Agenda item

Stoneygate Ward Councillors provided an update on the issues they had been dealing with in the ward and activities they had been involved in since the last meeting. The following was discussed:

Councillor Chaplin:

·         At advice surgeries, welfare rights and major housing issues were being received;

·         Leicester College have leased the MKA building on Conduit Street, but would not affect the building on Dashwood Road;

·         The University of Leicester’s Brookfield site planning application had been approved, though more detail had been requested on the transport plan, opening times, student numbers and the view for Holmfield Road residents;

·         11 Elmfield Road planning application for a care home was approved, though opposition had been made by residents, and Elderly Persons Homes (EPHs) had been closed by the Council due to reduced demand;

·         22 Staveley Road, block of flats planning application was currently on hold due to further submitted amendments;

·         19 St Johns Road planning application had received more than five objections and would go to planning, as it was felt by resident the application did not fit with the conservation area;

·         9 St James Road planning application had received objections from several residents and local conservation groups. The Planning Committee was evenly split, with the Chair having the casting vote, the application was approved. Residents have complained about a procedural issue at the meeting;

·         A planning application for a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) at 44 Highfield Street was taken to Planning Committee at the request Councillor Chaplin. Residents had concerns over the number of HMOs in the area, and the need for family homes in the ward. Also raised was the need for two screenings for HMP applications: (i) landlords; (ii) maintained properties;

·         Councillors could be contacted for questions to be raised on behalf of residents at the meeting of Full Council was Thursday 22^nd March;

·         Council January – a petition was presented requesting residents parking on Herschell Street;

·         Council February – sought to prioritise adult social care in the budget, and made the point staff have to make difficult decisions every day;

·         An application had been submitted to move the sexual health clinic into the Haymarket Shopping Centre. A public meeting was arranged and information about the decision requested, as there were concerns regarding the confidentiality of the entrance;

·         Homelessness, following two deaths in the ward the issue will continue to be raised;

·         There is likely to be a review of the services offered at the Dawn Centre;

·         A visit had taken place at Action Homeless on St James Terrace. Support would continue to be offered to those asking for small scale flexible accommodation;

·         A postponed patchwalk arranged for Rowsley Street would be rearranged;

·         Would be meeting the Sacred Spaces Team on 19 March to discuss Conduit Street.

Councillor Thalukdar:

·         He declared an interest in that he could not comment on planning applications in the Ward, as he sat on the Council’s Planning and Development Control Committee;

·         He believed that homelessness was getting worse around the city.

Councillor Master:

·         A meeting was held with the Vice-Chancellor regarding the University of Leicester Brookfield Road site. It was noted that community access would be available on the site, and there would be adequate parking for staff. Any concerns by residents could be sent to Ward Councillors;

·         Staveley Road – residents believed that some scheme would be acceptable, but not the planning application in its current form;

·         The developer for an approved development of a 120 student accommodation building on Conduit Street was in negotiation with the council for additional land opposite (the former Jolly Miller site) for a further student development;

·         In answer to a question at a previous ward meeting, Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) had visited Stoneygate Ward 5,450 times, and issued 1,808 FPNs. Belgrave and Abbey had 3,126 visits, and 491 FPNs issued, an indication Stoneygate were over the volume of visits in comparison to other parts of the city. It was requested the item be added as an agenda item on a quarterly basis;

·         Homelessness – with a Member and Constituent, a visit to Hammersmith / Fulham to look at schemes, and how they responded to the homelessness crisis, etc. had taken place. A brief was presented to the City Mayor which highlighted the work done, and a request that a scoping exercise be undertaken to look at best practice;

·         The current City Mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby, had been reselected as Labour Candidate for the 2019 election.

Residents’ concerns and Councillors’ responses:

·         A request to assist the new Evington Residents Group to articulate to planning that they were not against development in the area, but wanted family housing;

·         With regards to conservation areas, it was asked if it was time to push to change the Article 4 Direction to prevent the development of HMOs, as developers were not taking past history into account.

·         It was further queried that if students were not put in the purpose built flats, could private tenants use them. It was noted that purpose built student accommodation size was smaller in comparison to private tenant developments;

·         The revised planning application for St Albans Road was improved, but still not good, and residents should be vigilant of the proposed development. The University was due to organise a community liaison meeting, date to be confirmed;

·         The development on Conduit Street should be a landmark building due to its proximity to the train station;

·         Concerns were raised over what would happen when Stephen George left, as they owned a large plot of land. Residents were asked to raise any concerns over planning applications to the Planning Team.