News update – November 2019

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.