Margaret Rose Owners Association Newsletter May 2013

WELCOME
It has been an eventful and productive year for th MROA and at the AGM on 17 June 2013 we will be pleased to report many successes. The conveyance of the Common Ground from Taylor Wimpey to MROA was completed on 10th January 2013 and so we are all now legal owners of the grounds within the estate and can ensure that it is preserved for the amenity of everyone. The serving members of the Committee act as Trustees of the Common Ground and within the disposition of transfer it stipulates that the ground cannot be sold and must remain open (i.e. undeveloped) in all time. Our website http://www.mroa.co.uk/ has been significantly improved to make all the documents relevant to the association and to the estate accessible to everybody. MR Way and 1 MR Avenue, around 15 23 MR Drive and at the turning circle in MR Crescent.. There is always an on-going programme of work to keep the grounds looking their best. In the coming season the following activities are planned: The area beside the turning circle on MR Crescent will be replanted with assorted perennials in May. Screening bamboo will be planted in front of the path to nowhere on MR Crescent. The beds immediately surrounding 1MR Avenue will be replanted after appropriate action has been taken to correct the drainage and soil levels. The bed at the entrance to MR Drive will have some perennials added. Stepping stone slabs will be laid to prevent the new path into the woodland beside 15-23 MR Drive becoming a sea of mud. Cornus alba will be replanted around the car park at 15-23 MR Drive to replace the damaged shrubs.

GROUNDS
The walk through the woodland on the west of the estate is now much more attractive. Strong saplings have been properly replanted in accordance with the Tree Preservation Orders, 1500 daffodil, hyacinth and snowdrop bulbs have been planted and are now in bloom, the junk has been removed, the paths have been covered with woodchip and the damage to the beech hedging repaired. A fence has been built to protect the car park at 1523 MR Drive and the birch trees that were too close the building have been removed. More saplings have been planted in the woodland off MR Crescent and the ivy that was choking the existing trees has been cut back. Two vigorous Scots pine saplings have been planted in the vicinity of the lonesome pine on Frogston Road so that they may eventually become replacements for it. 2000 hyacinth and daffodil bulbs have been planted on the grassy strip along Frogston Road, between 1

Some townhouse owners in MR Avenue have asked Menco to cut the shrubs and hedges in front of their perimeter fences, however, this is not within Mencos remit. The area between the perimeter fence and the mono blocking is the property and responsibility of individual townhouse owners. Please can we ask that any overgrown hedges are attended to by those owners.

BUILDINGS
Last summer, the 17 townhouses and 10 MR Avenue were painted a smart new coat of black and the interior of 10 MR Avenue was redecorated. In the coming year the following will be undertaken: The ground level immediately surrounding 1 MR Avenue will be lowered to prevent dampness bridging the damp proof course and penetrating the air bricks.

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Visit our website at: http://www.mroa.co.uk/

Margaret Rose Owners Association Newsletter May 2013

There has been an increasing problem of dampness penetrating to the internal walls of the ground floor flats in 1 MR Avenue. A surveyor has determined that a contributory factor is that the soil level surrounding the block was originally set too high, covering both the air bricks and the damp proof course. The ground around the block is common ground under ownership of the whole estate. Taylor Wimpey have inspected the problem but have categorically rejected any liability, so we are faced with taking legal action or funding the solution ourselves. We have been quoted 1068 to rectify the problem and since the cost of legal action is likely to far exceed this, we are proposing to initiate these remedial works.

OBITUARY
A case of wine has generously been donated for drinks at the Annual General Meeting with a request that a contribution be made to Marie Curie Cancer Care in memory of Olive Smith, a resident of Princess Gate for the last seven years. The Committee thought this would be an appropriate gesture since several residents volunteer for Marie Curie Cancer Care. Olive, who died in February this year, is survived by her husband, Jim, at 1/2 MR Avenue and her two daughters. One lives in The Avenue with her husband and two daughters: the other is an adopted resident because of the months she spent here with her mother when she was so ill. Despite her suffering over the last two years, Olive (a retired nursing sister) never complained and her happy nature was evident to all. She will always be remembered for her lovely smile and easy going nature. As she enjoyed a glass of wine with friends, any donation to Marie Curie, from whom Olive latterly received home support and where she spent the last 6 days of her life in our local hospice, would be greatly appreciated.

OTHER
The snow-clearing service this winter has drawn a lot of favorable feedback. However, these are financially constrained times and so there will be a vote at the AGM on whether it should be continued next winter. Probably the most common complaint that we hear is the unsightliness of the For Sale boards that seem to be permanently planted at the entrances to MR Drive and MR Avenue. It is Common Ground but there is no right for individual owners to have For Sale boards planted here, and we would ask owners to instruct their estate agents not to erect them and remove the existing ones. We have instructed our Grounds Maintenance contractor to remove any that are placed in future. Again, can we ask that children are told not to play ball games on the grassy area at the side of MR Avenue but to use the kick pitch instead. There they have much more space to play without damaging the planting or damaging parked cars. We look forward to seeing as many people as possible at the AGM on 17 June. Please come along or get in touch with any committee member if you would like to help with the work of MROA now or in future.

Malcolm Alford, chair@mroa.co.uk Janet Pearse, secretary@mroa.co.uk Margaret Wotherspoon, grounds@mroa.co.uk Tony Flynn, buildings@mroa.co.uk Sandy Myles, treasurer@mroa.co.uk

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Visit our website at: http://www.mroa.co.uk/