21 Jul

West Street Community Garden is On it’s Way!

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Wyndham and Westover Councillors join Tony Freeman as the first pick-axe digs into the surface to start work on the West Street community garden.

Residents of West Street will have noticed some work going on next to the shops. Finally the first stones are being upturned to start what will be the long awaited Community Garden, the brainchild of Neighbourhood Beat Manager Constable Tony ‘Tex’ Freeman.

The idea for a community garden in West Street came up in 2010 when all of West street was part of the old Quantock Ward which stretched from the traffic lights out to Durleigh and a ward grant was supported at the Town Council Finance meeting of 18th February 2010. Since May 2011, however, most of West Street came under the newly created Westover Ward with a dividing line on the North side of the street running down the middle of the Canal and therefore right down the middle of the new community garden. So at it’s launch councillors from Westover, Brian Smedley and Pat Parker joined former Quantock ward councillors, Gill Slocombe and David Baker ,who now represent the newly created Wyndham ward.

gill and tony
Cllr Gill Slocombe whose Town Council ward grant gave the project a boost in 2010.

Cllr Gill Slocombe (Wyndham), who was involved from the outset, said “The idea came up as a result of one of our walkabouts. The area suffered from anti-social behaviour and neglect so we wanted to enhance it to bring it into community use so we allocated our whole ward grant for 2010 for it.”

A Long Fight for Funding

Constable Freeman, who had the idea for the original project  was already trying to bring it to reality and with the council money under his belt he spent the next few years fighting for extra funding until finally the budget stacked up and he could guarantee a result.

Constable Freeman said “I want to give the community a free garden and I’ve battled to get this project on track. A lot of different authorities are involved, such as the Canal and Rivers Trust , the Town Council , the Police and the Showman’s Guild. The work is being done by Dave Howe of Samson Howe Landscaping and Construction and it will have a canal theme to it with mock lock gates, flower beds and adjustments to the walls with a small fence.”

tony and pat
Westover ward councillor Pat Parker acknowledges the key role played by Constable Tony Freeman in giving something to the West Street community.

The design will also include a mural by local schoolchildren on the theme of Bridgwater Fair

Cllr Pat Parker (Westover) said “This will be something for all the residents of West street and the Town Council has backed it all along. All ward councillors have pulled together to support this but we are especially grateful to Constable Freeman for doggedly pursuing his goal.”

Constable Freeman said “Actually, I’m chuffed to bits that it’s going to happen and at the moment I’m buzzing!”

 

18 Jul

Town Planning Panel July Reports

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The former doctors surgery on East Quay could become Asda’s petrol station.

Westover councillors Brian Smedley and Steve Austen are now members of the Town Council Planning panel.  This body meets monthly and is able to make comment and raise objections to planning applications that affect Bridgwater before they get forwarded to Sedgemoor District Council’s Development Control Committee for a final decision.

On the agenda this month were two applications that affected Westover ward. Firstly the proposal by ASDA stores to finally do something with the former doctors surgery on East Quay (which Sedgemoor scandalously included in the original sweetener deal with them and which has been left derelict ever since). The proposal is for the development of an aed Petrol Filling station and related mix use development. Although the site is in Eastover ward the impact across the river into Westover ward is a key factor and so our members have a critical interest.

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The view from Westover will be affected by the development

Eastover councillor Julian Taylor commented “The proposed development is close to two conservations areas. Any such development must be sympathetic to these areas and the town centre. The proposal has not addressed the major issue with the ASDA site. The need to allow easy pedestrian access from the ASDA site to Eastover and the Town centre. The proposal also needs to be fully integrated into the Eastover development plan agreed by the Sedgemoor District Council.”

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Proposals for the filling station currently involve just the car park side of the building.

Westover councillor Brian Smedley said “The visual impact across the river from West Quay is something that needs to be got right. With the focus of the town turning more towards the river and big plans afoot for regenerating Eastover as a shopping destination we musn’t be railroaded into some quick fix solution just because Asda doesn’t have a petrol station. The site is currently a key grot spot in the town and it’s neglect sends the wrong message. Something needs to go there , but something that fits and is in keeping with the strong river frontage that we’re developing”.

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The East Quay site has a general air of neglect and something is needed.

The Asda planning application can be viewed and commented on at  08/14/00083/RB

Another planning application, this time in the Westover ward itself, is the proposed change of use to the former Broadway taxi office on the West Bow crossroads. The proposal is to change the now disused taxi office to a takeaway (Broadway taxis having moved slightly further down into Friarn street). With the development of the Bar Brunel on that corner, which most would agree is a welcome addition to the night time economy, it nevertheless would be situated alongside this and the exit doors to the Palace nightclub, which can be a lively spot into the early hours of the morning on some nights.

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The site of the proposed Takeaway at the former Broadway taxi office.

Cllr Smedley said “Ward councillors will have to take into consideration residents feelings on this one. The general view is that they are not very keen on yet more fast food places that will stay open late and encourage people to linger around longer rather than go home. The new taxi office already has a burger van parked on it’s lot and he sometimes opens at night. There needs to be a balance between businesses that add to the night time economy but which could potentially increase the amount of anti social behaviour that they are  subjected to already.”

Members also took into consideration objections on heritage grounds and added these to their observations. The Broadway Takeaway  application can be viewed at 08/14/00081.

Cllr Steve Austen added “Ward councillors have on many occasions objected and/or supported planning items at Development committee stage and their input can be crucial so we would urge people to let us know their views.”

The next Town Council Planning panel meeting is Thursday 14th August 10am.

 

 

 

13 Jul

The Meads – A Bridge Too Far??

bridge across the meads
The Meads is on the agenda once more and so Cllr Smedley tries out a bridge.

For a couple of years now it’s gone very quiet over on the Meads. Back in July 2012 Sedgemoor District Council voted to support an SPD (Supplementary Planning Document) for the delivery of an Eco Park. At the same time a land deal allowed developer owned land on the Meads to come into public ownership through the council in return for land in the Durleigh end of town becoming available for housing development.

Both the Eco Park and the Housing development have been controversial projects with much unfounded speculation that the Meads , which regularly floods of a winter, might be built on. At the same time residents in Durleigh have been fighting a campaign to stop an unrelated housing development in their back yard .

The initial confusing of these two projects and their now final separation has made the picture a lot clearer.

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SDC has just acquired ‘Area 2’

42 Acres of the Meads Now in Public Ownership

The access land has now been transferred to Summerfield Developments in exchange for which 42 acres of the Meads is now in the ownership of Sedgemoor District Council . Summerfield are likely to start works on the access road in the North West corner of St Matthews Field in the next month or so. Undertakings have been given by Summerfield to ensure that the operation of Bridgwater Fair is not compromised.

This week Westover councillors were on the newly re-established Meads Working Party to take forward the SPD and focus on how an Eco Park can be delivered on the Meads. Continue reading “The Meads – A Bridge Too Far??”

10 Jul

Picket Lines across Westover as Bridgwater joins National Day of Action

kath and leigh
Kathy and Leigh out supporting public sector strikers in the Town centre today.

Westover ward councillors Brian Smedley and Kathy Pearce joined Bridgwater South County Councillor Leigh Redman this morning visiting picket lines to show solidarity with striking public sector workers as National Strike action spread to include public buildings in the town centre.

At midday the councillors joined workers from all the striking unions and their supporters at the town’s Cornhill handing out leaflets to the public explaining the reasons behind the strike.

Workers from the FBU, PCS, UNISON, NUT, UNITE,RMT were all taking part in the strike which saw picket lines around Bridgwater house, the job Centre, the Library and the Fire station along with several schools closed and the Town Hall offices closed to the public.

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Pickets were out all around sunny Westover this morning including the job centre.

Somerset County Labour leader and Unite member Leigh Redman said: “There is deep anger at this governments’ assault on public services. This is not just about pay. It’s about the pressure of huge workloads, the targets culture and the stress of bullying managers. People have had enough. Across Britain spending cuts have decimated local services. By 2015/16 the Con/Dem government will have hacked £11.3 billion from local government funds in England alone.”

Cllr Brian Smedley said “When workers go on strike it’s a hard decision and it takes courage to stand up for what you believe in and when that happens the Labour Movement should come together. I’m here as a Labour councillor and a UNITE member to support the strikers and the stand they’re making on behalf of everyone.”

 

9 Jul

WESTOVER RESIDENTS PARKING 91% SUPPORT AFTER CONSULTATION

scheme champs
Scheme Champions with Cllr Redman. Karen Llewellyn (West Quay) Liz Edwards (Friarn) Mark Postma (Dampiet) Tony Heyward (Castle st) Andy Slocombe (St Saviours). Not pictured-George Weston (Blacklands)

After a 2 year battle to establish Residents Parking Schemes in the Westover ward of Bridgwater a consultation undertaken by residents acting as ‘scheme champions’ has resulted in a 91% support for the establishment of RPZ’s in their streets.

6 scheme champions knocked on 249 doors in Castle st, West Quay, Fishermans Wharf,Bond st, Blacklands, Friarn st, St Saviours Avenue, Silver st, Green Dragon lane and Kings Square, discussing the pro’s and con’s of the parking scheme with them and as a result have the documented information necessary to justify the creation of a residents parking scheme in the streets where this is supported by more than 80%.

The schemes were called for after the introduction of Civil Parking Enforcement resulted in increased traffic displacement, excessive fines and also addresses the long term failure for developers to consider including parking in town centre build.

Cllr Brian Smedley said “This has been a hard struggle over 2 years and several streets have either dropped out or failed to get the required percentages, but it’s a credit to the hard work of the scheme champions that they’ve done exactly what County required of them and came up with the evidence. We always said from the off that these schemes would only be introduced where the overwhelming majority of residents wanted them and we have now clearly identified these streets.” Continue reading “WESTOVER RESIDENTS PARKING 91% SUPPORT AFTER CONSULTATION”