Following Mike Stokes' brief talk and Q&A on Wed 8th April, on behalf of his son Matthew he presented the Society with a copy of the Moorside Cottage survey report. In the first instance this had been requisitioned by the Council, and later they famously withheld it from us, even when looking down both barrels of a Freedom of Information request. I can't make up my mind whether the Council's action was brave or foolhardy - it would need a fancy lawyer to argue that one
Mike Stokes also presented the Society with copies of site layout plans - one based on Land Registry data, the other associated with the proposed development.
As anticipated, the survey report simply makes observations about the condition of the thatch, structural timbers and other building components. It contains nothing sensitive or controversial, just building repair and maintenance issues.
The site plans indicate that the position of the cottage, its historic boundaries, and its access off McWilliam Road will remain unaltered. Inevitably there will be grey areas and potential discrepancies that need clarification, but the overall picture is that the cottage and its site are to be retained for the future.
The enabling development proposal (which will produce funds to renovate Moorside Cottage) is currently in the consultation stage with Bournemouth Borough Council's Town Planning Department. This involves land purchased from the rear of No. 3 McWilliam Road some time ago, with separate driveway access.
The enabling development comprises three small dwellings, each with car spaces and gardens.
Earlier proposals by others have involved larger properties and more of them - some even taking up Moorside Cottage's land for new buildings or constructing driveways for access. None of that is proposed. Matthew says that he has noted objections to earlier enabling development proposals, and is offering a solution which he believes avoids all of those earlier issues.
Matthew Stokes says that he wishes to live in the cottage - and he's wanted to do that since first shown the property by Goadsbys, some 20 years ago.
Mike Stokes left a small stack of business cards with his personal mobile number, and invited members to put any further questions to him - and he'll do his best to answer, or obtain answers.
Before leaving for his sponsorship duties as a Poole Stadium that evening, Mike Stokes expressed his long-held interest in Moordown's history, paid his membership fee to join the Society (Membership No. 50) and will attend future meetings.
On checking with Matthew and Mike the day before the meeting, it seems that NONE of the representations made by the Society's Moorside Cottage sub-committee to the Local Authority have been passed on. So now we know - circular floor-level filing cabinets are the Council's preferred option.