Persimmon - the new Feethams Village

Stephanie and I have endeavoured to speak to as many of you as has been possible, given the short consultation time scale (to 13 December). I am pleased to report that your overwhelming view of Persimmon's proposals is favourable.

Some residents would have favoured a further reduction in the number of homes to be built, but everyone consulted was in clear agreement that the current reduction from 146 to 82 homes was a move in the right direction.

It seems that you are happier with the prospect of 'homes with an executive feel', considering these more appropriate for the site. You also favoured Persimmon's move to mirror existing development and the chance to give the site a 'more mature feel'.

Some concerns have been expressed with regard to parking for the new residents and their visitors. I have been asked to check this with Persimmon to ensure that adequate provision is made within the development. You have observed that parking on the access road, or within South Terrace is out of the question.

There have been a few concerns raised about egress from Feethams South to Victoria Road. Traffic leaving the Victoria Road roundabout travels uphill (west) at such speed as to make getting out a very difficult task. This is an issue for Darlington Council Highways, and we shall be pursing it with them. 

It has been suggested that the development could be given a new name, that of 'Feethams Village'. Whilst we have not consulted on this, it may provide a greater sense of belonging to the new community. Do have your say on this!

I have reproduced below the reply sent on your behalf to Persimmon. Should there be anyone - not hitherto consulted - who has a different view, you may wish to contact Persimmon directly so that your voice is heard.

View from the air in 1961

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To Persimmon Homes

On behalf of the South Terrace Residents Group (100% of the residents of the terrace and Pease Cottages) can I thank you for your informative information sheet and invitation to 'Have your Say' concerning the new proposals.

We have consulted within the group as widely as we were able, given the time scales, and I am pleased to report that your proposals for the site meet with general approval from members.

The group recognises that this site is suitable for high quality residential development.
The transition to a reduced number of homes 'with an executive feel' is welcomed as more appropriate for this site.

The group welcomes the decision to mirror existing local development, giving the site a mature feel.

The group believes the plan to preserve the possibility of alternative access options (to Grange Road and Victoria Embankment) is wise, should these be needed in the future.

We were concerned that sufficient parking will be available for new residents and their visitors within the site. Clearly parking on the access road or in South Terrace will be out of the question. Perhaps you can reassure us that adequate provision has been calculated? 

Tom Wilkinson, Assistant Engineer at Lumsden & Carroll Civil Engineering for Esh Developments has sent us regular email updates, which we have posted on our residents' Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/southterrace/
and on occasions on our blog
http://southterrace.blogspot.co.uk/
May we invite you to do the same? 

Feel free to contact me should you wish to meet with the residents here, or to raise any particular topic associated with the development.
Stephen Twist

End of Year Round-Up - and the Year Ahead

The South Terrace Residents blog has now been up and running for 11 months (starting on Sunday 10 February 2013). In this time we have tackled a number of issues close to your hearts: including crime, scams and SmartWater with the Darlington Neighbourhood Police team, Sainsburys development, the Esh housing scheme on the football ground, the new Terrace Hill cinema complex at Feethams North, parking in South Terrace, the Big Spring Clean 2013, South Terrace garden Spring and Summer competitions, departing residents and new arrivals, the demolition of the Feethams twin towers, and of course the important publication by South Terrace's own writer, Karl Bone.

I sense that 2014 is going to be a challenging year for us on the terrace. Esh have handled their part of the Feethams housing development with a degree of sensitivity - especially with the frequent updates on our South Terrace Facebook page, but will the same be true for Persimmon? How will Darlington Council respond to the development of 82 new dwellings on the Feethams estate? Will we get the Victoria Road pedestrian crossing point we have been seeking? Is the council going to address the parking issues we have raised?

With care and collaboration, South Terrace residents could be the beneficiaries of the recent and proposed changes. But to achieve this, our voice must be heard, and that voice should be a united one. We need to keep our group active, informed and involved.

I propose that we arrange a meeting early in 2014 to prepare an agenda for the year. Pending this, think about what you would like to see happen during the year, and what you most wish to avoid. This way, we can exercise a level of influence over the decisions that will or may most affect us.

Persimmon seek a revision of planning for Feethams

Persimmon propose 82 new homes, to include a 4 storey apartment building providing 12 flats overlooking the cricket field. They describe the proposals as carrying 'an executive feel'. You will recall that the previous planning permission was for 146 homes. Take a look at the attached information sheets, and note the deadline for comments is Thursday 13 December!

Anyone wanting to make representations may do so direct to tees.consultation@persimmonhomes.com, by post to the address in the leaflet, or via comment here or on our South Terrace Residents Facebook Group page.

Big Spring Clean 2014

Photo of  South Terrace residents participating in the Big Spring Clean 2013 

Message from Councillor Gerald Lee

Good morning everyone,

A date for your diaries.

LitterFreeDurham are planning the next Big Spring Clean for April 7th 2014 so hunt out your litter sticks, dust off the cob webs and apply a little oil......

As always thank you for supporting the Big Spring Clean. It seems that more people turn out every year to clean up their communities and until people stop dropping litter, the work will have to go on - even more so with the cutbacks of council services.

We did well in 2013, lots of school children turned out and I do feel that once someone has actually been around the streets to actually pick litter it stays with them and the likelihood that they drop the stuff reduces. We also managed to talk to over 1500 young people from 5 yrs old to 16 in school stressing the consequences to wildlife, the environment and to the pocket of dropping litter. I feel that education is so important for young people. If we are ever to change attitudes then we must start with the children when they are young and the anti-litter message should be given as part of the school curriculum as well as the Central Government supporting the actions.

If you can open the door to a school near you to allow me to talk to the children/students I will be pleased to do so even before the BSC starts.

To those of you who may have had people say that they are against voluntary litter picking as they pay Council Tax for the Council to do the work you could remind them that in 2007 in England alone we spent £584million and this figure has been increasing annually to over £1BILLION last year. Councils have been doing their best and unless we accept an an increase in Council Tax or a reduction in Front Line services to pay for the councils to spend even more time cleaning our roads then we either help them or we sit back and let the litter pile up........    

 I would be grateful if you could pass this 'e' mail onto any group or individual who you feel may be interested in taking part in the BSC as the more the merrier.

So than you once again for your support. We will be sending out the 'package' sometime in the New Year.

As Christmas is fast approaching, I wish you a Very Happy Christmas and a Joyful, Healthy New Year.

Best Wishes

Gerald