of the meeting, time to chat with the Community Councillors and Councillors and inspect the Development Plans

Meeting closed at 9-30pm