Seabrook Orchards Residents Group (SORG)
Minutes of the inaugural General Meeting
held at Trinity School, Fish Street
on Thurs 9 September 2021 at 7 pm
Present: Tracey Brady (TB), Gordon Edwards (GE), Nat Holt (NH), Andrew Sails (AS), Mark Sweet (MS) and 40 other members
Apologies had been received from 15 members
| Inaugural General Meeting: Formal Business | ||
| 1 | TB welcomed everyone to the first general meeting, and thanked Trinity School for hosting us. She outlined the background to the formation of the group, which had come together in response to the confusion surrounding the relationship and responsibilities of Bloor Homes and the Seabrook Orchards Management Company (SOMC). A great many residents had been concerned and were asking a lot of questions, but no one seemed to know the answers. AS and GE had decided to try to tackle the problem; and sent a circular letter to all residents in June. This was primarily concerned with the invoice issued by SOMC, but also appealed to members of the wider Seabrook community with relevant experience to become actively involved. This had led to the setting up of a group comprising AS and GE together with TB, NH and MS, undertaking a large amount of initial exploratory work during July and August. TB said that this group was now at a stage when it needed to engage with key organisations including Bloor Homes, the Dart family (SOMC) and Exeter City planners. This required some degree of formality so that the group might be recognised as speaking behalf of Seabrook residents. The current meeting had thus been convened in order to establish SORG as a formally established entity. | |
| 2 | The meeting confirmed (nem con) that the name of the group should be the “Seabrook Orchards Residents Group”. | |
| 3 | The following had been nominated as officers of the group, and were elected (nem con): AS, GE, TB, MS and NH. | |
| 4 | A proposed constitution had been made available in advance for those wishing to see it. The constitution was adopted (nem con). | |
| This concluded the formal part of the business. | ||
| Informal Discussion | ||
| 5 | Following completion of the formal business, TB introduced a time for general questions, comment and discussion. She said that the Group needed to prioritise key collective community issues. Major immediate concerns included (1) The SOMC; the invoices it had issued, and the need for clarity regarding its role and responsibilities; and (2) the managed areas (communal facilities), when they would be completed and to what specification. In response to questions and comments from the floor, a wide-ranging discussion ensued, and officers endeavoured to clarify a range of issues. Managed Areas The Communal or Managed Areas included verges, playgrounds, playing fields and the M5 noise barrier, and would eventually include the allotments and Seabrook Square. The managed areas would be the responsibility of SOMC, with the exception of the playing fields, which would remain the responsibility of another company, also run by the Dart family. These facilities were in some cases significantly behind schedule. One member said that the completion of the playing fields had originally been promised by Feb 2020, with changing rooms to be built when the playing fields had been adopted. This was yet to materialise 18 months later. Section 106 timetable NH, with MS and GE, had been reviewing the agreed “Section 106” programme of work with timescale for the completion of communal developments, and their handover from the builder (Bloor) to SOMC. Bloor Homes were obligated to meet this timetable, but were currently significantly behind schedule. It would normally have been expected that by now the Phase One managed land would have been handed over. We have to assume that Bloor and SOMC have had disagreements behind the scenes which have delayed the process. We would not wish SOMC to accept managed areas from Bloor when they had not been properly completed: to do so would mean that the consequential costs of completing the initial development of the managed areas would ultimately be borne by the SOMC and hence the residents. Meanwhile the weeds appeared to be growing unchecked (except in those areas around Bloor facilities) and the estate was beginning to look unkempt. Now that SORG existed as a formal entity, it would seek discussions with Bloor and SOMC to establish reasons for delay and establish a revised timetable. SORG could offer to help move things forward as a community group. Ultimately SORG had the option to approach the Planning Dept and talk to their Enforcement Officers. Roads Concern was expressed about the continuing use of the phase one section of Dart Ave as a route used from early morning by heavy lorries accessing phase two building work. It was not clear when the new road from Topsham Rd to Phase Two would become the route for all site traffic. There was as yet no dropped curb or bell mouth at the Topsham Rd junction. To date no roads in the development had been adopted by the local authority, and as such remained the responsibility of Bloor. The final finish was being given to some streets in Phase One, suggesting that their adoption might be relatively imminent. But the Phase One section of Dart Avenue was not finished at this stage, and its adoption might not happen until after the new access road was fully operational. M5 Sound Barrier GE had been measuring day and night time decibel levels from the M5, and these were typically 10db over the specified limit. We needed to check the construction spec for the barriers with the planners and then establish how levels were to be reduced. Seabrook Square Seabrook Square is shown on the plans as a communal area to be developed on land bounded by Trinity School, Dart Avenue and the new flats currently being built at the junction of Dart Avenue and Fish Street. Initial plans for the square included a community hall, shop and health centre, but it appears that the latter is unlikely to be implemented. We understand that no interest has been expressed in commissioning or providing a Seabrook Health Centre, and so it is likely that this will be removed from the plan. Bloor will then have to make a payment in lieu of service provision to Exeter City Council. This money must be used for NHS services within 1500 metres of Seabrook (effectively supporting enhanced provision by Topsham/Glasshouse Lane Practice). Removal of Pylons Exeter Planners have accepted an alternative master plan 5A for Seabrook Orchards involving the burying of overhead power cables, the building of additional houses on the north side of Ronald Gardens, and the relocating of the allotments to the other side of the M5. This was deemed a non material amendment by the Planning Dept, and as such did not require public consultation. Bloor have the option to proceed with either version of the master plan, but will only implement the revised plan if a financial agreement can be reached with Western Power. Planning documents can be accessed by the public via the Exeter Council site. Allotments SOMC are required to appoint a community organisation to run the allotments Individual initiatives One member raised the lack of rubbish bins at the Seabrook Orchards bus stops. SORG has a major task in dealing with SOMC and Bloor, and at this point does not have the resources to take up these sorts of concerns. Individual members were encouraged to take forward such issues and to let the SORG committee know the results of their endeavours. Working with the Dart family/SOMC and Bloor Homes SORG aims to work with all other stakeholders. Our objective should be collaboration, not confrontation. Bloor will ultimately move on, but the relationship with the Dart family is likely to continue indefinitely. The Dart family would not wish their name and the reputation of their businesses to be tarnished by negative publicity around the Seabrook development. Whilst it was obviously important that SORG monitored the relevant business activities of the Dart family, it was equally important that the Dart’s original vision for Seabrook was not downgraded by Bloor. It was in everyone’s interests if SORG and the Dart family could build a good working relationship Concerns were expressed that Bloor had been selling a vision which was not matched by reality. Bloor proudly boast their NHBC 5 star status. Challenging this award could be a means of exerting pressure on Bloor. Some members who knew Michael Dart personally. He had given assurances that allotments would ultimately be provided. He had also indicated his personal long term commitment to the Seabrook project. SOMC Invoice In May, SOMC had issued £250 invoices to residents to cover a management charge for the coming 12 months. Many members had written to query or contest this invoice on a variety of grounds including the fact that (a) it was addressed to “Dear Resident”, not a named individual; and (b) SOMC were yet to take over any managed areas. The Directors of SOMC are the Dart brothers, and correspondence has to date been dealt with by Josie Andrews, the Office Manager at Darts Farm. With the exception of letters from solicitors relating to conveyancing, SOMC had not, as far as we are aware, responded to any other correspondence beyond acknowledging receipt. Some members indicated that they had yet to receive even an acknowledgement. The original invoice had asked for payment within 30 days. Many members had chosen not to pay pending replies to questions raised. Significantly it appeared that SOMC had not as yet sent any follow up requests to those yet to pay. SOMC Membership There appears to be some ambiguity in the conveyancing documents regarding the status of Seabrook residents as actual or potential members of SOMC. It is obviously important to be clear whether residents would be able to nominate and elect their own directors. SORG has begun looking at this issue. Newcourt Community Association Seabrook Orchards is a part of the wider area of Newcourt. Seabrook residents are thus also members of the Newcourt Community Association (NCA). SORG is linked with, and strongly supported by NCA. NCA is continuing to seek dialogue with Michael Dart. Members were encouraged to attend the NCA AGM at the Newcourt Community Centre 7.30 pm for 8 pm on 28 Sept. Guinness Partnership SORG had started to initiate a link with Guinness Partnership, which provides homes in Seabrook Orchards for social rent and shared ownership. SORG: On-going publicity and communications SORG would continue to communicate with all those on its mailing list (including all those attending this meeting) by email newsletters. Articles could also be placed in Newcourt News. There would be an annual general meeting. The day to day business of SORG would be taken forward by the elected committee, but they also had the option to arrange additional General Meetings open to the whole membership at other points during the year. Occasional posts would be put on the Seabrook Facebook page inviting people to join the mailing list. SORG was not intending to use Facebook as a regular or principal means of communication however, partly because FB conversations could become unhelpfully divisive, but also because not all Seabrook residents used Facebook. There might be the possibility in the future to negotiate some space on the recently erected and much discussed Seabrook Noticeboard. Individual members were encouraged to spread the word about SORG by word of mouth, and in particular to pass on information to any new arrivals moving into the estate. | |
| The meeting concluded at 8.15 p.m. |
Left to Right: Tracey Brady, Mark Sweet, Nat Holt, Andrew Sails and Gordon Edwards
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