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.

Development Control Committee decisions from last week’s meeting include the following:

The Cottage, Homefield Road, Chorleywood WD3 5QJ
http://snipr.com/trdc0282
Erection of two pairs of two-storey semi-detached dwellings (4 houses) with detached garage. Permission REFUSED, over-development and effect on Conservation Area.

38 Highfield Way, Rickmansworth WD3 7PR
http://snipr.com/trdc0666
Erection of detached timber framed triple garage with first floor storage and roof lights with access from track to north-west. Permission GRANTED, subject to conditions.

152 The Drive, Rickmansworth WD3 4DH
http://snipr.com/trdc0704
Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of two, two storey dwellings with basements, detached garage, new vehicular access and associated driveways and landscaping. Permission GRANTED, subject to conditions.

253 Watford Road, Croxley Green WD3 3RX
http://snipr.com/trdc0905
Demolition of existing car showrooms and erection of 42 one and two bedroom apartments in 2, three/four storey blocks with 50 car parking spaces. Permission REFUSED, over-development, insufficient car-parking, etc.

Local Area Forum
Tuesday, 24 June at 7.30pm in Penn Chamber,Three Rivers House, Northway, Rickmansworth Everyone welcome. Refreshments will be available from 7.00pm. The agenda includes:

• Community Safety - update on Anti-Social Behaviour, nuisance youths and policing issue
• Presentation on Planning Enforcement Issues
• Home Start organisation – what is it?
• Other Local Issues.
  

William Penn Delays
Gee Construction have confirmed that it does not now expect to achieve the target for completing work on the William Penn swimming pool by the end of the summer.
This is obviously hugely disappointing, but Three Rivers District Council remains fully committed to ensuring that the project is completed as soon as possible, while staying within the Council’s fixed budget and quality requirements. All concerned have been instructed to ensure that no corners are cut in a rush to completion.
Behind the scaffolding that now screens the front elevation there has been progress on site. Both pools have been prepared for tiling, blockwork and internal walls are nearly complete, and specialist contractors are installing mechanical and electrical services.

Croxley Great Barn Open Days
One of the region’s oldest buildings opens this weekend in the first in a series of monthly guided tours. The 600-year-old Croxley Great Barn, which used to belong to the Abbot of St Albans, is in the grounds of St Joan of Arc School, and has been off-limits to the public since the mid 1970s. But control has now been passed to the Three Rivers Museum, whose volunteers are to deliver guided tours.
People wishing to attend the inaugural viewing should gather in Caravan Lane, Rickmansworth, at 10.30am on Saturday. To confirm your attendance please call Barbara Owen on 01923 772325.

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.

Moneyhill Parade Post Office set to close
Post Office Ltd has today opened a six week local public consultation on its Area Plan for South Essex, South Herts and Bucks, listing the closure of 41 existing branches in this area, including Moneyhill Parade. The detailed Area Plan proposal is available at ftp://ftp.royalmail.com/Downloads/public/ctf/po/SouthEssexSouthHertsBucksAreaPlanproposalbooklet.pdf

Sign the petition at http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/moneyhill

Development Control Committee Thursday, 19 June at 7.30pm in Penn Chamber,Three Rivers House, Northway, Rickmansworth Local items on the agenda include:

The Cottage, Homefield Road, Chorleywood WD3 5QJ
http://snipr.com/trdc0282
Erection of two pairs of two-storey semi-detached dwellings (4 houses) with detached garage. Carried over from last meeting, awaitiing an appeal decision on a previous scheme for this site. That appeal was dismissed, and the officer recommendation is to refuse this application as well.

38 Highfield Way, Rickmansworth WD3 7PR
http://snipr.com/trdc0666
Erection of detached timber framed triple garage with first floor storage and roof lights with access from track to north-west. Carried over from last meeting for a committee site visit.

152 The Drive, Rickmansworth WD3 4DH
http://snipr.com/trdc0704
Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of two, two storey dwellings with basements, detached garage, new vehicular access and associated driveways and landscaping. Carried over from last meeting for a committee site visit.

253 Watford Road, Croxley Green WD3 3RX
http://snipr.com/trdc0905
Demolition of existing car showrooms and erection of 42 one and two bedroom apartments in 2, three/four storey blocks with 50 car parking spaces. A previous application for 43 flats was refused by Three Rivers Development Control Committee, and is awaiting an appeal in July.

New Local Plans

Applegarth, Parrotts Close, Croxley Green WD3 3JZ
08/1140/FUL http://snipr.com/trdc1140 and

08/1141/CAC http://snipr.com/trdc1141
Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of one, two storey block consisting of six flats with associated access parking, refuse and cycle store and landscaping. Also requires Conservation Area Consent to demolish the existing house.

Hawkford Hall, 231 Uxbridge Road, Rickmansworth WD3 8DP
08/1173/FUL http://snipr.com/trdc1173 and

08/1174/LBC http://snipr.com/trdc1174
Change of use of parking bays (3) to occasional use for storage of mobile pump units. Also requires Listed Building Consent.

Watersmeet Film
Miss Potter (PG) 92mins. Thursday 19 June at 2:00pm and 7:30pm. Renee Zellweger stars as Beatrix Potter, a sheltered but talented young woman who falls in love with her publisher Norman Wayne (Ewan McGregor).

Local Area Forum
Tuesday, 24 June at 7.30pm in Penn Chamber,Three Rivers House, Northway, Rickmansworth Everyone welcome. Refreshments will be available from 7.00pm. The agenda includes:

• Community Safety - update on Anti-Social Behaviour, nuisance youths and policing issue
• Presentation on Planning Enforcement Issues
• Home Start organisation – what is it?
• Other Local Issues.

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.

Tesco plans for Happy Man site
Tesco have delivered glossy leaflets to homes within 1km of the (Un)Happy Man site, outlining their proposals for a Tesco Express convenience store. The development, if approved, would incorporate eight two-bedroomed apartments on two floors above the store. The glossy leaflets are described by Tesco as part of their “public consultation”. At the time of writing, Tesco have not yet submitted their planning application to Three Rivers - when they do, Three Rivers will conduct its own official public consultation, so if you have any views (or if you have already responded to Tesco) please submit them at the appropriate time to Three Rivers planning department. I will let you have more details when Tesco submit their application.

Other local plans

63 Nightingale Road, Rickmansworth WD3 7BU
08/1089/FUL http://snipurl.com/trdc1089 and
08/1077/CAC http://snipurl.com/trdc1077
Application to demolition of existing detached dwelling and erection of four detached dwellings with access road - this also requires a CAC (conservation area consent) to demolish the existing house.

Bury Garage, Bury Lane, Rickmansworth WD3 1DU
08/0926/CAC http://snipurl.com/trdc0926
Application for conservation area consent to demolish part of existing side boundary wall adjoining Beeson’s Yard.

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.

Ricky Residents Meeting
All residents are welcome to attend the AGM of Rickmansworth and District Residents’ Association is tomorrow, Tuesday, 3rd June, at 8.00pm in St Augustine’s Hall, Our Lady’s Catholic Church, Park Road - note the change of venue from the usual.
After the business part of the meeting, there will be a talk by a representative from Transport for London (TfL) who will speak on the plans for controversial new rolling stock on the Met Line.

Development Control Committee
At the meeting on 22nd May, several items were deferred but some decisions were reached. The items of local interest were:

The Cottage, Homefield Road, Chorleywood WD3 5QJ
http://snipr.com/trdc0282
Erection of two pairs of two-storey semi-detached dwellings (4 houses) with detached garage.
Decision deferred, pending an appeal decision on a previous scheme for this site.

38 Highfield Way, Rickmansworth WD3 7PR
http://snipr.com/trdc0666
Erection of detached timber framed triple garage with first floor storage and roof lights with access from track to north-west.
Decision deferred, pending a committee site visit.

152 The Drive, Rickmansworth WD3 4DH
http://snipr.com/trdc0704
Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of two, two storey dwellings with basements, detached garage, new vehicular access and associated driveways and landscaping.
Decision deferred, pending a committee site visit.

9 Park Close (opposite Batchworth Heath), Rickmansworth WD3 1QH
http://snipr.com/trdc0720
Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of two storey detached dwelling with basement level and room in roof and single storey detached triple garage.
Planning permission REFUSED - inappropriate development in the Green Belt and detrimental impact on the openness of the Green Belt by reason of its siting, height, design, massing and scale.

Land to rear of Woodlands, Dell House, Barnstead Down, Old Chorleywood Road and rear of 137a The Drive
http://snipr.com/trdc0775
Removal of unofficial Builders Yard and erection of three detached dwellings with basement level, using existing access off Old Chorleywood Road and associated tree works and alterations to access.
Planning permission REFUSED - siting, bulk, height, balconies and fenestration results in overbearing development, actual and perceived overlooking, no room for refuse-collection vehicles to turn, etc.

Nomad Kayak Club controversy
There has been local concern that Three Rivers is about to “evict” the Kayak Club from the premises in the Aquadrome.
When planning permission was granted last October for a new cafe and public conveniences, a planning condition was attached confirming that the existing building must be demolished. The existing premises are regarded by most people, including the Club officers, as unattractive from the outside and basic inside. However this demolition will not take place at the earliest before the end of the year and the Club will remain in situ, rent free, until then.
This does not mean the Club closes then. TRDC has been negotiating with the Club for about two years about future arrangements to accommodate it. A year ago the Club had agreed an alternative arrangement, but now they have come up with a different plan which TRDC has been happy to discuss with the Club officers, and those discussions are continuing.
It seems the confusion arose because the appropriate legal notice, to comply with the planning permission, had to be issued and some people thought, incorrectly, that the Club was about to close down.