THE LEIGH PARISH COUNCIL
: leighpc@hotmail.co.uk : theleighpc.org.uk
MINUTES OF THE ADDITIONAL PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY 19th MARCH 2025 AT 7.30PM
Present: Cllr. J. Arkell (Chair), Cllr. L. Glazebrook and Cllr. R. Theyer.
In attendance: K. Tilling (Parish Clerk).
1. Welcome and Apologies:
Councillors and parishioners were welcomed to the meeting. Apologies were received from Cllr Bowness, County Cllr Mc lain and Cllr Morton. This meeting was originally scheduled for 12th but was moved to 19th as the committee was not quorate.
2. Declarations of Interest:
There were no Declarations of Interest required in relation to items on the agenda.
3. To discuss planning applications and consider responses for the following:
25/00137/FUL: The Bellows, Tewkesbury Road, Coombe Hill. Removal/Variation of condition 5, planning permission 23/00410/FUL, to allow the approval of a revised drainage strategy. This is a section 73 application which seeks to alter condition 5 of the current planning permission to allow for a revised drainage strategy for the new houses. The proposal now sees that the drainage will be managed within the development boundaries and acknowledges that infiltration is poor. It is now proposed that there will be a shared treatment plant that will discharge into the ditch to the east of the site via a pumped outfall. The Parish Council note that a response from the GCC drainage officer is missing and request that this is followed up prior to any permission being granted. Parish Councillor have no issue with the drainage alterations providing the information is signed off by the appropriate officers and departments to ensure that this does not contribute to any future flooding in this location.
25/00056/FUL and 25/00057/LBC: Brickhouse Farm, Blacksmith Lane, The Leigh. Conversion of outbuilding to annex and works on a listed building property. For the sake of ease the two applications are being treated as one. The LBC reference is because the main dwelling is a Grade Two listed property. The application seeks to create a one bedroomed annex with toilet and kitchen/dining area. One objection has been logged on the planning portal. The Conservation Officer has already logged his comment, saying that the proposal was acceptable. The proposals are respectful of the historic nature of the buildings and cause no significant harm to the appearance. Councillors agreed that the proposals were sympathetic to the surrounding buildings. Concerns were raised that there is no mention of foul drainage for the kitchen and toilet. Surface water drainage will remain the same as the footprint for the building remains unaltered. As the toilet and kitchen are new the handling of grey water that needs information. Parish Councillors did not wish to learn of issues from foul water running down the road in the future.
25/0003/TWR3MJ: Coombe Hill Junction, Tewkesbury Road, Coombe Hill. Variation of condition 3 (scope of the permission) and 8 (lighting) relating to planning consent 22/0036/TWR3MJ dated 21.4.2023. This application relates to the junction upgrade at Coombe Hill and this variation relates to the removal of the previously proposed footpath across the front of the Petrol Station and changes to the lights. Sadly the number of street lights still remains at 22 where there was only 1. Local residents are not happy with the introduction of 22 street lights at this junction. It is completely over the top and unnecessary. The Road Safety Audit was completed 18th August 2023 so is now very out of date and has little reference to the new housing estates that have been built since. This is a rural location and the amount of lighting is totally out of proportion to the number of residents living in the vicinity and the number of accidents recorded or known about. Residents feel that their wishes have been totally ignored by GCC and their desk based studies. This junction leads to an SSSI and there should be some mitigation for the nocturnal animal life in this area. Environmentally sensitive lighting for a start or lights that are more bat friendly. There does not appear to be an Ecological survey as this would have picked up the nocturnal nightlife in the area – where is this survey? Obviously with the two new housing estates opposite and adjacent to the Petrol Station there is more pedestrian footfall but it is not excessive. The introduction of safer pedestrian crossings at the lights will help but most people will not use them as it means walking further. Providing the new design is now sufficient to meet the volume of extra pedestrians then this is acceptable but perhaps a current Safety Audit would be prudent as the existing one is 18 months old and before people were living on the Lapwing Estate. Councillor Mc lain shared a copy of a draft letter which is to be sent to all residents at Coombe Hill. The scheme is due to start in June 2025 and last 12 months. During this period there will be Four-way temporary traffic lights, estimated for 2 weeks, initially at the Coombe Hill junction to allow the construction of a temporary roundabout that will aid the flow of traffic during construction. During this period, the junction will be fully closed at certain times and these works will be completed at night and communicated in advance. GCC estimate to close the A4019 for 16 weeks. This is carry out improved highway drainage and diversion works with utility companies. The road will be closed from the Coombe Hill junction down to the Knightsbridge Business Park. The A38 will remain open during this period. Those living in this closed area will be given chaperoned access.
Street Trading Renewal Application – This is for Matts Much-box in the lay-by on Tewkesbury Road at The Leigh. It is well supported and the Parish Council confirmed that the vendor goes to great efforts to keep the area tidy. No objections.
Old Telephone Substation. This is a very small parcel of land with an old redundant structure that is accessed off this lay-by. It was purchased by a local resident that has been trying to tidy up the area. The Parish Council will monitor the location.
4. To approve any new CIL spending.
Requests for spending CIL money have come in:
- VE Celebration to mark the 80th Anniversary. A proposal to organise an event for Monday 5th May 2025. Parish Council confirmed that £250.00 could be allocated towards this.
- Community Event – date to be confirmed. A summer party. Maybe hire a marquee, toilets, disco generator and provide a hog roast. This might encourage people from the new estates at Coombe Hill to come and join in. Make it free to residents on the electoral roll and others pay if they wish to attend. If people will organise it, the parish Council will make a contribution towards it.
- Church Fete – organisers asked if the Parish Council would sponsor the entertainment and a cash raffle prize.. Parish Councillors were concerns that not all the money made at the fete would be used to benefit the Parish Church. How much would be retained within the Parish? It was agreed that the Parish Council would sponsor the band (£195) but was not happy providing cash for a raffle prize.
Bus stops – still waiting for the installation quote. Parish Council to maybe contact Andrew Pattendale and ask if they could be installed as part of the junction upgrade process.
5. To consider a response to the Strategic Planning Local Development Guide – stakeholder engagement.
After a discussion about the whole guide and process the Parish Council decided not to make a formal comment.
6. Any other business.
Drainage outside Bob and Lillian’s – there was a meeting with Max from GCC and others. Parish Council asked for a representative to be there. They went ahead with a meeting on 12th and met on site with Cllr Theyer being invited. Apparently they found sewage in their pipe and have halted any further work until this issue is resolved. Cllr Theyer will keep pushing and go higher is necessary by getting the County Councillor Paul Mclain involved. GCC are just dragged their heels about the whole area.
The Gigaclear cables are still exposed – 2 lengths of pipe need replacing. Again trying to get anyone to respond to this problem is proving difficult.
Meeting closed at 20.45pm