MEETING 13 JANUARY 2015 HELLENS GROUP & RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

Present: Hellens: Gavin Cordwell-Smith, Brian Robe, Katie Rumble

Springwell Village Residents Association: Angela Templeman, Maureen Lambton, Liz Reid

1. All agreed that the purpose of the meeting was for the SVRA to gather information – not a formal consultation

2. GC-S described Hellens’ activities – developing and operating social housing, developing brown and green field sites, remediation.

3. 700 houses have been developed on Teal Farm- planning consent has been granted for a further green field site

Other sites include Hetton-le-Hole and Stockton

Minimum 10% affordable housing is expected on sites

Hellens agreed to share their comments on the Sunderland SCHLAA

The Springwell Village site was purchased from Gair in May 2014

SPRINGWELL VILLAGE SITE: 30 acres transversed with a Public Right of Way

4. WORK SO FAR:

• Appointed Landscape Architects – Southern Green – who have considered the village and green belt as a whole and how it may have evolved. Hellens felt there is no heart to the village – no natural centre
• A draft Visual Impact Assessment report has been produced
• Part of an ecology survey has been carried out
• PlusUD – Urban Design consultants have been appointed and produced a draft report on how the village has evolved, its key characteristics etc. options for developing the site (some including a new school) and for the site of the existing school site have been included
• GVA (Newcastle) has been appointed as Planning Consultants
• SCHOOL:

Meeting with Head. Hellens referred to her being advised against further contact

Hellens felt strongly that there is a need for a new school but accepted that residents

may well have a different view particularly if resiting was planned

They were convinced the school roll is set to fall to a level that would mean closure

• Sunderland Council – their response was that the proposed development does not accord with current policy

5. FUTURE:

• Further ecology, Traffic Modelling and Environmental Impact Assessment
• PUBLIC CONSULTATION:

Proposed for next 2 months with another to follow 2-3 months later

There will be no public meeting

There will be a questionnaire asking residents for views on options– SVRA will have prior sight of this and can ask for inclusions – and will have access to results

The second consultation will include options for development

Hellens will produce a summary of their reports

Planning Application latter half of 2015

Hellens suggestions included: Public Realm area, Public Square, shops

6. It was agreed that the Springwell Village Hall was the most appropriate venue for the consultation and that SVRA would consult residents and the Hall on date of consultation.