Our friendly book group meets on the last Thursday of each month (except August and December). We read the same book as each other and then discuss it at the meetings, followed by a cup of tea and a biscuit. Books are borrowed in sets from the local library so no costs are involved. Members take turns in choosing which books. Please ring Peter Martin on 80322332 for more details.

Following the recent fall of a large branch from the Robinia on the top green in Ethelburt Avenue, a survey of the trees has been undertaken. The Robinia is infected with a fungus and the appropriate action is still being considered. A hawthorn, also on the top green, is in poor condition and needs to be replaced. The Lawson’s cypress on the bend at the top of Ethelburt Avenue will have the dead ivy cut out to see if it recovers. In the SW corner of the bottom green a silver birch is diseased and will be felled. The small sickly Cupressus in the same group will stunt the growth of the Scots pine and needs to be removed.

Kevin White, the City Council’s Historic Environment Team Leader, spoke to the AGM about Conservation Area Appraisal. This will result in a new document “Character Appraisal and Management Plan” to replace the current “Design Guidance”. It will be used when determining planning applications and should make clearer to residents what is allowed. Kevin would like the Committee and local residents to be involved in producing this document. A focus group would redraft and update the Design Guidance and photograph architectural features to replace the current drawings to form the new document. It is felt that by being part of this process, residents will be able to have some influence over the document. This process has already been very successful with the Oakmount Triangle and Portswood Residents’ Gardens Conservation Areas. If you would like to join the focus group, please contact our secretary Debbie Smith or email. The Article 4 Direction would also be amended.

Robert Williams proposed that Summerfield Gardens be included in the Conservation Area and Kevin White said he was happy to look at this.

If you would like some daffodil or crocus bulbs to plant in the public areas of the estate, please contact your street rep or send an email.

There are free guided nature walks on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th November with local wildlife photographer Bob Painton. The walks begin at 11.00, start and finish at the Swaythling Railway Station car park and last about 2 hours.

J C Plumbing Services. General plumbing and complete new bathrooms and kitchens. Very high quality work. Tel: 023 80667655

Planning approval was conditionally granted by Southampton City Council (SCC) on 21st June for the student, retail and doctors’ surgery development at Parkville Road. The opposition of two Swaythling councillors, dozens of letters from residents, petitions, attendance of objectors and presentations against it from Ethelburt Avenue, Parkville Road and boxing club at the planning meeting were insufficient to sway the decision.
The developer is now agreeing with SCC “heads of terms”( i.e. a non-binding outline) of a Section 106 agreement, which will commit the developer. A key element of this is a required commitment to enforce the “no car” agreement with students.

The developer stated at the planning meeting that he won’t agree to any financial penalty for his failure to enforce the no car agreement, but the approval is conditional that he does. But the fine detail of the S106 won’t be finalised until the tower is built. If the developer then refuses to sign up on the enforcement issue it would be impractical for SCC to refuse planning permission – as the alternative is knocking the tower down, so the developer would get his way. That almost certainly means serious parking problems in the area.

The second petition run in Ethelburt Avenue gained signatures at 86 out of 86 properties asked, demonstrating a high level of concern.

I requested in a letter to Stephen Harrison, case officer for SCC Planning on 21st June that the heads of terms for the S106 include the provision for the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act to be used to give Ethelburt Avenue residents the right to take enforcement action on the students if the developer does not. I have not received a reply. In my view, this option represents the best prospect of limiting damage to the conservation area. If you feel strongly, I would be pleased if you could contact your councillors and the planning department and press for this option to be properly considered now – since it will be too late once the heads of terms of the S106 are agreed in a few weeks time. If you wish to contact me for more details you’re welcome to.
Tel: 023 8055 8245

On 18th June, the Friends of Monks Brook had a working party to clear Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera from along the banks of Monks Brook. This prolific annual garden escapee is replacing our native plants. To control it, the plant has to be pulled up before it disperses numerous seeds in August and September.
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In the adopted City of Southampton Local Plan Review there is a table showing the maximum car parking standards for new developments. This table suggests that in the parts of our Conservation Area which are within 400 metres of the Southampton-Portswood-Eastleigh Public Transport Corridor, a three-bedroom house is entitled to 0.75 car parking spaces. The previous government’s policy was to encourage walking, cycling and the use of public transport by restricting car parking.

The present government’s policy is to provide parking which takes account of expected car ownership levels. The City Council has published a draft Parking Standards Supplementary Planning Document. The maximum provision for a three-bedroom house becomes 2 parking spaces. Some of this can be on-street parking. The consultation period closes on 22 August (link on our website).