Bunkers Hill Residents Update – April 2016

Key Points Formal planning permission has now been issued by Cherwell DC. All the benefits have been written into a legally binding agreement with the Council. It is proposed that the derelict area behind the sewerage plant be landscaped to include the new water pumping house, new clubhouse, a new play area, and overflow car parking. No liability to maintain the new clubhouse or any other new facilities at Bunkers Hill will fall on the Bunkers Hill residents, this will now be managed by the Council. No BHMC land will be lost. A field of approximately 1 acre to the left of the track has been acquired for use as green space exclusively for the Bunkers Hill Residents. A windfall tax-free payment of £2,000 will be paid to each household if the housing goes ahead, should they not wish to accept it we will arrange for a donation to a charity of their choice. For the housing to go ahead it needs the support of the majority of Bunkers Hill residents. If the majority of residents support the houses I will stay on during the building to ensure that the builder behaves appropriately (if residents want me to). If the majority of Bunkers Hill residents do not support the houses, the site will be sold with the benefit of planning permission on the open market to the highest bidder for them to develop as they see fit.

Benefits on Offer (At No Cost to Bunkers Hill Residents) A new properly constructed two–way access road will be built to replace the existing track, with a much safer exit to the main road. A new Sewerage Plant will be installed and maintained for twenty years. A new Water Supply and Pumping House will be installed to the Council’s specification. A new Clubhouse and Playground will be built – They will be maintained by the Council with no cost or liability for Bunkers Hill Residents. The Water Tower will be demolished and the surrounding site made safe. A field of approximately 1 acre to the left of the track has been acquired for use as green space exclusively for the Bunkers Hill Residents. A windfall payment of £2,000 will be paid to each household if the housing goes ahead, should they not wish to accept it we will arrange for a donation to a charity of their choice.

New Access Road The new road will be properly constructed in line with the Council’s specification, and will have a much safer vision splay at the exit which has been approved by the Council’s Highways Department. The new road will be two-way along its whole length. The new road will be provided free of charge for use by all current Bunkers Hill residents who currently enjoy a right of way over the existing track. The passing place and shrub land to the right of the existing track will form part of the new road, but legally they will remain the property of BHMC, No BHMC land will be taken.

Sewerage and Water A new Klargester Envirosafe 55 HEQ sewerage plant (or such other make model and specification of sewerage plant approved in writing by the Council) to serve the existing residential dwellings at Bunkers Hill and the new houses will be supplied, installed, and maintained for 20 years. The new sewerage plant will be sited so that it can be serviced without blocking the entrance road. A new water supply will be installed using a three phase pumpset model number SI-3V-10-55-DAS-380v 3ph, and a 2,800 litre insulated potable water break tank. The equipment will be housed in a water pumping house built alongside the new Clubhouse. The equipment will provide a pressure of at least 2 Bar at all times as recommended by Thames Water.

It is proposed that the derelict area behind the sewerage plant be landscaped to include the new water pumping house, new clubhouse, a new play area, and overflow car parking as shown below.

Derelict Area Behind Sewerage Plant - Details The ownership of the land will reside with BHMC, only the footprint of the buildings will be transferred. Rights of way across the land will be granted to pass them onto the Council and other relevant parties. The new sewerage plant will be located as shown so that the service vehicles can pull off the access road. Building design will be determined as part of the detailed plans. Car parking will be determined as part of the detailed plans. The play area will be designed in accordance with Council specifications.

Green Field The field will be for the exclusive use of Bunkers Hill residents. The field has already been sown with hard wearing grass seed which should have taken hold by the summer, and will be cut regularly by the local farmer. The field is approximately one acre and stretches from the sewerage land to the border with Andrew’s field. A new hedge will be laid and fence installed on the western border to protect the adjacent crops, and the border between the access road and the field will be landscaped with a new fence and gate.

What Happens Now ? Starting on xx April a 28 day consultation period will be held so that questions regarding any aspect of the proposal can be answered. The process will be run independently by Common Ground who have put a portal in place to ensure that information is freely available. At the end of the 28 day period, each Bunkers Hill household will have the opportunity to vote whether they want to support the houses and receive the benefits, or whether they want to oppose the houses and have the land sold to a commercial property developer. Common Ground and BHMC will then publish the results, and the houses built or the land sold to to the highest bidder for them to develop as they see fit.