SPAE Annual General Meeting
Nearly 100 Ascot area residents turned out to the 38th Annual General Meeting of the Society for the Protection of Ascot and Environment (SPAE), held at Ascot Racecourse on May 20 2009.The business of the meeting was concluded quickly and without debate. Michael Clegg has retired as President President Stuart Errington CBE,DL was elected in his place. Mrs Jackie Scott- Howison has taken on the role of the Secretary. Rodney Stubblefield continues as Chairman, now in his fourth year, having promised three years in the post.
Mr Stubblefield reminded the audience that SPAE was founded to deal with overdevelopment and now speaks for 1500 members, including corporate members. He said that SPAE is well - respected by the planners and continues to deal with planning pressures.
Planning Secretary, Brian Burgess, said: “This past half year, applications have reduced considerably, with a shift away from apartments to sizeable houses. Usually, these constitute overdevelopment. There have been 493 applications in the SPAE area, compared to 619 last year. 130 of these attracted detailed SPAE involvement and, of these, 49 were refused or withdrawn. SPAE has also been successful in helping obtain appeal dismissals, such as Tesco.
In response to a question from the floor, the Chairman explained that the Special Protection Area ( reason for refual of development) is affected by the South East Plan. There has been a weakening of the opposition to development as a result. Developers will offer a package, including financial contributions to open space. In this area this will normally include discouragement of dog walking. In the case of flats, there will be a covenant preventing dog ownership. SPAE will continue to object to applications on Special Protection Area grounds and the closer a proposal is to Chobham Common, the more vigorously it will be opposed on SPA.. In Sunninghill and Ascot, there have been losses of appeals due to SANGS.
Rodney Stubblefield reported that the Charters De Beers development in Charters Road, has ‘hit the buffers’. The S.106 agreement to provide open space at the front of the site, would only have been triggered at the sale of 20 units. As only 13 have been sold, the future of the open space is in doubt. Continuing progress on the £50m Coworth House Hotel: Progress has been made on the gardens and the steelwork is now up.
As for conservation, SPAE hopes that the large gardens in Sunninghill, as in Sunningdale, can be conserved.
Tribute was paid to Michael Clegg who, has been chairman and served ten years as SPAE President. He was presented with a gift as a token of the Society’s sincere appreciation.
The meeting rounded off with a fascinating talk by Phillip Everett LVO FRICS, Deputy Ranger of the Crown Estate, on the work of a rural surveyor, with many excellent slides of his early career and Windsor Park.
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