Newsletter 18
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THE FARNBOROUGH SOCIETY preserving the past, shaping the future Newsletter: Issue 18 August 2017 RECENT EVENTS AND NEWS A word from the Chairman It was a privilege to be elected as Chairman of The Farnborough Society at the AGM on the 11th May. My plan is to continue the good work that the society has undertaken in prior years under the chairmanship of Ted Gardner. I would like to thank Ted on behalf of the society for his hard work over the years and wish him well in his future endeavours. As way of introduction I can tell you that I have lived in Farnborough for the last 10 years and recognise that makes me a newcomer compared to many of the members that I have spoken with. I retired from my role as a senior executive in a global business last year and have plunged headlong into the voluntary sector in Farnborough where I am now a school governor and director of two local charities. You may also see me around town driving minibuses for RVS and providing transportation to medical appointments with Farnborough Neighbourcare. As well as continuing to provide interesting events for the members and providing input on planning matters to Rushmoor Borough Council, I would like to broaden the membership of the society and attract some younger people to participate in what we do. If any of you have ideas on how to achieve that goal or know of people who may be interested in joining us then I’d be delighted to hear from you. Thank you for your continued support of the society and I look forward to meeting more of you at future events. Peter Hurst, Chaiman 1 VISIT TO FARNBOROUGH LIBRARY by Jenny Murray Twenty-one members had a very enjoyable and informative tour of Farnborough Library in the company of library manager Rob Bealey. He started by giving us an overview of recent developments in the library, and the challenges it faces in the future. Cuts in funding mean that libraries everywhere have to maximise their resources and look at ways to generate income. Part of this involves engaging with other agencies, and one way they have done this is to provide space for a café within the library. This is run by Parkside, an Aldershot-based charity which provides support services for people with learning disabilities, giving young people experience of the work environment and providing a useful step towards mainstream employment. What was once an under-used meetings room is now used by Hampshire County Council adult services to provide training and support for young people looking for work. Smaller rooms are used for a variety of educational and leisure courses which provide income for the library. Our visit continued with a look at the Children's Library, which since a recent refurbishment has a multi-coloured chequerboard carpet and brightly painted child-sized furniture. Each week the library holds a Baby Rhyme Time for the under-twos and a storytime for under-fives. For older children there is a Code Club, and a 'Let's Build' Construction Club using Lego (they cannot call it a Lego Club for copyright reasons!). These clubs are run by volunteers. During the summer, extra volunteers are recruited to help with a holiday reading scheme to encourage children to continue reading. Volunteers also run a number of clubs for adults, including a book group, Craft and Chat, Knit and Natter, and a board game club. More are planned for the future, including a local studies group if a volunteer can be recruited to run it. Rob talked about other ways in which the library has had to cut costs. Mobile libraries were expensive to run and under-used, so these have been phased out and replaced by the Home Library Service, using volunteers to deliver books to the homes of those unable to get to a library. Housebound readers and others can also use E-books, which may be temporarily downloaded from the library website free of charge. The use of DVDs and music CDs has declined dramatically and no longer provides useful revenue, so these are being phased out. Library users now issue and return their own books at self-service units, freeing staff for other duties. We then looked at the Aviation Collection followed by the Local History Collection (which now sadly has no specialist member of staff). The library holds the News and Mail on microfiche back as far as 1894, as well as copies of Flight Magazine dating back to 1909. Computers are available in the library and are well-used by students and those without internet access at home. Assistance is given when needed by library staff, and there are plans for volunteers to be recruited to give more in-depth help where necessary. We came away with an impression of a vibrant, dynamic library which despite financial constraints and the changing needs of users, will continue to respond well to the challenges ahead. 2 THE RUSHMOOR LOCAL PLAN A Presentation by Keith Holland, Louise Piper and Jane Reeves Keith and his team gave us an overview of the process that has resulted in the draft document recently out to consultation, its content and what happens after the consultation. This new Plan is more comprehensive than the Rushmoor Core Strategy, which was adopted in 2011, drawing together elements of a number of existing policies into one document so that the planning process will become much easier for the public and planning officers to navigate. It will cover the period 2014-2032 and incorporate both strategic and detailed (i.e. development management) policies. The ‘Draft Submission’ is based on extensive consultation during earlier stages of the process and is believed to be ‘sound’. Any comments received during this consultation will be considered by a Planning Inspector, who will look at whether the Plan meets legal requirements, whether it is in fact ‘sound’ (insofar as it was positively prepared, justified, effective and consistent with national policy) and whether it meets the Duty to Cooperate requirement with regard to engagement with neighbouring authorities and statutory bodies. One key element of the plan is housing. Rushmoor forms part of a Housing Market Area with Surrey Heath and Hart, and the total objectively assessed housing need across the combined area has been determined to be 1,200 dwellings per annum. Rushmoor’s share is assessed at a total of at least 7,850 new homes by 2032. The Plan aims to encourage a mix of dwelling types and tenures, including affordable housing, with good local neighbourhood facilities. The Spatial Strategy within the Plan lays out what will be built, where and when, with a focus on new development within defined urban areas. Much of this housing is already being provided in the Wellesley development but a significant amount of new housing will come about as part of Aldershot and Farnborough town centre regeneration. At the same time, North Camp’s identity as a distinct district centre will be protected. The Plan encompasses infrastructure, community, facilities and transport, aiming to create high quality, distinctive environments that value our heritage while promoting good design to create pleasant living conditions indoors and out, with plenty of green space and leisure facilities. It also aims to create prosperous communities, encouraging economic growth and investment. Strategic and locally important employment sites, such as Farnborough Business Park, Cody Technology Park and the East Aldershot Industrial Cluster, will be protected, and a new emphasis placed on skills, training and employment. Because of Rushmoor’s proximity to the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area, all development must mitigate against adverse impact by identifying Suitable Alternative Green Space and making a financial contribution under Section 106 of the 1990 Town & Country Planning Act. These funds will be invested in green infrastructure and biodiversity. With regard to Farnborough town centre, the Plan seeks to maintain or ideally enhance its vitality and viability, with a focus on retail, leisure, entertainment, culture, restaurants and cafes, plus other service uses, and to develop an evening economy. It supports office and residential development and seeks to improve accessibility. A key part of Farnborough town centre’s regeneration will be the Civic Quarter, where a mixed-use development is proposed combining community, civic and leisure uses with a central green space, to serve as a venue for events and activities, substantial residential development and improved pedestrian and cycle connectivity between the town centre and business park. Since the Masterplan SPD was published in 2015, a memorandum of understanding has been drawn up between the landowners to work together and AECOM has been appointed to develop a detailed masterplan, which is scheduled to be drafted in early Autumn, along with plans for the first phase, at the former Police Station site. Other important sites in Farnborough are Meudon House, where some 300 residential units are proposed, and The Crescent, in Southwood, where a further 150 dwellings are proposed. Throughout the Local Plan, health and wellbeing are taken into account. It promotes healthy housing, through high standards of design to ensure adequate indoor and outdoor space, affordable homes, and accessible/adaptable housing for the elderly and disabled. It seeks to encourage active travel and sustainable transport. It also aims to create a healthy environment by minimising pollution, reducing flood risk, providing open/green space for sport and recreation, and by promoting biodiversity. And it aims to create vibrant neighbourhoods by providing local employment, high-quality design, accessible streets/ spaces and safe communities. The Farnborough Society undertook to submit a report in response to the consultation, which ended 21st July 2017.