Loughton Town Council has requested a one-mile cordon sanitaire around the Forest in Loughton, where no new dwellings or huge enlargements would be permitted, to minimise future damage to the Epping Forest Special Area of Conservation. The request follows realisation of the full impact of development and future proposals on the Special Area such as Jessel Green and Woodberrie (pictured seemingly towering over the existing house) in the York Hill Conservation Area. An irony to the Woodberrie development is that the Arts and Crafts house may now have figured twice in momentous change in the last 50 years. In 1972 the Hills Amenity Society was formed to oppose development by pulling down the old house and erecting four new homes. This followed in due course with the creation of the York Hill and then Baldwins Hill and Staples Road Conservation Areas.

Road issues top Hills agenda

The Hills Committee has taken the opportunity of the Essex Highways Users Survey, open until 15 December, to raise a number of road related issues. These include failure to replace heritage lamp standards when damaged with like for like leaving an eclectic muddle; the clash of LED versus sodium lighting and the “never-never” completed lamppost on the corner of Queens Road and Pump Hill; the “screamingly obvious” need for 20 mph speed limits; parking on footpaths and verges; and the plague of HGVs far too large for our narrow roads. Report Pages 6 and 7.

Planning

The planning report highlighted that an application had been submitted for a Lawful Development Certificate for a proposed shed/pool outbuilding as part of the redevelopment and extension of Woodberrie (development pictured right).

It was noted that no decision had yet been recorded on applications to extend 30 York Hill, 17 Stony Path but 6 Ashley Grove application had been turned down.

The District Council had received three applications in respect of 32 Queens Road for an annexe, a single storey extension and Prior approval application for a 6 metre deep single storey rear extension, height to eaves 2.5 metres and maximum height of 4 metres. The Council had responded that prior approval was not required for the six metre deep rear extension which the Committee felt should be a matter for concern.

New speed trials

Following speed strip trials in York Hill reported previously the North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) has carried out further trials, this time in Queens Road, and we await results.

At the November Hills Committee Meeting thanks were expressed to Cllr Chris Pond for this follow-up action.

The dangerous ‘never-never’ lamppost 

It was noted that the new lamppost (pictured) partly installed more than 12 months ago at the top of Queens Road was still not connected despite promises made by County Council officials at a meeting at County Hall attended by Cllr Pond and a Hills Committee representative last July. It was agreed to publicise a complaint number and urge residents sharing concerns about this dark corner to register their complaints. (See Page 7)

Parking on School Green 

Parking on School Green at the Staples Road-York Hill junction was raised as an ongoing concern and it was agreed to maintain pressure on the Forest conservators to take action. Delay in action was apparently due to checks being made on possible service pipes along the York Hill length of the green.

Damage by large vehicles 

The Committee heard damage by large vehicles had been growing along with the ongoing major development and redevelopment of Woodberrie, the site on the corner of Woodbury Hill and Kings Hill. This included posts taken out on the corner of York Hill and Woodbury Hill, the Woodbury Hill road sign on the corner of Kings Hill, hedging along Woodbury Hill and the triangle of forest land by Dryads Hall.

Neighbourhood Watch report

It was welcome news that the number of incidents of crime reported in the Hills was continuing at about one third of that 12 months ago. Illustrations show from left crime in August 20 19, 2 crime in September 2019 and 3 the summary of crime from July 2018, the worst month noted to date, to September 2019.

 

HGVs still going astray in the Hills  

Chair Toby Scrutton said heavy goods vehicles mostly from Eastern Europe were s

till trying to take the ‘short cut’ to Enfield using York Hill despite new signage put up to deter them.  He showed the meeting his most recent pictures of a truck, this time with a UK plate, in August.

 

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the committee will be on Wednesday 8 January. If you are a paid up member of the Hills Amenity Society and would like to attend, please email the Hon. Sec. at hillsamenitysociety@gmail.com.

 

 

The vexed question of street lighting in the three Hills Conservation Areas, highlighted at the Hills Amenity Society open meeting in May, was elevated to priority status at a meeting organised by Cllr. Chris Pond at Essex County Council yesterday. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure Cllr Kevin Bentley, attended by four senior officials – and I was invited to attend representing Hills Amenity Society. Attending to broken lamps, painting those in poor repair and, most importantly, installing new equipment to moderate brightness are, we were assured, all in hand for the next couple of months.
Hopefully a really good outcome and many thanks to Cllr. Chris for pushing this to priority level on the ECC agenda.

The Hills Amenity Society AGM, as previously notified, will take place on Thursday 16 May 2019 at The Gardeners Arms, York Hill, Loughton commencing at 7.30pm and followed by an open forum to meet the Hills local councillors.  All Hills Residents are welcome to attend.

Agenda

1 Welcome

2 Chairman’s report

3 Hon. Treasurer’s Report and adoption of Accounts

4 Election of Officers

5 Any Other Business related to Hills Amenity Society

Followed by open forum on issues affecting the Hills

AGM 16 May 2019 Agenda and Accounts

Minutes of previous AGM

Minutes from the Hills Amenity Society AGM on 22 May 2018

 

The danger of car theft was writ large for local residents with this post on the HillsWatch Facebook page: “Just had 4 people on my drive who broke the back window of my car. Made off in a white focus ST. The lovely man in the middle stands by the front with an axe (inset and enlarged) clearly in view. Alarm woke us up and they ran off.- Baldwin’s Hill.”  This prompted another resident to post “The man looks similar to the man who stole from our

 

There’s a lot about lighting in the Spring/Summer edition of the Hills Newsletter (available online here), mainly because the County Council is switching to LED lighting but without necessarily heeding the needs of Conservation Areas far away from Chelmsford. In fact there’s a lot about roads generally: more parking… by residents, commuters, those who work in the High Road. Should we have residents parking areas? Speeding – with the hopeful news of speed being monitored. And more vehicle crime, particularly of the fashionable ‘key-less’ theft variety, all of which is monitored by the 50-strong HillsWatch group on Facebook. We do our bit – but the real heavy lifting is done by those who serve as our representatives on the Town, District and County local authorities.  Those representing the Hills have been invited to form a panel at an open meeting at The Gardeners on 16 May at 7. 30pm. Do come along to meet them and to have your say.

 

Speed tests are to be carried out in York Hill following pressure from Hills Amenity Society for a 20mph speed limit throughout the Hills which has been taken up by Councillor Chris Pond. He has succeeded in escalating the project with the support of Loughton Town Council but says officers have warned the area may not meet minimum criteria for adoption of 20mph zone. Strips will appear across the road in two places to measure speed, after which the County Council will consider the proposal and decide which, if any, areas may be included. ECC adopts a flexible approach to speed limit variation. Its public statement reads: “Priority will need to be given to locations that demonstrate a collision saving and added benefits including improvements in quality of life and community benefits and encouragement of healthier and more sustainable transport modes such as walking and cycling.” If it is decided to proceed with a 20mph limit roundels (as illustrated) will have to be painted on the roads affected.  This was publicised in the Hills Newsletter last autumn and no objections in principle have been received.

If you would like to join the campaign to slow down traffic in the Hills you can use your wheelie bin as a “weapon”.  Stickers are available FREE from the Hon. Sec. by emailing hillsamenitysociety@gmail.com.

 

Brilliant white LED lights now being used by ECC as replacements have resulted in some strong protests.

Wrote a Baldwins Hill resident: ”They look terrible! Should we complain to ECC? Aren’t these lights supposed to be part of the ‘conservation’ area?”

“Brilliant whites” have also appeared at the top of York Hill (pictured) and adjacent to School Green by Forest Way. Councillor Chris Pond has complained to ECC about the harsh LED pressing for softer ones. A perhaps more in keeping “brilliant orange” is the replacement unit at the Kings Hill, Woodbury junction…bright but softer and perhaps the acceptable standard for future replacements?
Motorway style? Residents at the top of picturesque Forest Way have taken “direct action” against against the “motorway” style lamp replacement (3) on the edge of the forest. Strong protests have been made to the County Council. Cllr Pond is claiming a “small victory” on this one which he says the council plans to “embellish” in the summer.

At the junction of Queens Road and Pump Hill a heritage lamp which “disappeared” a couple of years ago leaving a dark junction has at last been replaced on the opposite side of the road, but by another distinctly “non-H” lamp put in place some weeks back, but now leaning perilously while residents press for a heritage replacement (just outside the conservation area).

While in Stony Path, the “mysterious disappearance” of an expensive heritage lantern has been the subject of Council of a council inquiry into suspected “resident action”. There is now a “hopefully temporary non-H” “brilliant white” replacement lantern on top of a heritage post.

Oh, and many of the “black” heritage posts are now a speckled rusty colour, badly in need of a coat of paint.

Councillor Pond continues to fight for in-keeping street lights in the conservation areas:  “Heritage lampposts are expensive to maintain and replace and they are an important feature of the CAs. but Highways budgets are tight.  Make your protest to ECC: I will support you.”

The issue of lighting has prompted lively discussion on HillsWatch, the Amenity Society Facebook page with some support for brighter lighting but general support for in-keeping lampposts and the softer LEDs – a position which the Hills Committee strongly supports.

 

Hills 2018 Best Front Garden

This year’s winner of the Hills Amenity Society shield for the best front garden Mr Bill Jamison of 11 Forest Way, the narrow road leading up from York Hill to the forest (top). In the opinion of the judging panel this was an outstanding example of care and attention.  “Chelsea Flower Show standard,” said one.The shield will be presented Bill Jamison at the Hills Lunch on Sunday 4 November 12.30-2.30. Other shortlisted entries, pictured clockwise from top left: Gardeners Arms, York Hill; 6 Wallers Hoppet; Ingleside Cottage, 87 York Hill; 1 Kings Green;31 Staples Road; 11 Wallers Hoppet;
Congratulations to all in the Hills who take pride in keeping their front gardens looking neat, tidy and often very attractive:  front gardens in the Hills are a key feature of the three conservation areas and this annual competition has existed for nearly 50 years to encourage us all to keep front gardens looking good….and well done the winner.

 

Police crime figures for June, July and August tell a remarkable story: early in the year Baldwins Hill was plagued with a series of car break-ins. In mid-summer the unmistakeable signs of drug dealing and petty (and not so petty) crime that went with it. Complaints to police went unheeded until a meeting was called at the Foresters Arms in mid-August to form a Neighbourhood Watch group for that area. Police moved in and Bingo! – no crime reported in Baldwins Hill (see illustrations right) which show six, five and zero crimes reported. Councillor Stephen Pewsey commented: “I’ve noticed static police vehicles on Baldwins Hill, just deterring drug dealing, drug abuse and drug driving. It is good news that, stretched as they are, police are taking the problem seriously”. Can this last? Probably not: as reported on HillsWatch on 27 September by Jane “Our neighbour had their Range Rover stolen off their driveway last night in Baldwins Hill !!! He told me…(he) has CCTV to look at. He is not in the (HillsWatch) group so thought I’d post warning…Vermin. Be aware.”

Loughton Community Police Team commented: “We encourage reporting of incidents to inform decision and officer/staff deployment but also to give Essex police a more accurate picture of demand. The tale of Baldwins Hill shows persistence CAN pay off.

So please log all local crime at www.essex.police.uk/do-it-online/report-a-crime/ and help us get a little more attention from