Empty home on Christchurch Road – progress at last?

Over on my other blog I have given a roundup on activity by RBC officers to bring hundreds of Reading's empty homes back into use. This important work is only happening because of the active campaign my Lib Dem colleagues and I have led locally on this issue which led to strategy and resources being allocated to this issue. In Redlands, one of the most prominent empty homes is the beautiful house on the corner of Christchurch Road and Kendrick Road. I have been nagging officers for years to work with the owner of this property to bring it back into use. I heard today that internal work is well underway with electricians, carpenters and decorators on site. It is rumoured that this property is due to be let out in the Summer which is good news (but we'll believe it when we see it!) We have raised concerns with officers about the state of the site and they regularly remind the owner of his responsibilities.

Redlands residents raise tree loss fears

This evening I attended a public consultation meeting to gauge public views towards the Council's  developing tree strategy which was held at St Joseph's Convent School in Upper Redlands Road. The meeting was organised by the Redlands GLOBE group which campaigns locally on environmental issues and a good number of residents turned out. This gives you an inkling as to how important the street environment and trees in particular are to local residents in our community. Over the past few years a large number of trees in streets around Redlands - this loss has been widely felt - particularly in roads off Erleigh Road. Residents from Alexandra Road, Carnarvon Road, Eastern Avenue and Donnington Road pressed council officers for reassurances that felled trees would be replaced. Officers were unable to give residents the reassurances they sought, unsurprisingly - so much depends on what money is available in the Budget. It was clear that residents see spending money on replacement trees as an investment - I am minded to agree. Recently 8 lime trees were replanted on Alexandra Road - this follows a local campaign by residents and my colleague Glenn Goodall.

We were shown a map of Reading's trees and 'green corridors' during the meeting - central Reading and South Reading has some of the lowest numbers of street trees in the Borough (around 10% canopy coverage) compared to other areas in the Borough. Ideas were explored including involving more private partners in tree funding and ways to get the community more involved in planting and caring for street trees. Residents from the densely-populated streets around Erleigh Road were keen to see more trees planted in their areas - officers said that new highway regulations (and parking pressures) made this quite difficult. Many parts of our ward could do with more trees - residents wanted to see replacing trees that had been felled by RBC as the top priority. I don't blame them. Residents said they were fed up with tree stumps in and around Erleigh Road being left for years - this is something Glenn has been raising with the Council for some time.

In the  Lib Dems we have been raising the need to replace street trees in Redlands for many years and we are pleased that at long last the Labour-run Council is finally bringing forward a tree strategy. However, years of inaction by Labour has meant many trees have been lost from our streets which is a real shame and damages our environment. As one resident pointed out trees have a part to play in reducing carbon emissions - cutting them down and not replacing them is a short term solution.l

With budgets likely to be under severe pressure in the coming years we will need to find new ways to fund trees on our streets. Money from the private sector is one option as is doing more to get new trees funded out of Section 106 linked to new development. Another major challenge we face in Reading is the resistance of utility companies and the highways department to new trees being planted. This is because tree roots can interfere with pipes and cables. The other issues is the pressure for parking spaces on our roads which with many residents is their top priority (!) Other towns and cities manage to sustain street trees - Reading Borough Council must get better at it in the future for the sake of our local environment.

Please take part in the public consultation on the draft tree strategy and help us campaign for more street trees in Redlands. Comments can be submitted online via the Council's website and in writing. Get your comments in by 2 April - please also email us your views so we are aware of your concerns and so we can speak up for more trees in Redlands.

Redlands March Planning Update

46 Redlands Road Planning Application - Appeal

Last year I led a local campaign against plans to redevelop 46 Redlands Road into 10 flats which was well supported by local residents. You will recall that last December Members voted unanimously to reject the proposal on the grounds that if developed it could have a detrimental impact on the character of the immediate area and the three Conservation Areas it lies adjacent to. I’m sorry to have to report (and you may already be aware) that an Appeal has been received by Reading Borough Council’s Planning Department. The appeal is on the grounds that ‘the proposed building will not harm the Allcroft Road streetscene or nearby conservation areas and was recommended for approval by the planning officer.’  The deadline for comments is 21 Apri. All original objections have been sent on to the PINS (Planning Inspectorate) by RBC but the deadline allows additional comments to be made if residents wish to do so. At this stage my advice would be that it is probably not necessary for residents to write in. RBC planning officers will be submitting a statement and a site visit will be arranged in due course. It will take several months for the Planning Inspector to report back. We are keeping our fingers crossed he backs residents and councillors who raised a large number of concerns about this plan.

117 Kendrick Road – HMO application
Plans that were withdrawn last year following a large number of complaints from councillors and residents have been resubmitted for the conversion of 117 Kendrick Road from a hotel back into residential accommodation (House in Multiple Occupation) (Resubmission of 09/01205/FUL). We are currently trying to get more information about the details from RBC about this application and we will be in touch when we have it.

Redevelopment of Mansfield Hall (Kendrick Road)
A number of residents have contacted us with concerns about the redevelopment of Mansfield Hall on Kendrick Road after rather worrying hoardings marked 'demolition' went up. We joined Katesgrove Lib Dem councillors in opposing this plan last year as we feared the impact it would have on residents and the Conservation area. Sadly despite being unanimously rejected by the RBC Planning Committee the Planning Inspector (based in Bristol!) supported the planning appeal so the development is going ahead.

As ever, if there is anything we can do to help as your local councillors please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Listening to residents on Bede Walk (and taking action)

Last month I knocked on doors on Bede Walk as part of our regular effort to keep in touch with constituents all year round. We have spent a lot of time helping residents in this area since 2006 as they tended to be overlooked by the Labour Council. This extended to me getting them a new road sign as before it was difficult for people making deliveries to find them! When I spoke to them last month residents complained about a number of issues and expressed their general dissatisfaction with the way that Labour is running the Council in Reading.I took up the issues residents raised with me directly with the Council and have summarised them briefly below:

Dog fouling

Dog fouling is one of the top issues of concern on the Walk (and across South Reading) and it’s something my colleagues and I have been raising with Reading Borough Council for a couple of years now, trying to get action taken to keep footpaths clean. I wrote to RBC to request a fence to protect residents’ gardens and to request a Dog Control Order (DCO) be brought in to cover the estate – this would give RBC the power to issue fixed penalty notices. DCOs are orders that the Labour government gave councils under the Clean Neighbourhoods Act 2005 (replacing earlier legislation) Labour-run has so far not brought in any orders. RBC officers are investigating whether or not this can be done. I have been told that the Council cannot afford to pay for fencing.

Fence next to Reading Girls School

The combination of this unsightly, broken down fence and overgrown trees has been a bugbear for local residents for many years. Several residents complained to me about this and I am very frustrated as I have been raising this issue with the School’s officers for about three years.I have written to the School once again seeking assurance that action will be taken to sort the fence out. I have received this response from Charles Ainslie at the School via Peter Kayes - former Labour councillor for Redlands and Governor at the School who has helped to push this forward:
“The fence we can’t do anything about until the new budget. It will be replaced with a chain link unfortunately as we can’t afford the weld mesh.
The litter is on a schedule with our litter picker to do once a week. I will make sure it is being done. However it is a constant battle.”

Garage Area
I noticed on my recent visit to the walk that a number of cobble stones have been removed as part of a pattern of anti-social behaviour over a period of months. I have written to RBC officers about this and the issue is now being investigated by the Garage Officer. I also reported a large amount of bulky waste that had been dumped behind the garage area to the Council for removal. We have campaigned over the past couple of years to get repairs to the alley gates to reduce break-ins and also to get tougher action taken against residents who dump rubbish.

Useful numbers

• If you have any concerns about your property, dog-fouling, fly-tipping the alley-way or garage area please contact Neighbourhood Officer Ashley Blackwood on 0118 939 0161
• Please help us keep your area clean and green please report any dumped rubbish or litter to Streetcare on (freephone) 0800 626 540.
• Crime and anti-social behaviour – the only way we can get action taken and more Police presence is to report any issues to Thames Valley Police. You can call the Police free 24 hours a day on 0845 8 505 505.

Because many residents on the Walk do not have access to the internet I will be writing to them about the action we have taken as well. If you live there and have any concerns you wish to raise with us - please get in touch!

Upper Redlands Road – action to protect highway and verges

Last month I blogged about damage to verges and problems on Upper Redlands Road connected with the redevelopment of the University's Halls. I raised this with the Council and via the University's Community Relations Manager and as a result a site visit was arrangd.The issue also cropped up at the recent Redlands & University Neighbourhood Action Group annual public meeting via a resident from Avebury Square .

Today I received this response from RBC:

'I met with Site Agent on Friday afternoon and walked front of site in Upper Redlands Road and there is not an issue with sweeping they employ a mechanical sweeper every other day and the road was fine apart from site dust in channels and this would have been swept over weekend. The only verges are further down Upper Redlands Road toward Redlands Road in which a heavy vehicle mounted this verge weeks ago this was not associated with the site works to my knowledge and I have requested Parks to repair so I will chase. I am monitoring this road as is RBC's Clerk of Works and we are in direct contact with the site should there be an issue.'

If you notice any further problems on Upper Redlands Road please get in touch with me and I will get in touch with the Council again.