Minutes of the meeting of High Lane Residents’ Association
Date: Thursday 5th March 2026 Time: 8pm
Venue: High Lane Library
Present: Caroline Smith; Darrell Williams; Barry Sequeira; Angie Sequeira and Sue Forrester
Apologies: Eryl Hughes; David Burks; John Baker; Lisa Robinson-Hall and Cllr Shan Alexander
1. Welcome given by Caroline Smith.
2. Minutes of the last meeting – approved.
3. Police and Crime Report – no police presence at the meeting and although we had asked for crime reports for High Lane, they never materialised. Caroline added that Simon, our PCSO is back now from long-term sick leave and hopefully will be able to join us next month. We will contact him via email him to ask for the crime reports mentioned. Caroline had read an interesting police report showing that even in low-crime areas, people often feel anxious because they're not used to it. It's understandable why there's concern despite the low crime rate.
4. Finances by John Baker [read out by Caroline in John’s absence]
The HLRA General account
The opening balance for the HLRA General account at the beginning of February 2026 (taking rounding into account) was £1,957
Income
The income during February was:
| Two individual subscriptions totalling | £ 30 |
| Sale of Raffle Tickets for £100 Voucher from Red Lion | £ 160 |
| Giving an income Total of | £190 |
Expenditure
The expenditure during February was:
|
The IONOS Website Licensing charge |
£ 9 |
|
The Lloyds Bank account charge |
£ 5 |
|
The transfer of the donations to the Project Fund |
£ 190 |
For February, our Total Expenditure from the General Account was £ 204
The Account balances now are
General account £1,943
HLRA Project Account £6,292
HLRA Total Amount £8,235
HLRA War Memorial Account provided by Barry.
|
Balance 19th January 2026 |
|
£1,544 |
|
Deposit 20th January 2026 |
From the book table at the surgery | £ 45 |
|
Deposit 11th February 2026 |
From the book table at the surgery | £ 60 |
| Balance as of today | £1,649 |
5. Planning applications provided by Eryl [read out by Caroline in Eryl’s absence]
- Base station Middlewood Rd DC/095245. Install 5G electronic communication apparatus additional of 1 omni antenna* and additional 2 cabinets.
*omni antennas provide horizontal, doughnut-shaped radio frequency (RF) coverage, making them ideal for connecting multiple devices in all directions, such as Wi-Fi access points, cellular routers, and mobile application
- 7 Fletcher Drive DC/098129. First floor side extension and replacement two storey rear extension. OFN
- Sainsbury's High Lane DC/ 098222. External alterations to existing store comprising removal of ATM, formation of two brick in fill to front elevation, relocation of the Sainsbury’s local fascia sign and installation of a new escape door to west elevation. Change from part of Sainsbury's operational plan to reduce the size of the store enabling part of the existing floor space to be reconfigured for occupation by another class E use *Commercial, Business and Service" is a planning use class introduced in 2020 that groups together shops, cafés, offices, clinics, gyms, and light industrial uses*.
The proposal represents a small-scale straightforward alteration to the site
- 31, Russell Ave DC/098353. Single storey rear and part side extension. Removal of shed. OFN
- 31, Fletcher Drive DC/098295. Remodelling of existing two storey dwelling with re-designed front porch. New two storey extension to the front, first floor side extension and two storey rear extension including rear balconies. Amended roof including rising of the ridge line and new roof lights. Extended patio to the rear and proposed new access to the highway at the front of the site. OFN
- 3 Silverdale Close DC/098375. Section 3 minor material amendment to DC/095763. to reduce the scope of the side extension and associated roof revision OFN
- 30 Windlehurst Rd. DC/098104. Application approved initial application was referred to HR* on 02-Mar-2026 *HR typically stands for Householder or Householder Planning Permission
- 30 Keswick Rd DC/098403. Proposed rear extension and alteration including garage conversion, bay window to front elevation, detached garden room OFN
- Glenwood Cottage 25 Andrew Lane DC/098355. Demolition of existing conservatory and erection of a single storey rear extension. OFN
6. Sainsbury's Update
Richard Shaw [manager of Sainsbury’s] had been invited to the meeting tonight but was unable to attend. He has provided the HLRA with a written update about the current work taking place at the store:
“Unfortunately I won’t be available to attend tonight however I can give you an update on the store refit. In the last year, Sunday has been the stores busiest day in terms of trade intensity per hour, and we have had numerous customer queries in store and on line about the opening hours on Sun (11am - 5pm). Currently the Sunday Trading Act restricts stores over 3000SqFt to 6 hours trade - the store is 4500SqFt and is has to comply with this limited opening hours on a Sunday. The company has had a year to review trading figures and customer feedback and has decided that the store will be downsized to comply with the 3000SqFt, allowing the Sunday trading hours to be increased to 7am - 11pm, Sundays - 22nd March will probably be the first Sunday with the expended hours. As part of this refit the store range will be reduced across the whole store, however we will still have a great range of fresh food, produce, bakery, BWS [Beers, Wines and Spirits] etc. Currently the building contractor is building a wall in the store which will create a second retail unit in what used to be the first aisle with fresh and produce. I understand that the company has currently lodged a planning application with Stockport Council for a second retail unit. After the building of the second retail unit and planning application has been passed, the property department will try to rent this unit out to another retailer. Currently we do not know who may rent the unit, but we hope it will be a retailer that will add a benefit to the location and High Lane village.
A number of customers have asked for a Post Office in the unit, and this has been passed to the property team. Sainsbury’s do not operate Post Offices so would not open and operate a Post Office - it would need to be an independent trader. Cash Machine - currently this is remaining in its current position, and hopefully when the new retail unit is rented out will remain.
Trees - last year part of a tree fell on the roof and caused some damage. This has now been repaired. The trees have protection orders on them, however a survey has recently been completed on all the trees, and a couple of trees have been identified as dead or dying. I understand that the property team is in now in contact with Stockport Council to gain permission to remove these dead trees and cut back some others that may pose a threat to the store or neighbours' property. This work will be complete once permission is granted.
Toilet - the store does not have a customer toilet and there are no plans to add this facility as part of the refit. We are aware that a number of customers have used the wooded area around the store as a toilet and this has caused some distress to local residents. As part of the refit I have been assured that a fence will be built along the side of the store in front of the two green electricity boxes next to the loading bay, that will hopefully stop customers going into this area.
Hope this information helps stop any further rumours or concerns in the High Lane area”.
Caroline remarked that Sainsbury’s will be selling the same variety of produce but perhaps not as much choice. She had spoken with the store manager about banking services and the possibility of a post office. Banking services might be available where a post office exists, but finding someone to run a post office is difficult. There is a post office in Asda, Hazel Grove, run by the post office itself. Running a small post office can be challenging financially, and banks would need to be interested in participating for a banking hub to work. Sainsbury's has one unit, with plans for a second, and once the property team finishes, they will seek suggestions from the community. Caroline thought it may be useful to reopen the idea of installing a post office in High Lane and would suggest this to our councillors. People are encouraged to email their preferences or objections, especially regarding proposed outlets like Costa or Greggs. The store’s usage has been less than expected, and decisions are based on customer spending and efficiency. The cash machine at Sainsbury's is planned to remain, as it is a valuable asset, though maintenance is handled by a separate firm. All feedback will be passed on to Sainsbury’s to address community concerns.
It was thought that the decision to extend Sunday opening hours was instigated by passing traffic more than the local residents. Caroline will feedback residents’ concerns to the manager.
7. Outdoor Gym
David had emailed an update on the progress of installation of the outdoor gym:
“We have achieved the required budget of £10,900 plus a little more as contingency for small items such as paint, cleaners and lubricants 7 pieces of equipment will be installed. We have arranged the necessary welfare facilities using the village hall. Thanks to the Village Hall Committee. Richard Booker (New Manager) has been going through the project, he wishes to change the Conipave surface to Tarmac, this cost has to fit within budget. Because the project is over £10,000 SMBC rules require 3 quotations for installation. I have made the argument that going through this process will probably cost the council more than the £900 greater than the council’s limit. Richard should have received quotes today 4th March and is hopefully evaluating them. There is still a little confusion over delivery and transport costs £500, therefore we have applied to Marple Area Committee for a grant to cover these cost should they arise. We are basically waiting for SMBC to make final decisions, then we will have a site meeting for installation. Poynton wish the equipment to be off their site for Easter, so to me this is the provisional date”.
A further update from David provided more information:
“What follows is the confirmed costs from the surfacing contractor to create a macadam surface for the outdoor gym. The total project costs for all the works will be £10,439.00. This includes:
Broxap (Sunshine) would be responsible for the collection and reinstallation of the outdoor gym equipment (including servicing and replacement bearings) at a cost of £3,809.00
Ground Inc price allows for site security (Heras fencing) whilst the works is in progress, macadam works (63sqm) and post installation safety inspection. £6,630.00
There is one piece of equipment there is a safety concern about. The rower will have an internal buffer that stops it over extending – if this was to be damaged it would create a crush point between the seat and the frame. As that buffer is not visible without taking the unit apart the concern is that it cannot be adequately inspected.”
8. Litter picking date: Saturday, 21st March, starting at 10am.
Barry reported that we have permission to use this small library room for setting up, and the library staff will be on hand to open the library. Caroline offered her services to open up as a backup. Angie thanked Caroline for her offer and Barry went on to say that out of 40 volunteers’ names, only five have responded so far. Caroline suggested putting up posters alongside details of next month’s meeting but Barry was cautious about having too many volunteers turning up saying usually a few volunteers show up unexpectedly, which is fine. Tea, coffee, and biscuits will be available. The finishing time, dependent on the route size, ranges from 11:45am to 1pm.
9. Reporting back
- Zip wire - last month someone mentioned the zip wire in the park. Caroline had finally contacted the right person and discovered that the issue is that replacing the surface underneath to meet current requirements would cost over £15,000. The existing plastic hexagonal surface can't just be replaced easily. The plan is to keep the zip wire for now and wait for any available funds to fix it. If we push too hard, it might be removed, so for now, we live with it and hope some money becomes available soon.
- Parking – Caroline had taken photos of cars parked on the corner of Andrew Lane and Daisy Way and emailed them to Cllr Alexander. Cllr Alexander had visited the site in order to better understand the situation. She has requested yellow lines on parts of Daisy Way because it's too narrow with cars parked there. Caroline has asked for yellow lines at the bottom of Hartington Road near the care home, as parking there makes it dangerous, especially with increased traffic. The current double yellow lines are only enforced during school hours and are often ignored, so she had suggested all-day restrictions. Parents parking on Hartington Road to access Brookside School through the passageway is also an issue, with cars often parked over yellow lines especially on the corner where the care home is situated. Caroline has raised these concerns with the councillor and will continue to send photos showing the parking problems. Additionally, some residents with permits are parking in 30-minute bays in the surgery car park. Caroline has an appointment with the councillor to discuss these matters further. The road signage and markings could be clearer to improve safety. Overall, that covers the parking issues.
- Footways & horses – a resident had reported at the previous meeting that two footways from the A6 opposite Tonge's onto Thornway and one off Andrew Lane through to Deneway were being used by horse riders. Caroline had taken photos and sent them to the council; the reply said they can't be blocked off to horse riders completely due to accessibility required for wheelchair users. However, they will put up signs warning that horses might use the paths.
10. A.O.B.
- Dog fouling – Caroline had noticed frequent incidents of dog fouling along the pavement on the A6. It seems to be early morning dog workers, not regular dog walkers. She is considering contacting the dog warden to request a visit to ascertain how serious the problem is and to patrol the area.
- Brookside Park - the wooden fencing at Brookside Park is damaged and some pieces are missing in places. Local residents are concerned about vandalism, fly-tipping and the possibility of travellers arriving. Caroline had eventually reached the right person to report this so the issue is being addressed.
- Friday coffee morning – Caroline commented that as far as she knows, no one has shown any interest in running a coffee morning here in the library. It would be held once a month on a Friday morning and library staff are looking for a nominated person to lead it.
- Respiratory issues study – Caroline had spoken with a district nurse who works around High Lane and Marple and is compiling a study on public health. She is interested in researching pollution, especially its effects on people with respiratory issues. She may attend the next meeting to share ideas and gauge interest. Caroline also suggested she connect with Dr. Mathewson to potentially set a focus group. After her studies are completed, she might present her findings at the AGM. High Lane has serious pollution problems, so her work could benefit local residents and could be a useful tool in our argument against potential housing developments in the village.
- Passageway onto the A6 – a resident reported a concern regarding children running out of the passageway leading from Thornway onto the A6. A barrier is needed on the pavement side to improve safety, but it must allow wheelchair access, which is challenging. Caroline replied that this issue has been mentioned before, but it remains a problem and she will contact the relevant authorities.
- Land survey – a resident had noticed land surveyors CSL working on the A6 between The Royal Oak and Middlewood Way. It was also noted that the hedges had been cut back along that stretch of road but the undergrowth still remains making the pavement dangerously narrow for pedestrians. Caroline plans to contact Jonathan Headlam.
- Speeding concerns – the next Speedwatch event will take place next month. Warren will let Caroline know the date. Speeding remains a major issue in the village, with enforcement like speed checks and cameras often discussed. Caroline informed the meeting that speed cameras are generally placed on major roads rather than back roads and police speed checks are rare on smaller routes. Speed cameras have been installed on certain routes, such as the A6 and Park Road, but not in all areas where residents feel they are needed. Alan and Joyce are praised for their work monitoring speeds and engaging with residents. Clear communication of the 20 mph limit, such as through the newsletter, is recommended. Residents themselves frequently speed and later complain about enforcement online. Traffic is further impacted by regular drivers, commuters, parked cars, and school-related congestion, especially near schools where safety risks increase. A resident reported that some minor roads had been re-surfaced but the road markings hadn’t been reinstated. There is limited police presence in High Lane and residents rarely see police officers, and this lack of visibility is a source of concern. The area is covered by only four or five officers, which is considered insufficient given its size and there have also been issues with staff shortages and long-term sickness, making it difficult to maintain consistent enforcement. Traffic and speeding enforcement continues to be an issue.
- Resident from care home – a concern was raised again about the young man who encourages heavy good vehicles to sound their horn along the A6. Cllr Alexander was planning to contact the adult protection services. The situation is serious and dangerous because it could be construed that he is breaking the law by running into the road. Contacting the police could be the next step.
- Facebook – a resident reported than some posts on the High Lane Facebook page are unnecessary and should be monitored and controlled more efficiently by the admin team.
- Fly-tipping – a recent incident of fly-tipping on the canal bank just beyond the Bull's Head pub heading towards Poynton was reported to the Canals & River Trust. This issue has been resolved satisfactorily.
- Postbox outside the surgery is out of use at the moment but we have been promised an installation of a new postbox that will be able to take parcels.
The next HLRA meeting is on Thursday 2nd April 2026 at 8pm in High Lane Library