Report from I.W. Councillor Roger Mazillius

Posted by Admin on 24 February 2009, 12:00 am

COUNCILLOR ROGER MAZILLIUS
I.W. COUNCILLOR FOR NORTHWOOD
21 OXFORD STREET, NORTHWOOD
ISLE OF WIGHT PO31 8PT
Tel: 01983 295556
Email: roger.mazillius@iow.gov.uk

REPORT FROM I.W. COUNCILLOR ROGER MAZILLIUS

1. As you will read in Peter Brooker’s Parish Council Report, I am pleased to confirm the Planning Inspector has dismissed the appeal to allow a caravan site at Hillis Gate Road. My thanks to all those residents who helped persuade both the Planning Committee and the Inspector that this was an undesirable use of a peaceful rural site.
I was one of those who accompanied the Inspector when she toured the proposed site in December and was struck (as I am sure we all were) by her grasp of the facts of the original application and the appeal. This in my opinion adds weight to the Inspector’s detailed reasons for dismissing the appeal which completely vindicated the stance taken by local residents, the Parish Council, the Planning Committee and myself as local Member that such a development would seriously impinge on the nature of this quiet rural area and would therefore adversely affect the lives of those local residents.

2. In addition to John Pullen’s Neighbourhood Watch article, I can report that Grahame Deacon our Neighbourhood Manager and myself inspected many areas in the village recently and as a result and following much input from local residents, a team of Dog Wardens targeted various affected areas to monitor any dog-fouling. Several residents were advised about the necessity for all dogs to be on leads in public places and all those spoken to were most supportive of any steps to control the unpleasantness of dog mess. This monitoring will be on-going. It is perhaps important in this context to remind residents that the statutory fine for dog-fouling has been increased to £2000!
Residents who walk their dogs in public really must ensure they have a suitable bag to collect dog waste and that they educate their children, who are often given the task of walking the dog, to do the same. Your cooperation in this regard would be much appreciated.

3. Village Green. The draft report has now been received with a recommendation that the lower part of the field is given Village Green status. Whilst I am extremely pleased that my application has at least been partially proved, I am now considering my response to the Report which will then be passed to the Council for amendment or ratification. I have circulated a more detailed report to those homes most affected by the application and in the meantime express my gratitude to all those local residents who helped provide the evidence of use necessary to support village green status.
I will report further next month. In the meantime any resident who wishes to contact me about the current situation is most welcome to give me a call.

4. New Million Blooms Gardens. I hope the weather will soon improve sufficiently to allow John Pullen, Colin and Eileen Palmerton, George Pimm and myself to install two new drought-resistant (!) gardens by the Post Office corner in Nodes Road and around the village sign in Newport Road. This enables us to re-site the existing plant troughs to the village sign at the Somerton roundabout and to the top of Coronation Avenue thus further enhancing the village floral displays which I know are much appreciated not just by local residents but by people passing through.
The I.W. Council’s two-year Million Blooms funding programme has now ended and I am pleased our village was able to successfully secure funding for each of the two years. The gardens will continue to be maintained by volunteers from the Northwood Community Partnership who also carry out their own fund-raising by accessing various local and national grant-funding streams. This is often a quite complicated task which is led by Eileen and to date has brought in several thousands of pounds with more hopefully in the pipeline.
Any resident who would like to join us in our community volunteering work would be most welcome. Colin, our Chairman on 01983 282242 or myself on 01983 295556 will be very pleased to hear from you.

5. Allotments. I am pleased to report we have nearly completed arrangements with Georgina Lacey of New House Farm, Newport Road by which the Parish Council will take a five-year tenancy of the front half of the field next to the driveway entrance and then sublet the 20 allotment plots fitted into the site to those on the waiting list. There may be some vacancies available – cost for the first three years will be £30 per annum – so if you are interested please contact Barbara Herbert the Parish Clerk on 01983 290086 or her other contact details given at the top of the Parish Council page. Each allotment holder will be required to sign a separate agreement with the Parish Council to cover various legal requirements and the responsibilities of being an allotment holder. I am grateful to Parish Councillors John Pullen and Marie Ely and for technical advice to Ron Willis for their invaluable help in getting this much-wanted local “green” facility to the present stage of near-use.

At the next meeting of the Parish Council on 3rd March at 8pm in the W.I. Hall a ballot will be held to allocate the 20 numbered plots to those on the list and deal with any questions that might arise. We will be very pleased to see all those interested in “growing their own” on the night.

6. Wind Turbine Generators on Cheverton Down. Because of their giant size – 125 metres (over 400 feet) from blade top to the ground – the three proposed wind turbines would be visible from Northwood as well as most parts of the Island. If installed their height and mass will dramatically affect the skyline of the Island as well as having a quite distinct impact on those living nearby. The planning reference is TCP/21144/E and full details can be seen on iwight.com. Whilst the initial deadline for comments is the 27th February the Council has requested additional information in accordance with Environmental Impact Regulations. Therefore the application will be re-advertised as and when the additional information has been received. This will give residents interested in commenting on this important application time to reflect on this further detailed information before submitting their comments, although residents wishing to comment immediately can of course do so.