Open Meeting Village Hall Tuesday 24Th March 2015

Open Meeting Village Hall Tuesday 24th March 2015

42 residents of Christian Malford attended the meeting.

Post codes were recorded:

Inside SA

2 Woodlands Close

9 Station Road - North End

1 Station Road - South End

2. Lye Common

13 Lime Trees

3 The Green

2 Church Road

3 The Nurseries

Outside of SA

1 Avonweir Lane

3 Main Road - Malford Farm area

1 Thornend

2 Main Road - Selstead Farm area

All 8 committee members were present including:

Kevin Watson (Chair)

Ian Bell

Neil Chambers

Alison Cross

Mike Lawrence

Colin Read

Iain Le Duc

Jo Lawrence

Louise Tilsed from Wiltshire Council attended

Kevin Watson gave a presentation (slides attached to website) of work accomplished on the draft plan and the next steps prior to the plan being adopted.

Audience participation was encouraged and taken up throughout the presentation. TheVision statement was accepted by the audience.

The Objectives and Policies were presented and discussed. Whilst it was accepted that the Policies needed re-wording, the thrust of the policies was accepted by those attending, although more clarity was required about the definition of affordable homes, and how that might best be addressed by a policy.The steering group will liaise with Wiltshire Council on this matter.

Concerns were raised over new build and drains, given existing problems with flooding. Kevin explained that agencies such as Wessex Waterwould be consulted as part of the Neighborhood Development Plan process, along with other statutory bodies, in order to ensure that the policies within the proposed plan could be accommodated within existing or proposed infrastructure.

The question of ‘how many’ new homes should be built was also discussed but not concluded. It was unclear whether the delineation of the Development Area would be sufficient to limit the number of potential houses that could be developed, or whether a specified number, or range of numbers across a time-line would be more appropriate. Louise Tilsed commented that the County Council would prefer to see a number in the Plan.

The absence of continuous footpaths, especially at the north end of Main Road, was discussed and remains an area of concern with residents.

A comment was made that if the NDP were to support the development of Nursing or Retirement homes, a limit might be placed on the number of storeys permitted, since many McCarthy & Stone developments had up to four storeys.

After the meeting, residents were encouraged to look at, and make comments on the posters of The Vision, Objectives, Policies and SCHLAA Maps. Refreshments were served.

Kevin collected the comments after the meeting and will use them to inform the development of version 7 of the NDP.