Issue
4
September 2005
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In this months' edition:
(Click a headline to go direct to the new item)
Infrastructure Failure
Halloween Party at
Simply Italian
Crumbles history -
can you help?
Berthholder
facilities
Quad bikes etc.
around the harbour
Chairman's footnote
This months sponsors
This is
the fourth issue of Waterlines that has been delivered to every residence on
Sovereign Harbour, over 3,000 copies. In issue 3, we asked for your
comments, your issues, and for your support. Sadly, the offers of support
were outweighed about 10-1 by the requests for help. Even more sad was that
the majority of requests for help came from non-members.
Although membership has increased substantially, there is still considerable room for improvement, and we would urge you to join the SHRA, and help us to help you.
The membership year runs from May to April and, as we are now half way through the year, you can join now for the reduced contribution of just £5.00; why wait? Click here for an application form.
The SHRA committee are anxious that we should be representative of the harbour as a whole, but our resources are limited, and we have to prioritise their use. There are a number of issues emerging, especially in the area of ‘management companies’, that are very complex, will almost certainly require professional legal advice, and are best addressed collectively. This will not be inexpensive and, although our bank balance is much healthier than it was four months ago when we took office, we will need to ensure that our resources are used in the best interests of the members.
Although things
have gone quiet over the Summer, the B&Q planning application is still
hanging over us. Still, nobody at the EBC knows, or is prepared to divulge,
the date of the planning meeting. It was to be September, then October, now
we hear a rumour that it could possibly slip to November.
The Westbury application on the South Harbour was rushed to the committee, even before the end of the consultation period, “to meet government targets”. You might well ask why Government targets seem to restrict some applications and not others?
Don’t allow B&Q to gain from these delays, use them to our advantage.
The planning department say that objections are still being accepted so, if you haven’t yet written an objection, you still have the opportunity to do so, don’t waste it. Ask to speak at the meeting, the more of us that do, the greater will be our strength.
Send your objection to:
Development Control
Eastbourne Borough Council
68 Grove Road
Eastbourne BN21 4UH
Or, visit the ‘No to B&Q’ website at http://www.notobandq.org.uk which will provide guidance and an easy e-mail link.
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Where in Eastbourne is there an area where none of the residential roads have been adopted?
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Where in Eastbourne do residents have to pay an additional charge for the upkeep of common areas that are open to everybody in the town?
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Where in Eastbourne do residents have to pay an additional charge for the maintenance of sea defences that protect everybody?
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Where in Eastbourne do residents get less for their council tax than anywhere else in the town?
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Where in Eastbourne are freeholds traded like Pokamon cards?
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Where in Eastbourne do the ward councillors not appear to be fighting for the rights of their electorate?
The answer to all of these questions is, of course Sovereign Harbour, but you knew that, and this disgraceful situation cannot be allowed to continue.
Development of the harbour is so out of control that nobody at the EBC, elected or employed, seems to know what to do. So what do they do? Put their heads in the sand and hope the problem will just go away which, of course, it won’t.
The time has come for our elected representatives to stand up and be counted, or stand down. If they don’t take the honourable course, then we all have the power to remove them democratically, when they come up for re-election.
It’s time for the rights of the electorate to be put before the apparently overriding interests of the land owners and developers.
Members Surgeries
Don’t
forget the monthly members’ surgeries at Simply Italian on the Waterfront.
The September members surgery was very well attended. The main areas of concern were dog fouling, and Quad bikes, mini motor cycles and motorised scooters being driven around the harbour walkways and residential roads , see below.
Future Surgeries from 10:30 to 11:30 on Saturday:
1st October 2005
5th November 2005
3rd December 2005
Photographic Competition
There is still chance for
you to enter our photographic competition, but remember, entries close on
30th September.
Thanks to the generosity of committee member Midge Killen, there will now be two prizes of a meal for two. The winners will get the choice of a meal for two at one of the harbour restaurants, or lunch at the Dover Street wine bar in the heart of Mayfair, great prize when out for a day’s shopping in London, or for a business lunch http://www.doverst.co.uk
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.
Send your entries to:
Photographic Competition
SHRA
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. 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 Alan Everard of the RSPB, who’s 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.
Dog Nuisance
Dog fouling continues to be an issue with many
residents. We understand that most dog owners are responsible and take great
care to clean up after their pets. Some residents, quite rightly, pointed
out that much of the mess is created by non-residents who bring their dogs
onto the harbour. We also recognise that most of these people are also
responsible dog owners. However, it is an unfortunate fact that some of the
problem is the responsibility of harbour residents. One lady resident, when
challenged to pick up her dog’s mess retorted, “Don’t be stupid, that’s what
I pay my council tax for”.
Allowing a dog to foul a public area is an offence under ‘The Dog Act (Land Fouling) 1996’, carrying a maximum fine of £1,000. Not only is it anti-social, but it is a danger to health, especially for children. The SHRA will be putting notices around the harbour walkways. We would ask you all to look out for these irresponsible dog owners and, if possible, inform the Dog Welfare Officer of their address, or the registration number of their cars. We would, however, urge you not to do anything which would put you in personal danger.
The noise of dogs constantly barking is another source of annoyance to residents. Dogs are social animals and become distressed when left alone for long periods. However, it is the responsibility of dog owners to ensure that their pets do not disturb their neighbours and there is a legal obligation to that effect. If you are being disturbed in this way, please inform the Dog Welfare Officer, Barbara Spencer on 01323 410000 or e-mail environmemtalhealth@eastbourne.gov.uk
New membership cards
As mentioned in issue 2 of Waterlines, new,
durable, plastic membership cards, printed with up-to-date contact
information and membership number have now been obtained. These will be sent
out over the next few weeks. We are still in the process of negotiating
discounts for members from local traders, for which the new card can be used
as proof of membership. One great opportunity to use it will be the
Halloween Party at Simply Italian.
E-mail contact information
Some of you provided e-mail
contact information on your membership applications and we would like to use
this to keep you informed of news and progress. Unfortunately, some e-mail
addresses are quite complex and we have been unable to validate them.
If we have already contacted you by e-mail, then we have you address. If you provided an e-mail address and have not yet been contacted, or you would like to be added to our distribution list, please send an e-mail to communications@shra.co.uk with the subject, ‘add me to your distribution list’.
'Good Tradesmen' list
In the
last issue, we asked you for recommendations for reliable tradesmen so that
we can create a register; so far we have only received one response. Surely
there must be some good people out there that have provided good service,
please let us know.
Infrastructure failure
Once again, the
overdevelopment of the harbour has placed unbearable strain on the
inadequate supporting infrastructure. Over the Bank Holiday weekend,
residents in Dukes Quay found that raw sewage was backing-up into their
homes. The reason, the pumping station just couldn’t keep up with the
volume. This doesn’t bode well for what will happen when another five
hundred dwelling are added to the system, with no additional infrastructure
to support it.
What made the situation worse was that residents were not sure who was accountable, and nobody was prepared to accept responsibility for resolving the problem, until residents threatened to call the media.
Had the council fulfilled their obligation and adopted the development, which has been complete for well over two years, residents would have been in no doubt who to call, and the situation would have been swiftly resolved and the residents would have been spared the distress.
Halloween Party at Simply Italian - let's have
some fun!
Come and join us for the
first of our SHRA Winter Events for a Halloween theme party at Simply
Italian on the Waterfront on Monday October 31st.
The day will start with a ‘Trick or Treat party for children from 4:30pm until 6:30pm. There will be food, with fun and games, and prizes for the best Halloween outfits. Children MUST be accompanied by an adult.
At 8:00pm, it’s time for the over 18’s. to have some fun. Dress code, monsters, vampires, witches, Adams Family, or maybe you’d like to be Freddy Kruger, or maybe a ghost!
Fixed price, themed menu, with music and prizes for best costumes.
Meet the Witches of Eastwickbourne.
Full Details in the next newsletter, on the Waterside notice board, and in Simply Italian.
Discounts for members, join now!
Crumbles history - can you help?
We would like to get a
better understanding of the history of the development of Sovereign Harbour,
can you help?
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Who owned the land originally? Who was it sold to and at what price? Who owns it now?
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Who’s idea was it to build the marina? What was the original plan?
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Who granted the original outline planning consent? Were any safeguards imposed to protect the concept?
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How has so much high-density building been allowed?
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Why is there no open space?
If you can throw any light on any aspect of the history, or can provide any documentation, please contact us at:
Waterlines
SHRA
PO Box 124
Eastbourne
East Sussex BN24 9AW
Or e-mail waterlines@shra.co.uk
Berthholder facilities
It’s good to see that the
new berths on the North Harbour are now filling up, but this has brought up
a number of new problems.
It was generally understood that the undeveloped area at the end of the North Harbour was designated for the provision of ablutions facilities and parking for berthholders, but at a meeting with Carillion, SHRA committee members were informed that all facilities were now in place and this land would be used for further, high density, residential accommodation. This piece of land is as important to the future of the harbour as any of the ‘Five remaining development sites’. Why, as it is currently undeveloped, and no plans for it’s use have been published, was it not included in the Humberts appraisal?
The majority of boat owners using the harbour are not harbour residents. Consequently, they use their cars to get to the harbour and, as the only parking facilities that have been provided are too far from their boats, they park their cars in residential areas. As we all know, overdevelopment has already put excessive strain on the available parking and some inconsiderate boat owners are adding to the problem.
Not only do these people park their own cars, but they also encourage their contractors and supplier to use residential areas as drop-off points for deliveries and to park their vehicles, most of which are medium sized vans.
Finally, when night comes, residents are still disturbed by fast food delivery drivers trying to locate the boats, and the noise of parties that go on until the early hours.
Much of the disturbance to residents could have been avoided if Carillion had provided the promised infrastructure to support a marina of this size. In a meeting with SHRA committee members, it was stated that “you can’t stop boat owners parking in residential areas”. Not true, until the council get round to adopting the highways, your management company can restrict parking to residents and their visitors. Some developments are already employing clampers and others are considering it. Others are planning, or considering, gating their communities.
After repeated requests from the SHRA, and repeated promises to do something about it, Carillion has at last started to clean up the land at the end of the North Harbour. They have also committed to complete the pedestrian access from the walkway to Pacific Drive, but cannot do so until the council to supply the specification to which the work must be completed.
If you have any complaints about the behaviour of boat owners, or the condition of facilities, please address them to:
Mark Oriss
Development Director
Carillion Development Management
7 Clifford Street
London W15 2FT
Or e-mail him at moriss@carillion.com (please also be sure to copy to waterlines@shra.co.uk)
Quad-bikes etc. around the Harbour
Although the roads and
walkways around the harbour have not yet been adopted, their use is still
controlled by the Road Traffic Act. The use of any unlicensed or uninsured
vehicle is an offence.
Irrespective of the legal implications, the use of such vehicles in pedestrian areas is dangerous and must be stopped.
We advise you not to confront users of these vehicles but to contact the Police. Use your judgement when contacting the Police, if you believe members of the public are being put in danger, call the 999 emergency number. Otherwise, call the Police non-emergency number, 0845 6070999.
Chairman's
footnote
I would like to
personally thank those residents who have been providing us with feedback to
our newsletter, both good or bad. We have had two letters from residents
who seemed to think we were intruding unnecessarily into the peoples lives
with issues such as dog fouling whilst failing to pick up the big issues
that are affecting the harbour. Set against this was positive feedback on
the level of representation we are trying to give to residents’ views across
the whole range of issues affecting the Harbour, both large and small.
I am trying to respond to those residents’ with complaints and will continue to do so. However, no matter how hard we try sadly we are unlikely to please everyone, at least not at the same time. For instance some residents would probably be unhappy if we seek to prevent the use of their quad bikes being driven at speed around South Harbour walkways. While other residents, fearful of their safety and that of their children and plagued by the noise would not unreasonably be disappointed if we didn’t. We are not trying to interfere with residents’ lives but to represent the range of views and promote a ‘common sense’ position which protects the majority of families living on the Harbour. Keep your views coming in.
Rick Runalls
This month’s sponsors
Our
thanks to our sponsors, who’s generosity has again allowed us to produce
this newsletter at no cost to the members.
Temple Bird, Solicitors
Steel & Co, Financial Advisors