twowheelsgood

Double whammy - noreply AND hertfordshire!

From a letter written to the Agents today by the Planning Officer; There has been significant, strong objection to the above application, including the Council’s Conservation Officer, Hereford Society for Aiding the Industrious and Woolhope Naturalists Field Club. These can be viewed at: https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/development-control/planning-applications/details?id=163699&search=163699 These objections support the advice given at pre-application advice stage. In summary that: the dwellings are important both architecturally and historically to the Garden City Movement the scale and detail of the proposed building takes no account of the local distinctiveness of this part of the conservation area As a whole it is considered that the scheme would result in harm to the conservation area and locally important buildings, and this is not outweighed by the benefit of providing seven additional units even in the context of a 5 year housing land supply shortfall. Please can you confirm if you wish to withdraw the application, within 7 days.

Some of it can - it has been designed so that 580 out of 1200 homes can be built without it. Don't see the headline on HT anymore though ...

Bartonsham History Group invite you to a talk by David Clarke on John Venn: Hereford's Great Social Reformer Tuesday, January 10, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm in The Old Brewery Room at The Barrels, 69 St. Owen Street, Hereford HR1 2JQ Entrance is also via the courtyard at the back. In the light of yet another proposal to demolish part of John Venn's legacy, this is timely. If you haven't already, please look at the application to demolish 5-7 Kyrle Street and submit your comments as soon as possible. This site is in the Central Conservation Area and demands conservation. If you would like to comment the application number is P163699/F. Submit your comments directly to the Planning Officer, Charlotte Atkins - catkins@herefordshire.gov.uk See also the topic on the application here http://www.herefordvoice.co.uk/topic/2416-re-development-of-5-7-kyrle-street-more-of-john-venns-legacy-in-danger/?hl=kyrle

Why does it need to be rebranded? It's The Old House, always will be, we have thousands of 'black and white houses' in the County.

Nope

Yes, Herefordshire Council website down yet again - who'd have thought it. How many millions do we pay for IT? I did take a look at the new beta site - it's terrible.

The Council fees thing is a red herring - a resubmission is free and the fees are small change anyway as a percentage of the construction cost. Of course, when Council's are able to set their own fee scales (currently set by Central Government), expect this to change very quickly! They'll look to the massive fees charged by the public (now private) utilities as a model - obstructive until money is paid.

Different rules for different folks - a few fields away, planning permission was granted 12 months ago for a new house for the brother of former Tory councillor Nick Nenadich, citing health grounds and a being a longstanding member of the community. Contrary to policy, a redirection was requested and granted and it was approved at committee. Of course, there was also Cllr Greenow who was granted planning permission for a new house in open countryside, contrary to policy and signed off by his friend and Tory chair of the planning committee ... http://herefordheckler.co.uk/herefordshires-planning-committee-a-tale-of-councillor-corruption/

It's never looked particularly open or inviting - the last time I pulled my car onto the forecourt, many years ago, I was met by a ranting woman telling me not to park, so we left. A July 2016 review on TripAdvisior gives it 2/5, so it was open then. Guide Price £995,000.

That was very quick off the mark - clearly a fall back if the Harold Street scheme failed. Rather a long way out of town, so adding to the inevitable commuter traffic in and out of town on worn out, overloaded roads, including increasing the load on the blighted Mordiford.

£5m+

Well, well, now we get an inkling of what really is happening about Section 106 monies - they don't get paid! http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/14971695.Developer_said_106_money_will_be_paid_by_end_of_January/ Persimmon have effectively had a six year loan of £326k and public services and the council tax payer have had to suffer a result. Are they paying interest? Will lessons be learnt? Of course not. I suspect this is the tip of a huge iceberg.

Yes and yes. The Masons own and meet in the Masonic Hall (which was the Public Baths, with water heated by surplus heat from the adjacent Mill - Venn and his colleagues were amazingly inventive). The Herefordshire Masonic Housing Trust is a charity whose stated aims are defined are 'The relief of poor and/or disabled Masons and/or wifes and widows who are poor and/or disabled in particular the provision of accommodation in Herefordshire.' Accounts up to June 2014 show the Trust has some £1m in the bank. Comments to planning should be submitted by Wednesday 21 December - the public have stopped the demolition of the Working Boys Home and the Records Office (egg on Cllr Bramers face methinks) - let's see if we can do it a third time.

It's owned by Sports Direct and the staff are on zero hours contracts. I wonder how many of the 'glittering guest list' did their research before taking the freebies on offer and supporting such an arrangement.

Here's the full link https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/development-control/planning-applications/details?id=163699&search=kyrle%20street and the short (managed to miss the last letter off from the original link) http://tinyurl.com/z3ubk7e

Here we have yet another attempt to destroy part of John Venn's legacy - this time the Masonic Housing Trust are applying to demolish No's 5 and 7 Kyrle Street and erect 9 residential apartments with associated car parking, cycles and refuse stores. The scale of the Model Garden street will be destroyed. The Masonic Hall is next door. This is a very mediocre scheme by local architects Hook Mason. The Heritage Statement is unreadable - badly printed - and I have asked for a better version to be put online. Kyrle Street was built by Rev John Venn in the 1880's and was known as Venn Road at that time. It was an extension of his work at the Steam Mill (now Berrows House) and the adjacent public baths (now the Masonic Hall). Rev John Venn was the vicar of St Peter's Church in Hereford and was the City's greatest benefactor, devoting his life to dispelling poverty, constructing a welfare system for the poor of Hereford through numerous projects, some of which continue to give to this day. Ten semi-detached houses were laid out along the new Venn Road, designed by architect Thomas Nicholson, (who had worked on many of Venn's projects, including the adjacent public baths as well as the original St James' Church and St Peter's Vicarage in Ledbury Road). This was to be the first model garden estate in Hereford and preceded the Garden City houses in Barr's Court Road (which have their own Conservation Area) by 30 years. The application site was one of those model cottages. Tenants were expected to use their gardens to be self sufficient and to recycle all of their waste. The two cottages at the eastern end were demolished some years ago to make way for the present car park, but all of the others remain and contribute to an open and pleasant street scene, albeit subject to too much traffic. This site is in the Central Conservation Area and demands conservation. If you would like to comment the application number is P163699/F. Direct link to the application on the Council website http://tinyurl.com/z3ubk7

Guess my invitation must be stuck in the Christmas post ...

I assume you mean 'Bishop Fields' opposite Bishop's School? From £342k To £390k. The application that Cllr Kenyon was going to use the Section 106 monies from to get rid of the traffic lights at the bottom of Folly Lane (as discussed with him on this forum)? That all went very quiet so it doesn't look like it's going to happen. What a let down. Where DOES all the Section 106 money go to? All £0.52m of it?

Well, that's very good news indeed.

Imagine the outcry if a shop said we don't sell to foreign people. Yet when the opposite happens, no one in authority will do anything about it.

Here's the link http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/14948496.Quarter_of_a_million_illegal_cigarettes_seized/ The usual level of debate follows it ...

Certain Herefordshire businesses and people are highlighted in this Daily Mail report as allegedly benefiting from LEP grants. I suspect that this is just the tip of the iceberg. The Mail has found that more than £100million has been paid to LEP board members and officials’ own businesses or projects they have a stake in. These are some of the most shocking examples... 1. ESTATE AGENT HAD OFFICES RENOVATED FOR £40K ... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4000010/Exposed-Secretive-fat-cats-carving-7bn-cash-friends-family-including-40-000-renovate-barn-155-000-Jamie-Oliver-s-charity-restaurant.html

b47 is spot on as usual - but, in response to megilleland, part of the problem for the public is that all of these public bodies have built such strong walls around themselves, getting anything changed is nigh on impossible. This can be seen with our own Council - the Cabinet are autocratic - no matter what foot soldier councillors or the general public say, they are ignored. They have set up a system which renders them completely impervious to any intervention. Sadly, most of the public are unaware, more interested in vacuous celebrities and shopping.

They'll be waiting for the press release - cheaper than real reporting.