Hewelsfield and Brockweir Parish Plan
What is the Parish Plan?
The Parish Plan is an opportunity to investigate and celebrate what we have within our Parish. This Plan is based on the questionnaire which was sent to all 215 households within the Parish and just fewer than 50% replied. The age 11 to 17 years questionnaire was completed by 15 young people; probably representing the majority of this age group within the Parish.
It is a document that should enable individuals, groups within the village and the Parish Council to make things happen and more easily reflect FODDC policy.
The Parish Council have discussed areas within the results document that are within our domain and have decided to take direct action on these issues which will further enhance our community. These areas are detailed below
Households in our Parish
Most properties in the Parish are pre 1900 and the majority of residents have been here for more than 20 years, employment being the reason they moved to the Parish. People in the parish generally own their own homes with the majority having two occupants.
We are indeed an ‘aging population’ with the majority of parishioners being between 40 and 75 years and while there are some teenagers there are very few parishioners in the 20 to 30 years age group. Our children attend a range of schools with Wyedean and then Public and State schools in Monmouth being the most popular
We have a small number of residents with disabilities, special education needs or reduced mobility.
The majority of people in the Parish who responded are retired. Of the remainder the majority are in full time employment, some people work part time and many are housewives / husbands. There are also many parishioners who do voluntary work both in and outside of the Parish.
Village Signs
As a means of promoting our parish identity the Parish Council have decided to have village signs at strategic places throughout the Parish. There will be four signs in total and they will be placed at the following locations:
One sign marked “Parish of Hewelsfield and Brockweir” to be positioned travelling from Tidenham as you enter the Parish.
One sign marked “Parish of Hewelsfield and Brockweir” to be positioned travelling from St. Briavels as you enter the Parish.
One sign marked “Welcome to Brockweir. Please drive carefully through our village” positioned as you come over the bridge into Brockweir.
One sign marked “Welcome to Hewelsfield. Please drive carefully through our village” after the crossroads approaching Hewelsfield Church.
Traffic Calming, Speed Restrictions
A large number of parishioner have expressed concern regarding road safety hazards in the Parish which include the Brockweir Bridge/A466 junction, Hewelsfield Cross Roads and the junction of Underhill and Mill Hill in Brockweir Village. Parishioners have also stated that they would like to see the speed limit reduced through the Parish. The Parish Council have decided to seek a 30 mph speed limit through Brockweir Village and traffic calming measures which will improve the safety for pedestrians and motorists.
Parking in Brockweir Village
Parishioners have expressed opinions that parking in Brockweir Village is becoming more of an issue and the Parish Council has decided to hold discussions with Gloucestershire County Council to have a residents parking scheme in Brockweir Village.
Public Amenities
The Parish Council have decided to undertake maintenance of road verges and the river bank area within the Parish. A contractor has been employed to maintain the grassed areas along Mill Hill and the Riverbank. The Parish Council also monitor our footpaths and report any that are in need of maintenance to the County Council. The Parish Council have also assumed the responsibility for the maintenance of the grass verges and the general appearance of the parish including litter picking and emptying of litter bins.
Overlooking the Wye
One long term initiative for the Parish is the “Overlooking the Wye” project which is managed by the Wye Valley AONB Office. Included in this project is the restoration of Brockweir Quay and the Parish Council have decided to invest £3000 towards the Quay restoration over the next three years. This amount will consist of £1500 in cash and £1500 in matched funding. We are still looking for volunteers to work with the Parish Council to provide the labour towards the matched funding. This restoration will involve replacement of the cobbles together with additional cobbling to the roadside, removal of the weeds and pointing to prevent regrowth. Additional staples will be added to the perimeter cobbles to hold the quay together. Once the restoration is complete it is the intention of the Parish Council to work with Parishioners to form a trust to maintain and manage the Quay for future generations.
Provision of a Children’s Play Area and Equipment
The Parish Council have formed a working group with parishioners to consult the community on ideas for a play area and equipment and then to design plans around those suggestions. A Family Fun Day was held to present those plans to the community and to seek approval for a final design. The next stage of the project will be fundraising for the equipment.
Best Kept Village Competition
The Parish Council will consider entering Brockweir and Hewelsfield Villages into the competition in 2009 once all the various building projects in Brockweir have been completed and the overall appearance of the village improves.
Village Design Statement
The Forest of Dean Local District Local Plan 2005 sets out a number of policies that this authority will follow when dealing with conservation areas. The policies are as follows:
(R)FHE.1 Preservation and Enhancement of Conservation Areas
The Council will seek to preserve or enhance the character or appearance of designated Conservation Areas and will review from time to time the need for further designations. Development which would detract from the visual, historic or architectural character of such areas or their settings will not be permitted. Consideration will be given to the use of Article 4 directions where permitted development would be likely to have an adverse effect, particularly upon a programme or scheme of conservation works, or on buildings which have been grant aided.
(R)FHE.2 Demolition in Conservation Areas
Where the buildings or walls make little or no positive contribution to the character or appearance of a Conservation Area, their demolition will be permitted, but only if the demolition proposal is accompanied by fully detailed and acceptable plans for the redevelopment proposed after demolition which demonstrate that the redevelopment scheme will preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Conservation Area.
Where buildings or walls in any Conservation Area make a positive contribution to the character or appearance of that Conservation Area, their total or substantial demolition will not be permitted unless:
1. All reasonable efforts have been made to sustain existing uses or to find viable new uses
2. Preservation in some form of charitable or community ownership is not possible
3. Redevelopment would produce substantial benefits for the community that would decisively outweigh the loss resulting from demolition.
(R)FHE.5 Change of Use of Buildings of Architectural or Historic Importance
Where an alternative use is proposed for a Listed Building or a building of local historic or architectural importance planning permission will be granted where it can be demonstrated that the proposal will preserve the historic and architectural character of the building in its setting and that no other reasonable alternative use exists which would better safeguard the architectural or historic importance of the building.
(R)FHE.6 Development Affecting Archaeological Sites
Nationally important archaeological remains whether scheduled or not will be required to be preserved in-situ. Planning Permission will not be granted for development which would involve significant alteration or damage to such remains or which would have a significant impact on the setting of visible remains.
Where proposals affect remains of lesser importance, planning permission will only be granted where the need for the development outweighs all other material considerations, and where appropriate and satisfactory arrangements have been made and can be implemented for the excavation and recording of any remains. Where permitted, development affecting remains of archaeological importance must be implemented in such a manner as to minimise any adverse effect on the remains concerned.
In all matters relating to this policy the Council and the developer will be expected to take appropriate specialist advice.
(R)FHE.7 Requirement to Provide Archaeological Information
Development proposals likely to affect sites of archaeological interest and their settings or within areas of known or likely archaeological potential must be accompanied by an archaeological assessment and where appropriate the results of a field evaluation appraising the likely extent or nature of the archaeology, together with an indication of how the impact of the proposals on the archaeological remains will be mitigated. This information will be a material consideration when determining an application.
There are wider issues relating to conservation areas and these are set out in government guidance, these together with the local plan policies will be used to guide the consideration of proposals in the designated conservation area.
Bats and Policy (R) FHE.2 demolition in Conservation Areas
The Forest of Dean has a significant bat population; bats and there roosts are protected under Section 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. A licence is required from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), before bats or their roosts can be disturbed.
It is therefore important to determine whether bats are using a building or structure before it is demolished. Given the rural nature of Brockweir the possibility of there being a bat population in the area is quite high.