Meeting with Anthony Pollock -17/08/09

Attendees:
Anthony Pollock (Borough councillor for Shinfield)
Catherine Forrester
Alan Forrester
Gary Evans
Colin Green
Chris Hossack
Caroline Hossack
Marjory Bisset (Parish Councilor)

Apologies:
Tony Stewart, Jo Stewart, Marlene Voke, Brian Voke, John Hewitt, John Redwood (MP), Barrie Patman (Borough councillor for Shinfield)

Next Meeting:
TBA.

Discussions:

Site of Science Park:
Green Park has made a bid for the Science Park to be sited there, and there is another possible location off the A33, but the university doesn’t own either plots of land. Apparently in past ventures the university has lost planning applications and then pulled out all the stops and won on appeal. They are not to be underestimated! The site off Cutbush Lane is outside the Wokingham Strategy Development Location (SDL)

Anthony Pollock advocated talking to the case office regularly (Jenny Seaman) to find out whether the planning dept of the council is going to make a decision about the science park within the 8 week deadline or whether they are going to wait for the government inspector. He will provide information for the website.

Planning meeting:
Need lots of people to attend, only 1 or 2 people can speak. Haven’t got a date yet, but most probably after October.

Plans for more houses:
Under the core strategy set out by the government 2500 houses are to be built in Shinfield Parish (includes Spencers Wood, Three mile cross etc..), 1500 in Shinfield, 900 more in Spencers wood. Each location will have a Master Plan, which Jackie Barnes and Anthony Pollock will know about.

The last proposal for a roundabout around Lane End Farm was rejected on highway grounds, which should still apply. Contact Peter Bourne and Tony Street at the council to find out more details.

Traffic:
Concern was expressed about the increased traffic that will be caused by 7000 Science park employees, especially as the surrounding roads are single track roads and there is already congestion on the black boy roundabout. Two lorries have turned over on the roundabout due to an adverse camber and there have been other accidents. New houses are to be built at the Arborfield Garrison, but this will cause more traffic problems. The council is considering building a bypass along a medieval road to come out at the Blasted Oak at Farley hill. This bypass might join up with a Shinfield bypass???

Economic benefits of science park:
There was some debate over whether the science park would benefit the area economically. Whilst it would create jobs these would not necessarily be for local people.

Parish Council:
Vacancy for parish councillor, see website, only requirement is a desire to serve the community!
The parish council wrote a letter objecting to the Science Park application.

Ideas to get more people involved:

• Stand at the church fete on 5th Sep
• Flyers and knocking on doors
• Plastic signs/ banners in front gardens
• Let people know about the e-petition
• Collect email addresses
• Posters/flyers in local businesses
• Could we access the names of people who objected to the planning application?
• Ask if Colin can forward emails to his SRAG database
• Need 1 organiser for each road
• Parish council might be able to provide some funding