Extraordinary Full Town Council Minutes Signed 31-07-2023

Attendance:

Councillor P Winter (Town Mayor)

Councillor J Harvey

Councillor M Anderson

Councillor P Hulbert

Councillor J Berry

Councillor R Jones

Councillor J Borda

Councillor E Kavanagh

Councillor L Crissall

Councillor J McHugh

Councillor J Clover

Councillor R Nobbs

Councillor A Drummond

Councillor S Perry

Also Present:
C Whitaker – Town Clerk
R Hancock (SCC)
Matthew Goakes (Lovell Partnership)
c. 20 Members of the Public

Minute

23/07/16 Welcome
The Chairman opened the meeting and read the fire safety notice and confirmed that proceedings were being recorded and asked if anyone else intended to record the meeting.

23/07/17 Apologies for Absence – LGA 1972, Section 85(1) & (2)
Apologies were received from Cllrs Hood, Jarvis, Starkey and Yarrow.

23/07/18 Declaration of Members Interests & to Remind Councillors of the Need to Keep up to Date Their Register of Member’s Interests and to Consider any Requests Received for Member’s Dispensation
Councillor Drummond declared an interest in item 6 as a member of Suffolk County Council, but stated that he intended to debate and vote on the matter. There were no requests for Member’s dispensation.

23/07/19 To Receive and Confirm the Minutes of the Town Council Meeting held on 24th July 2023 and any Matters Arising.
The Chairman presented the minutes of the meeting of the Town Council held on 24th July 2023 and the following was agreed:

23/07/19.01 Resolved
That the minutes of the meeting held on 24th July 2023 be adopted and signed as a correct record by the Town Mayor.

There were no matters arising.

23/07/20 Public Open Session
Several members of the public spoke regarding the area of the former St Felix School and the lack of facilities for sport in Newmarket, with the consensus being:-
• The St Felix site should not be built on, but preserved as an amenity area with a sports hub facility across the entire location.
• Newmarket deserves this amenity and this is the last available green space large enough to provide it.
• Close-by to the location, there is a largescale development at Hatchfield; does Newmarket really need a further 50 houses in that area?
• The public do not feel that they have been adequately consulted regarding this matter.

23/07/21 Former St Felix School Site
The two representatives from Edmundham Developments, a joint venture between Suffolk County Council and Lovell Partnerships, presented the planning proposal for 50 houses on the front section of the St Felix site nearest to the Fordham Road.

The site is allocated in the West Suffolk Local Plan since 2019.
The full application has now been submitted to WSC for the 50 houses, with full details including house types and road designs. The brief was to lead the way for homes of quality and efficiency and will include air source heat pumps and solar energy installations for example. The ‘brownfield’ site where the school building was will have 50 homes; 30% being housing association / affordable homes. There will be pedestrian connections to George Lambton Playing Field. The site will improve the gateway into Newmarket. Houses will be front-facing onto Fordham Road and the site will retain as much as possible of the green space. There will be a basin for storm water and a pumping station. Houses will have some flint material features. There will be a residents’ management company to manage certain site areas, the detail of which is not available as yet.

Councillor Winter thanked the representatives from Edmundham Developments and they left the meeting.

Council went on to discuss the West Suffolk Council proposal for a sports hub on the rear of the St Felix land. Concerns/comments were:-
• Would the Scaltback site be large enough for a suitable sports facility?
• Drainage concerns and how the resident management company would maintain
• The ownership of green space is unclear.
• No bungalows provided.
• Is the rear part of St Felix site large enough for a sports hub?
• There is no cohesive strategy by WSC and SCC regarding leisure and sports facility in Newmarket.
• Would WSC be able to buy the GLPF from the trustees?

The application response deadline is 14/8/23 and NTC is a statutory consultee.

The following was agreed:

23/07/21.01 Resolved
That NTC OBJECTS to this application for 50 houses on the former St Felix school site until such a time as Suffolk County Council and West Suffolk Council can come together to have a cohesive discussion and form a sensible strategy for sport provision in Newmarket that takes account of all sites, facilities required and funding before any development is decided.

23/07/22 Date of the next Meeting
Tuesday 29th August 2023 in the Memorial Hall.

Meeting closed at 7.40pm

Signed: __________________ Date: ____________________

Resolution	Resolution Wording
23/07/21.01 Resolved	That NTC OBJECTS to this application for 50 houses on the former St Felix school site until such a time as Suffolk County Council and West Suffolk Council can come together to have a cohesive discussion and form a sensible strategy for sport provision in Newmarket that takes account of all sites, facilities required and funding before any development is decided.