Richard Struck

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Development Control Committee meeting, Thursday 18th June, 7.30pm at Three Rivers House

The following application is on the agenda - you may view the application details and the officers’ report online on the Council website.

The Happy Man, Berry Lane, Mill End WD3 7HR
Details: 09/0537/FUL
This is Tesco’s revised plan for the Happy Man site, showing a building of one to three storeys, comprising a Class A1 (retail) unit at ground-floor level to be used as a convenience goods store with 6 x 2 bed and 1 x 1 bed residential flats at upper levels with associated access, parking and landscaping for Tesco Stores Ltd. The planning officers are recommending refusal.
A previous plan for a Tesco store and eight 2-bed flats was refused last November. Last week Tesco submitted an appeal against that refusal.

M25 Road Closure
The M25 will be closed overnight this Saturday, from 10.00pm to 7.00am Sunday, between Junctiions 17 and 18, to demolish the pedestrian footbridge just south of J18. The diversion will be via Uxbridge Road, Rectory Road and Chorleywood Road. The bridge will be replaced next spring.
New “environmental mitigation bund” proposals
Meanwhile, TRDC has received formal notice from Skanska/Balfour Beatty for the construction of two permanent environmental mitigation bunds alongside the M25 – both between Shepherd’s Lane and Junction 17 at Mill End, one on the Chorleywood side of the motorway and the other on the Rickmansworth side. These replace an earlier proposal for a permanent environmental mitigation bund on the Rickmansworth side only. Details can be viewed on the Council’s website via the following link.
http://www.threerivers.gov.uk/Default.aspx/Web/M25Widening-TwoEnvironmentalMitigationBundsoffJunction17.
The difference between the new proposals and those announced in January are as follows: On the Chorleywood side of the motorway between J17 and Shepherds Lane – nearer the Shepherds Lane side – a short bund, 3 m high, will be built, involving 1.6 acres. Access for construction work will be only from the motorway. This work will start in June/July.
On the Mill End side there will be no bund. The Statement describes it as a bund but it is a sloping area of tipping taking less than 3 acres, instead of the 13 acres in the previous plan. This site will be accessed only from the service road off the motorway at J17. This work will not start until the harvest is in. A 2.5m acoustic barrier will be erected alongside the carriageway to reduce noise.
These works will be constructed during stage 1 only, with the work finished by July 2010 and no return at a later stage. Both areas will be planted with trees in the 2010 planting season.
The replacement of top soil, and appropriate measures to detect contamination are part of the proposal. Drainage and flood prevention measures will be provided. The footpath/ bridle way will be diverted along the boundary of the land to be purchased for these works.
Please send any comments on these proposals to Peter Kerr at
TRDC Planning Dept, Three Rivers House, Northway, Rickmansworth or peter.kerr@threerivers.gov.uk by 6th July and they will be forwarded to SBB.

Herts County Council Elections
The local elections on June 4th within the Three Rivers part of the County Council were: Barbara Lamb (Conservative) re-elected in Rickmansworth. The Lib Dems held Croxley Green and Abbots Langley, the Conservatives held Chorleywood and Oxhey Park, and the BNP won South Oxhey from Labour. Details can be found at http://www.hertsdirect.org/actweb/election/dist85.htm.

Local Events

Croxley Revels on The Green, Saturday 20 June, 1.30 to 5.00pm.

Young Musician of the Year 2009 Competition Finals
Saturday 4th July 7 pm
St Mary’s Church, Rickmansworth
Tickets on the door from 6.15 pm: Adults £10, Students £5
This event is organised by the Rotary Club of Rickmansworth nad Three Rivers Music Society.

Welcome to the latest edition of Rickmansworth This Week e-news. If you would like to receive this by email, please contact me at rwstruck@gmail.com to get your own regular delivery. Feedback on this newsletter is always welcomed.

Solomons Hill
Mixed feelings about the stalls and tables in Solomons Hill, the footpath between Boots and Caffe Nero. Some people like the “continental” element, others dislike the clutter. TRDC’s Regulatory Services Committee will be discussing it at a meeting on June 17th. If you have any comments, please email them to Ted Massey. If you manage to get your comments in by June 4th, they will be recorded in the agenda. Anything received later will be verbally reported.

Christ Church School - Circus Summer Fair 2009
At Christ Church School, The Common, Chorleywood on Saturday 6 June 2009. Attractions include:
Circus Skills Tent
Jet Ride
Inflatables
Ponies
Cream Teas
BBQ
Plants
Candy Floss
Tombolas
Toys
Gifts
Crafts
Admission: Child £1 Adult £2 Family £5

Diary dates

Watersmeet Film: Thursday 18 June 2:00pm & 7:30pm Slumdog Millionaire.

Croxley Revels, Saturday 20 June.

Welcome to the latest edition of Rickmansworth This Week e-news. If you would like to receive this by email, please contact me at rwstruck@gmail.com to get your own regular delivery. Feedback on this newsletter is always welcomed.

Road Traffic link
Frixo is a road / motorway traffic reporting site which gives users up to date information - the site gets updated every 3 minutes via feeds from various sources including the government’s official Highways Agency site. Try it at www.frixo.com.

Get more active this Summer
Adults in Three Rivers can enjoy staying fit and healthy over the summer season, with the popular Everyday Active programme from Three Rivers District Council.
The exercise and crafts activity programme offers enjoyable exercise sessions and also gives residents the chance to take up an old arts and crafts hobby, or try something new. Throughout June and July free taster sessions will be taking place in a number of locations including Mill End, Croxley Green, Chorleywood, South Oxhey and Bedmond.
Activities will include Movement to Music, pilates, self-defence, Nordic walking, outdoor gym taster sessions and badminton (funded by the Herts Sports Partnership). If you fancy something a little more sedate there will also be a wide range of arts and crafts activities on offer, including glass painting, creative textiles, drawing from scratch and card making. Digital photography courses will also be on offer for budding snappers, costing £3.50 per week.
For more information and an Everyday Active brochure, contact Three Rivers District Council on 01923 776611 or visit the TRDC Leisure pages.

Food Hygiene Ratings - Scores on the Doors
It is very important that all food businesses obey the law and supply food that is safe to eat. So this is a reminder that the Council’s Scores on the Doors scheme is on the website and is constantly being updated. Residents can see how well a food business has done on its last inspection.
Under the scheme, each food outlet may display inspection information (in the form of a certificate) on the door or window, which is supported by information on this website.
If you cannot find a premises you are interested in anywhere on the Scores on the Doors document below it will be because either it was last inspected before 1st January 2007, or it is a new business awaiting its first inspection.
Click on the link to download the latest Scores on The Doors report. The report groups premises by their star rating, from five stars (excellent) down to zero (poor).

Batchworth Canal Clean-up
Volunteers will be cleaning up a stretch of the canal. Meet at the Batchworth Lock Canal Centre in Rickmansworth WD3 1JD.
Come dressed for all weather. Collection supplies provided.
Organised by the ACS Hillingdon Girl Scouts. For more info or directions, please email ACSHillingdonGirlScouts@gmail.com.

Watford Philharmonic Concert - A Night at the Opera
Several local residents sing in the Watford Philharmonic choir, and their next concert is on Saturday 13th June at the Watford Colosseum at 7.30 and is “A Night at the Opera”. The conductor, Terry Edwards, is the retired conductor of the Covent Garden Chorus, so the soloists are from there.
The concert includes selections from Samson & Delilah, the Bartered Bride, La Traviata and Macbeth. Tickets can be bought on-line at www.watfordphilharmonic.co.uk, on the door on the night of the performance or by phoning the ticket secretary on 07546 112 321.

RICKY CANAL FESTIVAL IS THIS WEEKEND Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th May

The Rickmansworth Festival takes place on the third weekend of May every year and celebrates canals, the community and the environment. Now going for over fifteen years, it is the highlight of the town’s annual calendar and finale of Rickmansworth Week.

The top attraction for many is the wonderful array of canal boats from across the country - a unique spectacle moored along the towpath up to four deep.

It all takes place at the Aquadrome and Batchworth Lock - 10.30am to 10.30pm Saturday, 10.30am to 5pm Sunday.

There will be a Spitfire flypast on Saturday at 3pm.

Along the towpath at Batchworth you will find boat trips and rope work demonstrations.

On Sunday there will be a vintage Routemaster bus from the station to Batchworth.

Please give generously to the bucket collectors. The festival is organised by volunteers from Rickmansworth Waterways Trust who run a schools programme on canal life called “Learning at the Lock”, which is funded by the proceeds. More details on 778382 or www.rwt.org.uk.

Please tell your friends and family too!

RICKY WEEK VIDEO
If you missed last Saturday’s parade through the town, you can see it on YouTube, courtesy of Councillor Les Mead.

RICKY WEEK STARTED on Saturday 9th May.

1.-1.30pm. The floats gather in the High Street between the railway bridge and St Joans

1.30pm Judging the floats

2.0pm Parade moves off to Bury Grounds via High Street, Station Road, Northway, Church Street, and Bury Lane.

2.0-5.0pm Grand Carnival Fete

2.30pm Crowning of Miss Rickmansworth and formal opening of Ricky week.

2-4.0pm St Mary’s Church Tower open - amazing views!

Welcome to the latest edition of Rickmansworth This Week e-news. If you would like to receive this by email, please contact me at rwstruck@gmail.com to get your own regular delivery. Feedback on this newsletter is always welcomed.

New Tesco Planning Application
Remember that you can view all planning applications online on the Three Rivers web site. You can also comment on all applications online.

The Happy Man, Berry Lane, Mill End WD3 7HR
09/0537/FUL
Tesco’s have submitted a revised plan for the Happy Man site, showing a part one, part two and part three-storey building comprising a Class A1 (retail) unit at ground-floor level to be used as a convenience goods store with 6 x 2 bed and 1 x 1 bed residential flats at upper levels with associated access, parking and landscaping for Tesco Stores Ltd. A previous plan for a store and eight 2-bed flats was refused last November.

Free Compost TOMORROW
National Compost Awareness Week (3rd - 9th May)
West London Composting, the site where the brown bin waste is taken, is donating 10 tonnes of compost. This will be given away to residents, as has been done in previous years, as part of National Compost Awareness week. The giveaway this year will be held at the Aquadrome in Rickmansworth. Grounds Maintenance staff will be on hand on Wednesday 6th May between 8.30am and 3pm (or until the compost runs out). Residents are asked to bring their own bag(s). It will be on a first come first served basis, with a limit of 2 bags each.
Mint and cherry tomato seeds will also be given away (first come first served and limited to one pack per person until they run out), to encourage people to grow their own food.
And just to remind you, the Household Waste Recycling Centres sell bags of 100% recycled soil improver. Visit their website for more information or call the WasteAware helpline on 08457 425000. You can also visit West London Composting in Harefield to purchase compost, but you need to contact them directly to arrange this. More details on www.wlcompost.co.uk

Environment News
The second edition of Environment News has been published on the TRDC website. Included are: the annual free compost event (see above), Bike Day, the Canal and Environment Festival and beekeeping on a budget.

Herts Highways Award
Herts County Council is a finalist in the Public Private Partnership Achievement of the Year in the Municipal Journal Achievement Awards. The citation reads: “HCC’s partnership with consultants Mouchel and contractor AmeyLafargue has been delivering efficiency savings and first class road maintenance services through Herts Highways since 2002. Following a major review and extension of the contracts last year, the partnership has built on its success and now on schedule to meet a new target £13m savings over the next 4 years.”
Many residents will raise an eyebrow at the inclusion of “first class road maintenance services”.

Museum is 21
The Three Rivers Museum of Local History was born 21 years ago this week, and local historians are marking the anniversary with parties and receptions.
Barbara Owen, Chair of Trustees, said: “People are so interested in history, what it was like in the old days in Rickmansworth - what they remember from their own lives and finding out about their forebears.”
The charitable trust is planning to hold an exhibition about Roderick Henderson who lived in Basing House and started the first fire brigade in Rickmansworth at the beginning of the 20th Century. Also on the drawing board is a concert of the William Penn opera which has been performed in the USA.
The museum is housed in Basing House next to the public library in Rickmansworth. Opening times are 2pm – 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am – 4pm Saturday.
Three Rivers Museum receives support from Three Rivers District Council.

Sign up for Asthma Alerts
You can control your asthma; that’s the message from the Herts and Beds Air Quality Network this week, ahead of World Asthma Day, which is today, Tuesday May 5th.
In November 2008 the Herts and Beds Air Quality Network, of which Three Rivers District Council is a part, launched an airAlert scheme to help sufferers of asthma and other respiratory illnesses. airAlert can send messages to mobile or home telephones and via email to warn residents when poor air quality is predicted. The service is designed to inform vulnerable residents of a pollution incident the day before it is expected, so as to help them manage their respiratory health.
Asthma affects more than 300 million people worldwide and is characterized by recurrent breathing problems and symptoms such as breathlessness, wheezing, chest tightness and coughing.
If you suffer from asthma and would like to sign up to the service, register for free at www.airalert.info or ring Three Rivers District Council on 01923 776611 for a hard copy of the form. The airAlert service is provided by the Herts and Beds Air Quality Network, which is made up of members from each of the 14 district authorities in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.

Welcome to the latest edition of Rickmansworth This Week e-news. If you would like to receive this by email, please contact me at rwstruck@gmail.com to get your own regular delivery. Feedback on this newsletter is always welcomed.

Decisions of last week’s Development Control Committee meeting at Three Rivers

3 Anson Walk, Moor Park HA6 2LA
08/2255/FUL – Part demolition of existing dwelling and erection of a two-storey side and rear extension with front dormer windows, single storey rear extension, first floor rear extension, new front and rear chimneys, creation of a basement level, conversion of existing garages into habitable accommodation with front bay windows, alteration to fenestration, raised rear terrace with balustrading, retaining walls and increase in hardstanding. REFUSED due to the scale, bulk & design of extensions dominating the existing building, affecting the landscaped setting and failing to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.

Croxley Green Watercress Farm and Fisheries, Rousebarn Lane, Croxley Green, WD3 3GG
09/0163/FUL – Part Retrospective: Addition of watercress silt pits; proposed renewal and erection of boundary fence and gates, re-positioning of watercress processing plant and removal of asbestos cement and their replacement with timber housing for water pump Houses and processing plant. Deferred for a Committee site visit.

29 Wolsey Road, Moor Park HA6 2ER
09/0176/FUL – Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of two storey detached dwelling with basement level and further accommodation in roofspace served by rear dormer window, side rooflights and front and rear windows. REFUSED due to the proposed replacement building failing to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.

Moor Park Mansion, Batchworth Heath, Rickmansworth, WD3 1QN
09/0216/FUL - Creation of new practice ground including regrading of land, erection of 10m high green netting with support poles and erection of single storey wooden structure to cover teeing area. Deferred for a Committee site visit.

The Cottage, Homefield Road, Chorleywood, WD3 5QJ
09/0390/FUL - Erection of 2 pairs of semi-detached dwellings (4 houses) with detached garages and associated parking and landscaping and a new vehicular access on to Orchard Drive. REFUSED: the proposed development would result in the overdevelopment of the site with a cramped and poor layout, which does not maintain the character of the area in terms of plot size and depth, height and a regularity in alignment of the plots which is not characteristic of the locality. As such the proposal would result in the visual character and appearance of the conservation area and locality in general being significantly harmed with a detrimental impact on the street scene. This is exacerbated by the removal of part of an ancient hedgerow to facilitate the scheme.

Rickmansworth Week
This year’s “Week” is from 9th to 16th May, with the Canal Festival taking place on the weekend of 16th/17th May. More details next month.

Next issue
The next issue of this newsletter will be after the first public holiday Monday in May.

Welcome to the latest edition of Rickmansworth This Week e-news. If you would like to receive this by email, please contact me at rwstruck@gmail.com to get your own regular delivery. Feedback on this newsletter is always welcomed.

Fatal Accident in Mill End
A South Oxhey man was killed in Mill End in the early hours of Good Friday morning when he collided with a car. The man was walking along Uxbridge Road at around 3.40am when the incident happened near the junction with Long Lane. The police have appealed for witnesses to come forward on 0845 33 00 222.

Development Control Committee meeting, Thursday 16th April, 7.30pm at Three Rivers House

The following applications are on the agenda - you may view the application details and the officers’ reports online on the Council website.

3 Anson Walk, Moor Park HA6 2LA
08/2255/FUL – Part demolition of existing dwelling and erection of a two-storey side and rear extension with front dormer windows, single storey rear extension, first floor rear extension, new front and rear chimneys, creation of a basement level, conversion of existing garages into habitable accommodation with front bay windows, alteration to fenestration, raised rear terrace with balustrading, retaining walls and increase in hardstanding.

Croxley Green Watercress Farm and Fisheries, Rousebarn Lane, Croxley Green, WD3 3GG
09/0163/FUL – Part Retrospective: Addition of watercress silt pits; proposed renewal and erection of boundary fence and gates, re-positioning of watercress processing plant and removal of asbestos cement and their replacement with timber housing for water pump Houses and processing plant.

29 Wolsey Road, Moor Park HA6 2ER
09/0176/FUL – Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of two storey detached dwelling with basement level and further accommodation in roofspace served by rear dormer window, side rooflights and front and rear windows.

Moor Park Mansion, Batchworth Heath, Rickmansworth, WD3 1QN
09/0216/FUL - Creation of new practice ground including regrading of land, erection of 10m high green netting with support poles and erection of single storey wooden structure to cover teeing area.

The Cottage, Homefield Road, Chorleywood, WD3 5QJ
09/0390/FUL - Erection of 2 pairs of semi-detached dwellings (4 houses) with detached garages and associated parking and landscaping and a new vehicular access on to Orchard Drive.

The Friends of Watersmeet Film Society

Thursday 16 April 2:00pm & 7:30pm
The Reader (15) 123mins
This film tells the story of Michael Berg, a German lawyer who as a teenager in the late 1950s had an affair with an older woman, Hanna Schmitz, who then disappeared only to resurface years later as one of the defendants in a war crimes trial stemming from her actions as a concentration camp guard late in the war. Hanna is played by Kate Winslet, who won the Oscar for Best Actress in this year’s Academy Awards. More at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0976051/

Welcome to the latest edition of Rickmansworth This Week e-news. If you would like to receive this by email, please contact me at rwstruck@gmail.com to get your own regular delivery. Feedback on this newsletter is always welcomed.

Mill End on You Tube
A video of the recent Mill End celebration day has been put on You Tube by Les Mead, one of my colleagues on the Council.

New Planning Applications

Land Adjacent to 61 Heronsgate Road, Chorleywood WD3 5PA
09/0361/FUL
Erection of detached two-storey dwelling with further accommodation in roofspace served by front and rear dormer windows and rooflights to side, detached garage/ carport to front of site, new vehicular access and parking area.

Queens Oak, 30 Astons Road, Moor Park HA6 2LD
09/0416/FUL
Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of two-storey detached dwelling and detached car port and associated external works and landscaping.

Easter Celebration
Christians in Rickmansworth are gathering for a short informal service followed by coffee and hot cross buns.
Berry Lane Green Space at the top of Field Way, near the Methodist Church, 7.00am Sunday 12th April.
Wear warm clothing and footwear for walking on grass!

Recycling News
The Reduce, Re-use Recycle booklet has now been updated by Three Rivers Council. The directory lists everything which can be recycled and re-used in Three Rivers including computers, baby clothes, spectacles and batteries. The directory also lists local food producers including for lamb, beef, honey and watercress.
Yellow Pages can be recycled through primary schools and can also now be recycled by us at the kerbside with your other paper recycling.

Beat the Recession
Three Rivers has published advice on its website. Even residents on higher incomes could benefit from some of the information, in particular energy saving advice and free security and fire checks.

Fair schools deal demanded for Three Rivers children
The secondary transfer situation in this part of the county is once again proving a nightmare for parents and children.
914 Hertfordshire children did not get any of the schools they preferred, while 1028 out of county children got places. This is a significant increase on last year. 397 of the 914 live in Three Rivers and Watford. This is grossly disproportionate.
The overall county figure for getting one of the schools chosen is 92.85%. In Three Rivers it is only 81.57%, and in Watford 81.65%.
In Three Rivers four local secondary schools were closed some years ago, and the land developed for housing. The young people now unsuccessfully seeking a place in a local school would have gone to these schools. The new housing targets being imposed on local authorities will significantly increase the pressure for school places in this area where we already have the worst situation in Hertfordshire.
If you would like to support the call for action, please visit the on-line petition site.

The Secondary Transfer situation in this part of the County is once again proving a nightmare for parents and children.

914 Hertfordshire children did not get any of the schools they preferred, while 1028 out of county children got places This is a significant increase on last year. 397 of the 914 live in Three Rivers and Watford. This is grossly disproportionate.

The overall County figure for getting one of the schools chosen is 92.85%. In Three Rivers it is only 81.57%, and in Watford 81.65%.

Young people living very close to secondary schools are being sent miles away. Example - a child living near Rickmansworth School told to get a school bus in Mill End to take him through Rickmansworth again to Westfield School in Watford.

Inevitably this situation causes disappointment, distress and despair. It also leads to huge numbers of extra car journeys with the inevitable environmental consequences. Young people are deprived of after school activities, and all the benefits of a local school.

What is our local education authority doing to achieve some improvement ? – wringing its hands, agreeing it is unsatisfactory, saying nothing can be done and hoping the crisis will soon pass over for this year!

This is not good enough. Our communities in this part of the county want something done now. Putting extra classes into far away schools, that parents do not want their children to attend, is not good enough. Nor is forcing parents to choose out of county schools - they are after all Council tax payers in Hertfordshire and all these schools, whatever their status, are funded by local tax payers.

In Three Rivers four local secondary schools were closed some years ago, and the land developed for housing. The young people now unsuccessfully seeking a place in a local school would have gone to these schools. The new housing targets being imposed on local authorities will significantly increase the pressure for school places in this area where we already have the worst situation in Hertfordshire.

What are we asking for?

- We need a new community school in this area .

- We want the LEA to make representations to the Government about the impact of the existing situation on local families and press for a change in the law that will grant local children priority at local schools before out of county pupils are accepted.

- We require a public assurance that Herts County Council will pursue both these proposals and anything else that will relieve the totally unacceptable secondary transfer situation in S.W Herts.

If you would like to support our call for action, please visit our on-line petition site http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/TRschools.