Minutes of the Public Meeting of Sovereign Harbour Residents Association

Tuesday 12 Nov. 2002

Committee Members present: Reg Ludford, Dave Hitchcock, Chris Peppiatt, Patrick Warner. 

Apologies from Benda Hilliam and Clare Donovan.

Reg Ludford opened the meeting in the chair, explaining that Clare Donovan was unfortunately ill.  He asked for a show of hands as to how attendees had found out about the meeting, with the following results:

Radio    1      Website  3      Notice board      6            Flier     15            Herald     5

(Presumably the remainder found out through word-of-mouth).

The meeting was then asked that those present give authority to the current UNELECTED committee to act on behalf of the residents..  A show of hands was unanimous.

Chair stated that elections would be held at the next meeting February.

Sea Defences

Chairman then introduced

Rupert Clubb            Flood Defence Manager : Environment Agency

Frank Chester            Project Manager – Pevensey : Environment Agency

Ian Thomas            Pentium – Project Manager

A fact sheet handed out to attendees explained the scope of responsibility of the Environment Agency.   

Rupert provided an interesting insight to the reasons for the work and the scope of the Pentium/EA activity.

Current shingle moving should be completed before the end of November.

Anyone interested in “reclaiming” a portion of no-longer-needed groin (currently piled by the Martello Tower), they were free to anyone with the facility to collect!

In response to a question about monitoring he explained that an aerial survey was carried out annually, with a GPS survey every three months.

Rupert advised residents use the agency’s FloodLine warning system (tel: 0845 988 1188). 

Questioned from the floor why they had to pay towards sea defences,  Rupert informed the meeting that the government was under no obligation to provide sea defences.

Carillion meeting

Reg reported that he, Dave Hitchcock and Clare Donovan representing SHRA had met with Carillion representatives in September. (Minutes are posted on the web site and have until recently been posted on the Public Notice Board.)

Topics discussed were:

Health Centre: Two doctors are keen to set up a surgery once an appropriate building is found.

Sea Defences: To enable the movement of EA lorries, a roadway has been built between two of the developments on Sovereign Harbour North.  It will not be a dedicated right-of-way, however there will be pedestrian access.

Play Areas: Carillion says it is up to each developer to provide open space.  SH Ltd has made a sizeable donation to Eastbourne Borough Council to be used for sports facilities in the St Anthony’s area.

Traffic Calming: speed issues continue to be discussed with Highways departments.  Signs have bee erected.

Buses: not well used, but very much appreciated by those who do use them.  Taxis are very expensive.

West Harbour Kids: playing on pontoons problem should have been resolved with completion of gates.

Covenants: restrictions on caravans and commercial vehicles in place.  Each Developer has the obligation to enforce covenants.

Contractor Parking: All new developments have assured SHRA that they will provide on-site parking until the very end of the development.

Site T Walkway: will remain open during the site development, allowing access over North Harbour Bridge.

Link (footpath/cycleway) with Atlantic Drive behind Asda: this is an on-going planning issue relating to the continuation of the bus route through to Asda.  It will be completed as soon as possible.

Street lights and bollards: Dan Hughes has now numbered the street lights and any not working should be reported to him on telephone 470099.

SH Trust: Trust subscribes toward the cost of Flood Defences and Harbour maintenance. The Trust is currently not willing to discuss representation as SHRA is not an elected body.  And in any case the Environment Agency is in the queue first. 

Considerable discussion with a request from the floor that the subject of representation be fully discussed at the next meeting.  Trust representation will be the main item on the Agenda for next meeting in February.

It was suggested that the SHRA would welcome help from any resident solicitor or other person with knowledge of Trust Law to help with this issue.

The “Pond”: will be filled with excavations from sites S and T in due course.

B&Q

Chair  reported this has gone to the Secretary of State for a Public Enquiry in February 2003.

The application will be considered as it stands with no changes from the plan.  Decision is out of SHRA’s control.

Chair suggested SHRA open a dialogue with B&Q to encourage good community relations and to encourage them to consider a community/ health centre. 

SHRA could also ask for B&Q’s support for a replacement access to Sovereign Harbour North from a new roundabout intersecting Pacific Drive by the pond. 

Questions were raised regarding aspects of the development.  Other questions can be sent to Clare Donovan, 4 Kensington, Eastbourne BN23 5NH or by email to webmaster@shra.info.

Other residents reported that B&Q has a good reputation for liaison with local communities. 

There was a show of hands that almost everyone (2 or 3 exceptions) agreed that SHRA committee members talk with B&Q.

Redrow

Gone quiet, were supposed to start in September.

MORE RECENT NEWS (not known at time of meeting) “no definite decision on a start date…… although it id highly likely that building will commence early in the New Year”.

Any other business

Request from the floor that SHRA asks for fishermen’s cold storage units and associated generators be moved from West Harbour.