At the meeting were Hazel Roberts from the United Communities Group, Steph Reid from Tranmere Alliance (http://www.tranmerealliance.org.uk/) , Ann Keggin from the Tranmere Community Project (http://www.tcp.org.uk/) Bruce Lister from Lovell and Rob Walsh from Together.
CABE report
The development proposal from Lovell for the Church Road area had been submitted to CABE http://www.cabe.org.uk/ as part of the requirement to consult with them for an application for HMRI funding support. The proposal had been submitted in writing but no one from Lovell had been invitedto attend the CABE meeting in London and no-one from CABE seems to have visited the area. Although CABE were generally supportive they made some specific criticisms of the proposed development. In particular they wanted car parking for residents on Church Road to be brought onto the roadside and out from the rear parking arrangements which had been proposed by Lovell. They took the opposite position when it came to the retail area and wanted the shops to front straight onto the street with public parking at the back together with service parking.
There was some discussion in the meeting about this and I argued that residents in Seymour Street had previously said that they would be happier with the public parking being in front of the shop rather than backing onto our homes. Lovell were meeting with local planners to discuss their response. It is not clear whether a planning application will fail unless it conforms to CABE views or whether this might introduce considerable further delays.
Holt Hill development
Hazel and I said that we were surprised that the Holt Hill development seemed to be going through ‘on the nod’ whilst the HMRI proposal required a lengthy consultation process. We asked for a meeting with the planning department to discuss how they were to ensure that this development is in sympathy with the HMRI development to which it will a gateway. A summary from the planning department is below together with some graphics from the planners.
Location: 111-113 Holt Hill, Tranmere, Wirral, CH41 9DU
Proposal: Erection of 32 x 2 bed apartments and 4 x 3 bed town houses with associated car parking
Date Received: 18/August/2006
At Stage: with planning officer
Validation/Registration Date: 18/August/2006
Comments wanted by: 5/October/2006
Start of Public Consultation: 30/August/2006
End of Public Consultation: 5/October/2006
Application Type: Full Planning Permission
Target Committee: 5/October/2006
Development Type: Redevelopment
Contact: Nightingale Associates The Observatory, Old Haymarket, Liverpool, L1 6LA
Decision: No decision
Officer: Mr N Culkin
Decision Date: No data
Tel Num: 0151 606 2182
Timetable from now on
Bruce Lister explained that there had been some slippage and that the proposed April 07 start date on the retail development on the old Abakan site would probably have to drop back by one or two months.
Rebranding Tranmere as ‘Holt Hill Village’
This proposal had been floated in the Transform regeneration newsletter and had provoked quite a lot of opposition. Many people had contact James and Hazel to complain and they wanted to know what was wrong with the ‘Higher Tranmere’ name. There was specific criticism that the Birkenhead Historical Society who have very few members in the area, had been asked to propose a name whilst local residents had not been asked for their opinion. Emma Foley (691 8155) at Wirral MBC had asked in the newsletter for other ideas on this and during the meeting sticking with the traditional name of Higher Tranmere was proposed. It was also suggested that the issue be raised with other groups locally for feedback – names matter a lot!
Local ‘Surgeries’ on the HMRI plan
We were reminded that there are further surgeries for all householders on the 26th of October at 46 Church Road between 4pm and 7 pm and for retailers between 4pm and 6.30pm on the 28th of September.
Traffic lights losing business for local traders
It was reported that local traders are losing business both because of the long drawn out HMRI but also because of the impact of the temporary traffic lights on Church Road - after the structural damage caused by arson and vandalism. Some local business have reported losing amounts of sales varying between £30 and £100 a day since the traffic lights were installed. Others have been less affected by the traffic lights but are having their businesses eroded on a day to day basis as individual properties are boarded up and people move away. This makes the timetable delays even more worrying.
Together to lead a survey on services for youth in the area
Rob explained that the Council have asked Together to lead an investigation into the need for services for young people in the area and they will be setting up consultations. Contact Rob at 644 4836 or email rob.walsh@riverside.org.uk
This blog is for you - re4sidents of Higher Tranmere. If you want to post to here either click on the comments button or email your thoughts to me - James Kay - at jameslkay@ntlworld.com and I will post them into the blog. If you want to know when there are updates to blog let me know I will put you on an update list or just keep checking the blog address.
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