Charvil.com News items

January 2010 - Naming the Lakes Competition

As part of the management of the Charvil Country Park, we have become aware that none of the four lakes within the Charvil boundary are officially named.

Please have a look at the map of the country park and think of some new and original names for the lakes which are labeled A-D.

Please let our Parish Clerk Irvine Cohen, know your suggestions by 28th February 2010. The Parish Council are looking forward to reviewing these suggestions and will announce the new names and the person(s) who made the suggestions in the next newsletter.

September 2009 Thames Valley Police - Community Messaging

Residents Warned To Look Out For Door-Knocking Rogue Traders
Residents are being warned to keep their eyes open for a group of rogue traders who are touring the streets of Reading and the Wokingham Borough area knocking on doors offering to carry out work to install dropped kerbs in front of people's homes.

Already this week the group have illegally installed sub-standard dropped kerbs on the public highway without council permission.

Residents have shelled out hundreds of pounds in cash to have the work done. Unfortunately they will now have to shell out hundreds more to have the kerbs repaired and reinstated.

In the meantime Trading Standards team are warning residents to be on the look out for the traders who will knock on people's doors offering to install dropped kerbs, and possibly other paving or driveway work often targetting houses where they think older people are living.

I'd warn any residents who are approached by workman knocking on their door to call the Trading Standards team straight away. Hopefully we can help avoid other residents falling victim.

Moor Copse Close, Earley, has seen traders calling for work without estimates and Larch Drive, Woodley where a man has paid a man for his roof to be fixed, however the 'builder' has never returned. Also - 2 males knocking on doors in Windsor Ride Finchampstead, handing out leaflets seen in a white van. Finally in Reading Rd, Finchampstead. Caller reporting males going to home of an elderly lady and collecting money for work not completed. Anyone concerned for friends, family or neighbours can contact Trading Standards on 0118 9746400 or email: Trading Standards and 0845 8 505 505 for the Police, or 999 if an emergency.

May 2009 - Sandford Farm - CPC comments

PLANNING OBSERVATION SHEET - 235/09/07
FROM: CHARVIL PARISH COUNCIL
TO: Wokingham District Council
APPLICATION NUMBER O/2007/1690
PROPOSAL Outline for industrial/commercial buildings and retirement dwellings.
ADDRESS Land at Sandford Farm, Mohawk Way, Woodley
APPLICANT Sandford Farm Properties Ltd.
CASE OFFICER Jonathan Bishop

PARISH COUNCIL COMMENT
Council considers this application to be an unsuitable and inappropriate development for this location, which is in the narrow 'green strip' separating 'Rural' Charvil from 'Urban' Woodley. Council also has concerns about the effect which the proposed access onto a narrow country lane (Beggars Hill Road) will inevitably have on the rural nature of that part of the village. Finally, Council has more general concerns about the consequences which this kind of development will have on the area as a whole in terms of 'precedent'
Read entire document (pdf)

May 2009 - Sandford Farm Planning Application

CHARVIL VILLAGE SOCIETY (newsletter »)
To all residents in Waingels Road, Park Lane, The Hawthorns, Foxes Walk and East Park Farm

Planning Application No. : F2007 1690 (Click for maps)

A planning application has been submitted for industrial development of the Sandford Farm waste disposal site. As part of the application there also plans for a 150 home Retirement Village for over 55s which will have access via Beggars Hill Road. This will obviously have traffic implications for a highly unsuitable single track lane. The availability of Beggars Hill Road and Lands End Lane as a quiet rural lane for walkers, joggers and cyclists will be affected as there are plans to put 12 passing places along the road and to replace many of the grass verges with a hard walk way. There will be implications for other nearby roads as traffic can only exit the area via Waingels Road or Park Lane. Many Charvil residents use the Lands End area as a recreational amenity-hundreds of people per day use the lane which far outweighs use by motor vehicles. There is opposition to the development from several parish/town councils, Charvil Village Society, Rt Hon Theresa May MP, Pamela Graddon (District Councillor) and by Loddon Valley Action Group. If you would like to add your objections would you please write to the Wokingham Borough Council planning Dept. at the address given below. Alternatively you can make contact by E-mail or via the web-site – details are below The closing date for objection or comments is October 2nd so please make your contribution as soon as convenient. Some of the main bullet points are set out below but you will obviously have thoughts and ideas of your own to add. If using these points do not necessarily follow the same order and ensure that your objections are framed in your own words.

• Change from Rural to Urban character of Beggars Hill Road and Lands End Lane Eg. Passing places, hard pathways in place of green verges, additional pinch point for traffic, traffic lights at the bridge
• Traffic and Highway
• The road is patently unsuitable for further traffic. It is single track, has dangerous elements eg. Bends with very poor sight lines, junction with Waingels Road. Loss/damage to Amenity to Charvil Residents
• The main use of Beggars Hill Road and Lands End Lane is by walkers, runners and joggers, cyclists, horse riders and families who greatly outweigh traffic. These activities would be inhibited by additional traffic and by change to the rural characteristics of this area. Green Wedge
• The proposed Retirement Village would occupy the remaining green wedge between Woodley and Charvil Sandford Farm Site
• The proposed plans are largely for industrial purposes. Should this be supported as opposed to much needed housing or other accommodation ? Emergency and Service Vehicles access
• The existing pinch point in Waingels Road and the proposed new pinch point in Lands End Lane would make access difficult or impossible for emergency vehicles (fire and ambulance etc.), as well as Calor/Oil delivery vehicles (we have no mains gas), tankers emptying septic tanks (we have no mains drainage), waste collection, farm vehicles, removal vans and many others. Contamination
• It is well documented that the site is severely affected by toxic waste and gases. The excavation of the site for footings etc. could well exacerbate the problem. 'Quiet Lanes'
• Movements are in process to apply for 'Quiet Lane' status for Beggars Hill Road, Lands End Lane and Park Lane South under the new government and Wokingham Borough Council initiative Flooding Parts of the proposed site and Beggars Hill Road are liable to flooding
• Children's Nursery Why is this sited near the contaminated area of the site ?

Letters should be sent , quoting the planning application number (F2007 1690) to Jonathan Bishop, Wokingham Borough Council, Planning Regulation and Enforcement, PO Box 157, Shute End, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG 40 1WR. You could also send an E-mail to : development.control@wokingham.gov.uk or complete an on-line comments form on the web-site at www.wokingham.gov.uk

The Rt. Hon. Theresa May, MP and District Councillor Pamela Graddon have asked that, if possible , a copy of your letter could be sent to them to help them with strengthening their campaigns against the proposals.

Their addresses are :
The Rt. Hon. Theresa May, House of Commons, London, SW1A OAA
Pamela Graddon, 52, Wessex Gardens, Twyford, Berkshire, RG10 OAY

If you need to contact somebody to discuss your ideas please contact one of the three people named below:
Pamela Graddon, District Councillor Tel. 934 1986

Pamela has said that she would try to meet with anyone who needs advice Jackie Jeffery , Parish Council Planning Officer,
Tel. 9690834 Jean Green, Beggars Hill Road Resident Tel. : 934 5086

For information : The Charvil Parish Council are holding an Emergency Meeting on Tuesday, 18th September to discuss this issue. Members of the public can attend part of the meeting. Advice is that you should plan to be at the Village Hall by about 8.30pm, To check this and for further information please contact Jackie Jeffery on the telephone number above.

Paul Gregory
Chairman
Charvil Village Society