Withington Group Parish Council
Extra Ordinary Parish Council Meeting
7.30pm Wednesday 6th August 2025
Draft Minutes
Meeting started at 7.30pm
In attendance: Paul Andrews – PA (in the chair): Howard Mansell – HM: Kevin Powders – KP: Hilary Holden – HH: Tom Nellist – TN: Sue Rudd – SR: Bob Rudd – BR: Simon Dent -SD: Judith Howe – JH: Ralph Barber – RB:
Paul Fretton, Village Hall chair was present along with 7 members of the public.
There will be time before each of the planning applications for parishoners to make any comments to the Parish Council. There is a 3 minute maximum time for any one person to speak.
4 members of the public were present to talk about the Townsend Farm planning application – 243165. One commented about the last planning application made on this site, he felt that very few of the comments raised have been addressed.
There were concerns about the foul water drainage. Nothing has been addressed about asbestos, nor the traffic which had a survey carried out that was not valid. Finally, it was proposed in the last application that a management plan should be put in place to address local concerns – this has not happened.
Drainage into the Lugg is also a concern. They requested that as none of these issues have been addressed we should continue to object.
The current occupier of Townsend Farm raised a question about the process, can the applicant amend their application once parishoners comments have been made? PA answered that this is allowed to happen. He asked who would have got Balfour Beatty to produce a report on land drainage. PA said that the planning dept could have done this. the parishioner asked why the Balfour Beatty report has been totally ignored. Opposite the proposed building site are dwellings whose septic run through the farm yard, if they start breaking up the concrete in the yard, surely this will endanger their septic system as well.
A further parishioner said that her family had put in a letter of objection to the planners. She said how important it was to keep your objection about planning issues, not emotive ones. The possible loss of a right of access have not been addressed
3 further members of the public were here to talk about the planning application ‘Land at Cross Keys’ – 252127.
One parishioner talked about the amount of surface water on his field which is next to the land discussed for development. There is a well in the middle of the field (which used to serve the pub), there is also an old quarry in the field, which takes a lot of the surface water. He is concerned about both the surface water and how they are going to deal with the sewage from the new houses. PA suggested that he asks the Ward Cllr for a conditional redirection.
- To accept Apologies for absence : apologies received from: Steve Scotcher; Barclay Rogers; Ingrid Heatley; Vikki Brown; Jonathan Beech; Ward Cllr Ivan Powell
- Declarations of interest : None declared.
- Finances: To check the balances and agree any payments to be made as per the finance
sheet.
Current Financial Position
For Aug meeting 2025
CCLA
30.06.25 Savings Account £15,656.92
Lloyds TSB
31.07.25 Parish Account £10,877.32
31.07.25 Withington Field Account £ 5,687.40
Total £32,221.64
Payments received
Interest on savings acct (June) £ 57.38
HMRC VAT return £2,476.21
Wessington Juniors (July) £ 41.66 £ 2,575.25
Payments pending Drainage Grant £5,511.00
Cheques to be authorised at this meeting Authorised Total payment
From Parish Account Paid in Aug In Aug
Clerks Salary – Aug £872.94
Expenses – Aug £ 49.59 £922.53
HMRC PAYE – Aug £ 68.39 £ 68.39
Bank charges (Aug) s/o £ 4.25 £ 4.25
DM Payroll Services £ 72.00 £ 72.00
Withington Village Hall room booking
July/Aug £ 14.00 £ 14.00
Eyelid productions – web support £100.00 £100.00
Flags and flag poles £ 39.00 £ 39.00
Signs and labels £144.31 £144.31 £1,364.48
Internal transfer VAT reclaimed to be paid to WF acct
From Parish Account £460.62
From Withington Field acct
Joe Smith
By standing order July £90.00 £90.00
Additional hours payment £30.00 £30.00
Perfect grounds inv WF11 July £469.00
Perfect grounds inv WF12 June £124.00 £593.00
Bank charges – July By S/O £ 4.25 £ 4.25 £ 717.25
Total payments this period £2,081.73
Payments proposed: RB Seconded: TN All were in favour.
Action: Clerk to make payments RB and JH to act as signatories on line.
- Planning: To consider comments on applications to be determined by Herefordshire Council as listed below or on the Herefordshire Council Planning website prior to the meeting:-
4.1 Applications:
243165 – Land and farm buildings at Townsend Farm, Westhide
A draft objection had been circulated to all Cllrs. :-
P243165/F Land and buildings at Townsend Farm Herefordshire, Proposed demolition of existing farm buildings and erection of six dwellings, garages, drainage and related landscaping works.
WGPC continues to object to the proposed scheme.
Landscape concerns
In terms of Landscape, we are pleased to read the HC landscape officer is still seeking clarity and details around what is proposed. We would welcome such clarification. The Tree Officer has also requested a BS5837:2012 tree survey and associated Arboriculture Impact Assessment (AIA). We do not see that these have been submitted.
Health and safety concerns
Concerns persist regarding the possibility that the old farm buildings to be demolished may contain asbestos. Asbestos-containing materials were frequently used in buildings of this age. Even minimal asbestos exposure poses serious health risks, including cancers such as mesothelioma and lung cancer, as well as non-cancerous conditions including asbestosis and pleural thickening.
The original planning statement does not appear to contain any mention of the possible asbestos risk, and how this risk might be mitigated. The parish council was disappointed that this issue has not, to our knowledge, been addressed in the recently submitted responses from the applicant, even though these concerns have been raised. Given that the Bull Pens were constructed in the 1950s it is highly likely that they do contain asbestos and we would urge further clarification/inestigation of this issue.
Road safety
The application is accompanied by an Automated Traffic Count (ATC), which was carried out over seven consecutive days from Friday 23rd February 2024. This data was used to determine road visibility requirements (para 4.2.2 of the Planning Statement).
However, the C1131 through the village was closed on February 16 2024 (i.e. a week before the ATC was carried out) due to a collapsed drain in the centre of Westhide, and it remained closed for several weeks until a full repair was completed. In other words, the road was closed to through traffic when the survey was carried out.
Data drawn from the ATC is therefore of questionable validity with regards to typical traffic flow and speed through the village and should not be used for road safety planning purposes. These concerns were previously raised by WGPC and have not yet been addressed by the applicant.
Heritage and design
The Parish Council supports the comments made by the HC Conservation Officer. We would emphasise and draw out the following:
- The site does contribute to the understanding of The Dairy (Townsend Farmhouse) as an historic Grade II listed farmhouse, notwithstanding the poor condition of the buildings on site. The site, in its current form, is made up of disused stock pens and outbuildings (and predecessors) which would have once been used by The Dairy and this former functional relationship is clear when on site.
- We suggest that the relationship between the site and the farmhouse is more significant than Holland Heritage suggests. The site plays an active, positive part in the setting of the listed farmhouse, thereby contributing to its understanding. This contribution is stifled by the poor state of repair but that is not to say there is no contribution or that the site does not fall into the setting of the listed building. Therefore, more weight and consideration must be given to the treatment of the site to avoid undue harm to the farmhouse.
- In respect of the Holland Heritage advice, the suggestion therein that as there are no public views of the site the heritage impact of the development is lessened is something we disagree with. The entire setting of a heritage asset is important and thus any development should support and reflect this.
- The stone wall should be regarded as part of the curtilage-listed historic fabric and as such should be retained as far as possible consistent with highway requirements. Additional boundary treatment should reflect this feature by using local stone rather than the suggested post and rail.
- The site represents an opportunity to make a positive contribution to both the setting of the two nearby listed buildings (The Dairy/Townsend Farm and Glebe Cottage, also Grade II) and also to the general village townscape. Careful, imaginative design is needed to make the most of this opportunity. We do not feel the proposed plans meet this challenge. It is difficult to read the site as a coherent whole especially given the two very large four bed houses proposed.
It is clearly possible to improve the layout to reflect the agrarian/domestic nature of the site. A courtyard-based layout as suggested by the HC Conservation Officer would achieve this whereby the dwellings look into the centre, creating a sense of community and also preserving a relationship with The Dairy/Townsend Farm. Perhaps the centre of the site could accommodate a small orchard reflecting previous local land uses. This would give the site a focal point and integrate it more into the village. This is a real opportunity to have new housing of high-quality collective design and not a proposal, as it is at the moment, for individual executive style housing.
SR proposed accepting the objection in full Seconded: HH Agreed by all present.
PA suggested that we ask for a conditional redirection if they are minded to approve it. This was also agreed by all.
252127 – Land at Cross Keys Inn, Cross Keys, Proposed function room with lodge accommodation ancillary to the public house use and residential development of 3 detached dwellings.
The position of the houses has been changed and this is what is causing the issue.
Proposed that the WGPC object based on the drainage issues, flooding of nearby properties and lack of clarity of septic removal endangering near by properties and water courese. Both the public present and the cllrs don’t object to the development per se, the problem is the need for more planting and as above.
If they are minded to approve, the WGPC want to ask for a conditional redirection.
Proposed by PA seconded by JH and all present were in favour of the objection.
Action: Clerk to submit comments and IP to take forward Conditional Redirections
Application for a premises licence at Tillys Farm Shop, Preston Wynne. No issues raised by PW Councillors and no comment to be submitted.
- Placing of toilet block on the land behind the village hall – The Clerk updated the meeting that Village Hall representatives, the Chair of Wessington Juniors and the WF working group had met to discuss the placement of the proposed toilet block/changing room modules. All parties were happy with the location and the suggested blocks.
Action: Clerk to work with JH and PA in completing the Envrionmental paper for the project and Wessington Juniors to be approached for parental assistance in digging in the septic pipe and levelling the site.
- Discussion on the raising of TRO’s regarding speed for Westhide and Preston Wynne
IP has sent an email outlining the process for putting in a TRO application. He suggests that if the PC is minded to pay for the work this could take around 6 to 9 months, if we wait for the process through Herefordshire Council, it can take between 5 to 8 years.
It was proposed to ask for a site visit with the Council to see what we can achieve in each of the Parishes – PA : proposer HM : seconded all in favour.
Action: clerk to arrange a site visit.
- Any other matters arising – Including vandalism on Withington Field, in the coppice and recent bin fires.
There has been a recent spate of petty vandalism on Withington Field, there has also been complaints about kids making a BMX track through the Coppice.
It was suggested that we might extend the cctv to cover the pavilion –
Actions: clerk to get this message out in the Withington News and RB to put on socials.
HM to get a quote for an additional camera.
Clerk to ensure that we have a CCTV policy.
Dog poo bins to be turned to face the dog walking area.
- Receive items for the next agenda (no discussion)
Drainage grant , outstanding footpaths issues, SID update, CCTV, Sonas House, speed count at Cross Keys. Tennis on the Muga . Land ownership around the village hall.
PA had told Welsh Water that there is a leak on Withies Rd, they went out to look for it last night as the resurfacing is now underway. This resurfacing and new line marking has happened due to the parishoners and cllrs keeping on at the Council to get the job started.
Extra school signage is happening later on in the year, but all road markings should be addressed as part of this job.
Thanks to be passed to the TM team for doing the speed count on the A4103
Action: clerk to thank TM team
Items for Social Media: cost of the signs come out of parishoners Council Tax, BMX in the coppice, possible CCTV covering the park. School safety is still a priority. Ask if any one is interested in playing tennis on the MUGA?
Action: RB and PA to add items to social media.
- Agreed time and date of next meeting: 10th September 2025 starting at 7.30pm.
Meeting closed at 9.40pm Signed: