Environment Committee Tuesday 19 June 2001 Time
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
AVAILABLE IN LARGE PRINT Meeting: Environment Committee th Date: Tuesday 19 June 2001 Time: 7.30pm. Place: Committee Room 5, Civic Centre Uxbridge Committee Administrator: Susan Came Tel: 01895 250472 Press Enquiries: Roy Mills Tel: 01895 250534 Councillors on the Committee Conservative Labour Liberal Democrat Mike Heywood (Chairman) John Oswell (Group Lead) Janet Campbell Jacqueline Griffith (Vice Graham Tomlin Chairman) David Horne Albert Kanjee Jim Jonas Sandra Jenkins Dave Allam Val Robins Advisory Members Susan Sweeting Friends of the Earth Roger Taylor Hillingdon Ecology Forum Ian Cantley Ruislip Woods Management Committee Ian Grant Hillingdon Horticultural & Allotments Federation Substitute Councillors Graham Horn Lindsay Bliss Andrew Vernazza Alf Langley Dalip Chand You are invited to attend the above meeting. The agenda is attached. David Brough Head of Committee Services Smoking is not allowed in the Civic Centre including the Committee Rooms. DESPATCH DATE: MONDAY 11TH JUNE 2001 ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE 19TH JUNE 2001 AGENDA PART 1 – PUBLIC 1. Apologies for absence, to report the presence of any substitute members at the Committee and approval of any changes in Sub-Committee memberships. 2. To receive the minutes of the meetings held on 20th March and 17th May 2001, copies attached. 3. To consider recommendations and resolutions from following Sub-Committees:- Transportation Sub-Committee of 24th May 2001, to follow. Parking Sub-Committee of 11th June 2001, to follow Hayes & Harlington Planning Sub-Committees of 19.2.01, 19.2.01 and 29.3.01. Uxbridge Planning Sub-Committees of 15.2.01, 27.3.01 and 24.4.01. Ruislip/Northwood Planning Sub-Committees of 27.2.01, 3.4.01 and 8.5.01. (all Sub-Committee minutes are being circulated under separate cover). 4. Disclosure of ‘Any Other Business’ items to be considered in public and private 5. Confirmation that all items marked Part 1 will be considered in public and that any items marked Part 2 will be considered in private 6. To note that items to be notified at the meeting fall within the provisions of Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and that any member of the Sub-Committee who is two or more months in arrears with their Council Tax or who has arrears of Community Charge must declare that fact and not vote on those items. 7. Report of the officers, copy attached 1 Petition – Flooding at Kings College Playing Fields, Ruislip Page 4 (Ruislip and Eastcote Wards) 2 Petition – Ruislip High Street Superloo (St Martins Ward) Page 6 3 Petition – Community Close, Ickenham – Recycling Facilities Page 8 (Ickenham Ward) 4 Petition – Condition of Kings Road and Queens Road, Page 12 Uxbridge (Cowley Ward) 5 Petition – Tree Management in Whitethorn Avenue, Yiewsley Page 14 and surrounding roads (Colham Ward) 6 Petition – New Years Green Lane, Harefield – Highway Page 16 Maintenance (Harefield Ward) 7 Revenue Budget 2001/2002 Page 17 8 The Chrysalis Programme – Progress on Projects and Page 24 Allocation of Unspent Resources for 2000/2001 9 Uxbridge/Cowley Economic Support Strategy Page 42 10 Development Control – Service Update Page 44 11 Charging Fees for Town Planning Officers Time Working on Page 50 Section 106 Obligations and update on associated work 12 Audit Commission Report on Waste Services Page 57 13 Review of Hillingdon’s Unitary Development Plan – Issues Page 59 Consultation – Interim Progress report 14 Intelligence Report – Planning Consultation Documents and Page 74 Recent Planning Issues 15 Planning Appeals 1998-2001 Page 80 16 The Urban White Paper – The Next Steps Page 94 17 Planning Appeal at Hillingdon Hospital – Implications of Page 105 Decision for Affordable Housing Policy 18 Environmental Services Equal Opportunities Action Plan Page 126 19 Interim Local Implementation Plan 2002/2003 Page 142 20 Draft Interim Parking Strategy – Consultation Responses Page 145 21 Enhancement of the Parking Enforcement Service Page 160 22 Hillingdon’s Participation in the London Low Emissions Zone Page 163 Feasibility Study 23 Contaminated Land Inspection Strategy Page 166 24 Sale of Tobacco and other age restricted goods – Page 173 Programme of Enforcement Action 25 Initial Proposals for the London Mayor’s Spatial Development Page 175 Strategy 26 Sound Insulation Scheme to mitigate the effects of Railway Page 178 Noise from the Great Western Mainline (Botwell Ward) 27 Foot and Mouth Disease – Update Page 182 28 E-Services – Targets, Milestones and Resources Page 184 29 Environment Group Officer Delegations Page 187 30 Seminars for Committee Members Page 200 8. Any other business or urgent items in Part 1 PART 2 - PRIVATE 9. Report of the officers, continued These reports are included in the Part 2 agenda as they contains exempt information as defined in the Local Government: (Access to Information) Act 1985, Schedule 1, Part 1. For report No. 31 the report contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of particular people. (paragraph 7 of the Schedule). For report number 32 the report contains information relating to any instructions to counsel and any opinion of counsel (whether or not in connection with any proceedings) and any advice received, information obtained or action to be taken in connection with- (a) any legal proceedings by or against the authority, or (b) the determination of any matter affecting the authority (whether, in either case, proceedings have been commenced or are in contemplation) (paragraph 12 of the Schedule). 31 Irrecoverable Sundry Debtors Page 201 32 Internal Audit Reports Page 204 33 Car Spares, 1, The Common, West Drayton Page 215 10. Any items transferred from Part 1 11. Any other business or urgent items in Part 2 PETITION – FLOODING AT KINGS COLLEGE PLAYING FIELDS, RUISLIP ITEM 1 (Ruislip and Eastcote Wards) CONTACT OFFICER : David Bryant TELEPHONE : 01895 250316 SUMMARY A petition signed by over 50 residents requesting action to prevent flood waters entering gardens surrounding Kings College Playing Fields, in St Martin’s Approach, Park Avenue, Pinn Way and Brook Drive has been received by the authority. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that the committee: 1) Note the petition, residents’ concerns and action to-date. 2) Instructs officers to initiate discussions with the Environment Agency to seek a viable long term solution to the flooding and report back to a future meeting of this committee. INFORMATION 1. The initial flooding of the fields occurred during the last few days of October and the first few days of November 2000, after 3-4 days of near constant heavy rainfall. The flooding was extensive as the river Pinn breached its banks on both sides. The flooding extended from St Martin’s Approach and Park Avenue on one side and Pinn Way and Brook Drive on the other. As the river level dropped much of the floodwater was left trapped on the open space. Under normal weather conditions the water would have been absorbed into the ground, however, as the water- table in the area is high, the flood water has remained on the open space in 4 main areas bordering and extending into the gardens of the following properties because they are of the same level or lower than the open space: 32 St Martin’s Approach and adjoining property 64 Park Avenue 12-16 Brook Drive and first house in Pinn Way 2. The areas known as Kings College Playing Fields and Pinn Fields are the natural flood plain of the River Pinn and many of the properties around the fields are actually within the flood plain. 3. The Environment Agency has advised that the current flood defences in the area are adequate under normal winter flood conditions. Unfortunately this winter, 2000-2001, has been the wettest since records began and although the local authority is the riparian owner of the land, it has not done anything to alter the land to cause the current problems which are the result of the record high rainfall. 4. Officers have made many site visits to the fields over the winter regarding this matter to see what could be done if at all possible to resolve the situation. To-date no resolve has been identified, as the area is designated a flood plain, officers have sought advice from the Environment agency, but have to date received no advice as to any possible solutions, but have Environment Committee report 19th June 2001 Page 4 PART 1 – MEMBERS, PUBLIC AND PRESS however been advised that we would not be permitted to alter the flood plain in any way without the Environment Agency agreeing the proposals and carrying out a full study to see how any proposed changes would affect land and property both up and down stream of Kings College. 5. As a gesture of good will the authority carried out pumping operations for a week and a half, to remove the trapped water from the area of at the St Martin’s approach end of the site, however these works were suspended as what gains were made in reducing the water level during the day-time were reversed overnight either by more rainfall or seepage from higher ground. 6. A site meeting was held on the 1st May between officers and Trevor Brawn of the Environment Agency who stated that the whole of the Kings college and Pinn Field were natural flood plains of the River Pinn. He provided a map which indicated the extent of the area of the flood plain and stated that little could be done to alter that fact but he would look at any proposals that were put forward. 7. During late April a person or persons unknown have dug trenches from the areas of water on the open space through the Banks of the river in an effort to remove the water from the open space.