Or will they follow the recommendation of their very own planning dummies and refuse a widely supported scheme for eight homes – a cafe shop – and a car park?
Tonight Waverley planning ‘experts’ will once again recommend refusing development on land in the Surrey/Sussex border village – which has been hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons recently! Will this site on which development has been sought since 1986, once again be kyboshed by planning officers who are ignoring local opinion – including those of village leaders on the parish council? (However, shouldn’t someone tell the parish council that Grampian Conditions aren’t worth the paper they’re written on).
Perhaps Alfold’s Councillor Kevin Deanus can be as persuasive in supporting this application as he has so ably demonstrated when objecting to other totally unsuitable schemes, that officers have backed to the hilt in the east of the borough?
It beggars belief that Surrey County Council with Waverley’s support can build on land to the rear of Lindon Farm, formerly part of the same holding on which permission was refused to every other applicant. But then grant itself planning permission for three large buildings for supported living accommodation for autistic children with access from a one-way dangerous country lane! Every other past application had been refused by its very own engineers’ on highway objections! Double-dealing or what?
Then along comes a community facility – a Cafe and a shop, which locals say will complement the existing village shop – in a village with scant amenities. Along with the added bonus of a car park (10 spaces for a village church and 10 for residents’ parking, plus a traffic calming scheme) and a play area in the heart of the old village – and the planners say…
… OH NO!
Dumb or what?
Come on Councillor Deanus – get your truncheon out and knock some sense into your so-called experts and get Cranleigh’s Liz Means Biz, (not to be confused with Betty Boot), and your fellow councillors along with you?
Tell them about the numerous accidents that have occurred on the dangerous bend where a woman died just a year or so back. Tell them about the dangerous parking, and the numerous incidents, accidents, damage to property that are a regular occurrence in Loxwood Road. (We have researched this and our followers over there have been writing to us)!
And… how can anyone claim this doesn’t fit into the street scene?
Well WW – For ONCE I agree with you!! If it means the Chapel has parking and 10 spaces for the residents (and it must have an s106 to ensure that does happen) I cannot see the problem – It is a small development with the majority of housing behind the road frontage (unlike some of the others proposed) A café and small shop that will Hopefully compliment the Village shop/Post office.
The Planning Officers’ arguments about there being a couple of parking spaces too few (for the café/Shop) – is just ridiculous – they have let far worse go through. I don’t know about anyone else – But I know how bally tricky it is to park when you need to go to the Post office.
I do understand it is adjacent to the conservation area – But there used to be a Shop and a Pub in it before – so I don’t think that is a good enough reason to refuse it.
It doesn’t have affordable Housing as it is under the 10 home limit – But let’s be honest about affordable Housing…… It ISN’T
I will watch with interest tonight – Unless of course the Webcast goes DOWN as it does so often!!
WOW! Praise indeed from someone over there in the East. Perhaps you will now realise that some of us in other parts of the borough do care about you! However, we do wish you would visit us over here one day, and see, hear and breathe in some of our problems. Good Luck Alfold at tonight’s meeting. And let’s all hold our breath that the Webcast works So that we can watch Betty Boot behind her boys and girls as she kicks a great scheme into touch.
Isn’t it high time they dumped the system they have and brought themselves into the 21st Century with a new webcast system that actually works.
Let’s hope they see sense and give this super scheme some backing. I personally can’t see the issue. A new shop and cafe will bring a central point to a diverse village and hopefully ease the parking on the Lockwood Rd. I have notices that this planning application was supposed to be heard a few weeks ago and was postponed. Hopefully to enable the councillors on the planning committee to see sense
Ha! Visit Farnham??? Aren’t they going to close a lane for 6 weeks on the A31 in order to build the Bridge for the Brightwells Application to be looked at the JPC on 14th November
Oh dear! How dare we forget the traffic chaos that will ensue. We are becoming so used to traffic congestion that we are beginning to forget that it was ever any different. So perhaps wait a year or two, or three… before you visit?
Application Approved! Good News; Traffic calming, Parking and a café/shop!! Maybe I can apply to be a waitress!!! For once the village will get something out of development – It is as rare as hen’s teeth
Great news for Alfold. At last something that will benefit its beleaguered residents. Something that will make the road safer. Perhaps the WW will pop over there and enjoy tea and cake. In disguise of course.
There are lots of small Home-businesses in the Village maybe the Shop could be geared more towards supporting Local business rather than competing with the Local Shop/Post Office – I know of a couple of Jewellers and artists and MY OH is an Antiques & Collectables dealer (so must admit an interest…) Maybe something to replace the Pet shop in Cranleigh that closed – there must be someone that does Pet supplies??
It is quite exciting to think about the potential opportunities for the village and its residents. Come on Alfold!!!
And perhaps a Developer could come up with a scheme that would make our roads safer in Wreclcesham. Another head on crash!!!
Well, well WW!
Dont often get a loveheart with my developments!
Thanks for your support although I was told by the planning officers that no-one ever reads WW anyway….
We are really keen to get the shop/cafe working well and will need to have strong local support. Any ideas, suggestions etc would be welcomed.
We are sure the people of Alfold will support your venture. Involve them in the planning of the new facilities and everyone will get a feeling of ownership in the venture.
Please contact us here at the Waverley Web, and we will do whatever we can to help a new enterprise.
As for the planning officer’s remark. Perhaps he/she would like to look at our statistics which show how far this spider’s web reaches? They hate to think we influence their decisions. But its called free speach and local democracy.
Hear Hear – There are plenty of Young Entrepreneurs in the Village most only small – Give them some space and a chance to promote their business and who knows what could happen. Well Done!