Issue 2                                                                                                                                                                             July 2005
                                                                                                                                                ___________________________

The Sovereign Harbour Residents Association invites you to

an

OPEN MEETING

to be held at

THE HAVEN SCHOOL

in

ATLANTIC DRIVE

SOVEREIGN HARBOUR SOUTH

on

MONDAY 18^TH JULY

starting at

7:30 PM

(Doors open at 7:00pm)

to debate

THE B&Q PLANNING APPLICATION

For full details, see below

===============================

New Look Newsletter
As you will have noticed, we have changed the format of “Waterlines”. Apart from the folded A3 format, the most important change is that we are now accepting sponsorship from local companies. Thanks to the generous support of Armoury Locksmiths and Temple Bird solicitors, this publication has been produced, at no cost to the SHRA membership.

Surgery Issues
On the morning of Saturday 2nd July, SHRA chairman, Rick Runalls and secretary, Molly Burton conducted the first monthly surgery at Simply Italian on the Waterfront; our thanks to Maurizio and his staff for making us very welcome. This is the first of a series of monthly surgeries that will be hosted by two of the committee members, on a rota. If you have a problem that you would like to discuss face-to-face, then please come and see us.

Survey results showed that most of the respondents thought that surgeries would be beneficial; committee members look forward to meeting you.

Survey Results
So far, we have received responses to the survey, that was delivered with issue one of this newsletter, from almost 350 households, and they are still coming in. If you have a survey that you have not completed, why not bring it along to the B&Q meeting on the 18th July. The results are being collated as they come in, but clear trends are already apparent.

Not surprisingly, the Sovereign Harbour/B&Q planning application is a real “hot button”. Of those who responded, only 5 were in favour, 24 required more information and 17 did not comment and over 300 were emphatically against the planning application. Other areas that were very high on the list of issue were; the lack of facilities, the over-development of the harbour, and the maintenance of the communal areas.

On the latter issue, members of the committee had a meeting with managers of Carillion, at which this issue was raised. See the chairman’s footnote for more on this subject.

One area that came up time and time again in your comments was the problem of dog fouling and dog noise. Those of you who take advantage of the waterside walkways will be very conscious of the need to avoid the ever-growing amount of rotting mess. This is not only unsightly, but a risk to the health of all who use the harbour, especially children. Whilst recognising that the vast majority of dog owners act responsibly, it is an unfortunate fact that some of you reading this newsletter are responsible for the problem, please think about the impact you are having on the environment in which we all have to live. The lack of dog-bins is no excuse, please take your mess home for disposal.

Many of you were also concerned about the noise of constantly barking dogs. If you have to leave your dog alone, please ensure that it is not being a nuisance to your neighbours.

In response to your concerns, the SHRA will be bound to take this issue up formally, if dog owners will not regulate the situation themselves. We would remind you that allowing your dog to foul public places can be an offence in law with a maximum fine of £1,000. Also restrictive covenants against the keeping of pets might be invoked. Nobody wants to see neighbours deprived of the obvious pleasure and companionship derived from pets, but there is a responsibility to others.

On a lighter side, other areas that are very popular are retail and restaurant discounts and social events. Both of these will be moving up the agenda as the immediate issues revolving around the B&Q/SH Limited proposal are resolved.

Another very popular “want” was a list of reliable tradesmen. We need your input if we are to succeed in setting this up. If you feel able to recommend somebody, from first-hand experience of their work, please let us know. Unfortunately, we will be unable to underwrite self-recommendations.

A full analysis of the results will be published in the next newsletter, on the notice board and on the SHRA website: www.shra.co.uk.

First Eastbourne RNLI Regatta
Over the August Bank Holiday weekend Sovereign Harbour will host the first Eastbourne RNLI Regatta. The regatta is part of the “Sea Britain” events which commemorate the 200th anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar. Plans are still being finalised, but will include races of various types on the harbour and evening and social events.

More information is available directly from the RNLI on 01323-470206, and we will be publishing information on our website when it becomes available. Lots of photo-opportunities, see “Photographers take note”.

The B&Q Planning Application
As you will probably be aware, the long heralded planning application by B&Q/SH Ltd. (Carillion) has now been submitted. This is a large and complex application and SHRA committee members have been carefully examining it, with professional help.

Because of the huge level of concern around the harbour, the committee will be giving this their highest priority. So that residents of the harbour and surrounding areas may make a reasoned judgement of the contents of the application, the SHRA will be holding a public meeting at the Haven School on Atlantic Drive on the South Harbour, starting at 7:30pm on Monday 18th June. Speakers will be invited from all interested parties and there will be an opportunity for the audience to put their questions.
This is essentially a meeting for residents and provides them with a forum to seek the views and priorities of their elected representatives and residents’ action groups. It is not a platform for B&Q / SH Ltd who have presented their intent at the Carillion offices earlier this year and have their application available at Eastbourne Borough Council Planning Department for public view. With this objective invitations will be sent to:
             Nigel Waterson MP
             Key local councillors
             The ‘No to B&Q’ action group
             The media
More information on the application can be found on the ‘No to B&Q’ website: www.notobandq.org.uk

Membership
As a result of our first newsletter, membership of the SHRA increased to almost 300 and new members are joining every day. We are trying to negotiate ‘favourable terms’ for SHRA members with some local business in response to residents’ questionnaire responses. To support this we feel that a more durable, quality membership card should be provided as proof of identity and consequently we are looking to source plastic, sequentially numbered cards. Providing these can be procured at modest cost we will get these to all SHRA members over the next 4-6 weeks. If you would like to become a member, please complete and return the form on the back page, or bring it to the B&Q meeting.

Photographers Take Note
We live in a very attractive environment and it would be good to share the best parts with our neighbours. So, to encourage you to do this, we are launching our first photographic competition on the subject “In and Around the Harbour”. Don’t be afraid to be creative; think outside the square. There will be one prize; the winner will get a meal for two at one of the harbour restaurants.

Entries should be prints, colour or monochrome, no larger than 8” by 10” (20cm by 25cm). Alternatively, digital images will be accepted, but only if submitted on a CD.

Your entries should be sent to:
            Sovereign Harbour Residents Association,
            PO Box 124
            Eastbourne
            East Sussex BN24 9AW

Be sure to enclose your name and contact details, and write your name on the reverse of prints. Closing date will be 30th September 2005 and the winner will be announced by the end of October. Unfortunately, we will be unable to return your entries, so please keep copies.

The competition is open to Sovereign Harbour residents only, and will be judged by a panel of SHRA committee members. Their decision will be final. No entries will be accepted from members of the committee, and their families. Copyright of all entries will remain with the owner, but we reserve to right to publish any entries on the SHRA website, and to use them, free of charge, to promote the SHRA.

Chairman’s Footnote
Firstly I wish to thank all of you who responded to our questionnaire, which has given us a good understanding of your priorities and areas of interest. As a committee we have serious concerns about the B&Q outline planning application, but we did not know your views. The feedback you have provided gives us a clear mandate to resist the proposal and I would urge as many of you as possible to come to the public meeting on 18 July; I will be chairing this and will be promoting a balanced debate of the issues. I wrote to both Carillion and B&Q requesting meetings to ensure that the strength of residents’ feeling on this issue is recognised. A meeting with managers from Carillion/SH Marina Ltd has already been held and a meeting is being scheduled with the consultants acting for SH Ltd/B&Q in mid-July. In addition I have met with the Development Manager on Eastbourne Borough Council to leave him in no doubt of the reception these proposals will get.

As you know we tried out a ‘surgery’ for residents on 2nd July with very encouraging results. Several residents attended and we are taking away some areas of concern. We will raise these with those in a position to improve the situation and provide feedback in due course. The encouragement and support of residents for what we are trying to deliver was gratifying as was their appreciation of the time given up by the committee on SH business. The surgeries will continue on the first Saturday in each month.

I am a ‘dog lover’ as are other SHRA Committee members but the issue of dog mess that is causing a great deal of adverse comment is completely unnecessary. In the last newsletter I talked about ‘community’ and members of a community do not subject their neighbours to this kind of avoidable and dangerous nuisance. There really is no excuse for it so please clean up after your dog – I do not want to see this becoming a divisive and legalistic issue.

The next newsletter will probably come in September prior to the Planning Committee at which the B&Q proposal will be considered. In the meantime let me wish you a happy and relaxing summer.

Rick