To be a Village – Town – or City – that is the question?

 The Surrey Ad this week?

Makes no odds to the Cranleigh Chamber of Commerce – because it claims nothing can detract from Cranleigh’s unique character? Can it? Read the Surrey Advertiser Article by clicking here …

village

The WW has been contacted by a number of traders/ businesses and individuals all of whom  are member of the Chamber Pot over there,  claiming they have never been consulted by the outfit that claims to speak up for them. Many say they welcome shoppers/clients to their individual businesses but have a very real concerns about the lack of, and introduction of, expensive parking; the variety and quality of the shopping environment – with far too many charity/betting shops,  and now major banks moving out forcing customers  to go to Horsham and Guildford. They are concerned about the living environment – loss of green countryside, local employment sites, and poor infrastructure – particularly sewage treatment!

Our inbox is full of irate “villagers” who claim that it might not worry the spokesman for the Chamber of Commerce – who is the spokesman by the way? Who says. “Whether Cranleigh is officially defined as a village, a town or city makes no difference to its unique and special character.”

We wonder if it is the same spokesman who is on the Trust which will operate Knowle Park on behalf of the Knowle Park Initiative. It is set  to build 265 houses on a horticultural site, with another 75 opposite . Could it be the same spokesman, who urged all the traders and villagers in a house-to-house leaflet to support the scheme,  and who posted recently on Twitter opposing the Civic Society’s concerns on Cranleigh’s worsening sewage problems saying  that it only spoke for the minority  and suggested they = Play with Poo!

read: Twit or Tweet?

So there we are then – The Chamber of Trade at least is out of the closet – it doesn’t care whether Cranleigh remains a village a town, or a City as long as their tills are filled?

However, Anne Milton the local MP over there says “Cranleigh will stay a village in my mind, It is a community in a rural location.” Perhaps she should pass her comments on to her Conservative colleagues at “Your Waverley” who are doing their damnedest to ensure it doesn’t!

Another who is seriously worried is Councillor Mary Foryszewski – Chairman of Cranleigh Parish Council, who expects to be challenged  at the May chairmanship election by the man who wants to be Cranleigh’s First Town/City `Mayor – yes you guessed Councillor Brian Ellis the developers’ champion! After all he has only been Mayor/Mayoress twice.

The WW has just received this call to arms from the Cranleigh Civic Society.

Dear members and friends

Now is the time to stand up and be counted!

Please come to the Waverley Borough Council offices at 18:30 this Wednesday
27th April, to stand with the Cranleigh Civic Society team as we oppose
another 340 new homes being built behind the 425 just recently approved off
Cranleigh high street.

Waverley Borough Council planners have waved the applications from the
Knowle Park Initiative (265 homes) and Little Meadow (75 homes) through just
days after the Berkeley Homes appeal (425 homes) was successful. Despite
parish council objections, the Berkeley’s application was driven through
against the wishes of local people and we fear that the subsequent
applications will fall like dominoes unless we make a stand.

The soul of our village is at stake here. Be in no doubt that this is a
pivotal moment in the village’s history, perhaps the time when unfettered,
inappropriate development destroys its very character forever.

Please be there. Please make your voice heard! As the famous quote says ‘The
only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.’

Jane Price
Membership Secretary
Cranleigh Civic Society