FEBRUARY and MARCH 2003 MEETINGS

The February monthly meeting of Newchurch Parish Council started at the unusually early time of 6.30pm and business was concluded within the hour! Two Planning Applications were considered and the Clerk reported three planning decisions. The Chairman alerted the meeting to an article in a recent edition of the Isle of Wight County Press which referred to the requests made by this Council to Highways for improvements at Knighton Shute.

Under “correspondence” it was agreed to defer making a decision on the request received from the IW Observatory for a donation until the May meeting when other similar requests would be considered.

The Chairman stated that concerns had been raised regarding several vehicles which appeared to have been abandoned in the School Lane car park. The meeting heard of continuing similar problems at The Bower car park and of possible deliberate and persistent disregard of the conditions of use of that amenity by one or more local residents. Consequently it was agreed that, in addition to official notices being placed on offending vehicles and apparently abandoned vehicles being reported to the IW Council, the Clerk should seek advice on the legality of clamping such vehicles or having them removed. It was also agreed that permanent notices warning offenders of possible consequences should  be obtained and displayed in the car parks.

At the March monthly meeting of Newchurch Parish Council many members raised issues under “Parish Reports” including a request to find out when yellow lines would be painted around “hairpin bend” at Winford and when a notice advising lorries visiting Knighton sandpit to turn right when leaving Lower Knighton Lane would be erected.

The meeting chose to make no comments on a Planning Application for a pair of semi-detached houses on land adjacent to Hillmore, Apse Heath but four separate concerns were expressed over the Agricultural Prior Notification for a barn at Hill Farm. Members were surprised at the size of the proposed structure given the apparent lack of agricultural activity on the farm in recent years; noting that conversion of two existing barns to holiday accommodation had recently been approved,  members questioned whether those barns could really be considered redundant, and they regarded the proposed structure aesthetically incongruous with the designs for the planned conversions; concern was also raised over the proximity of the proposed barn to the holiday units.

The Chairman reported that damage was again being caused to grass and spring flowers in the churchyard by drivers thoughtlessly taking vehicles beyond the hardstanding area. It was agreed to seek the agreement of the PCC to the strategic positioning of two additional benches, one of which the Council was prepared to purchase.

The Clerk was instructed to obtain estimates for the groundwork element of providing disabled access to the Parish Hall.  It was agreed to contribute £550 towards upgrading work being undertaken at Alverstone Hall and to donate £240, the same sum as last year, to Newchurch Village in Bloom.

The Annual Parish Meeting will be held on Monday 14^th April in the Parish Hall starting at 7.00pm and will be followed by the monthly meeting of the Parish Council.