Cranleigh Planners – we use the words with a degree of scepticism – as nobody at ‘Your Waverley takes a jot of notice what the grass-roots of democracy has to say. Cranleigh Parish Council has objected to 44 homes being built on a vital wedge of countryside separating the settlement of Rowly from Cranleigh. Land that Waverley asked a Government Inspector to include in the Green Belt.
The Bursar of Cranleigh School told Cranleigh Parish Council’s planning committee, in no uncertain terms – that if the school didn’t get the houses – then it won’t be building new sports facilities.
How about that for a threat?
You can’t have one without the other… so the song goes…
Needless to say, village leaders voted to support the sports facilities off Horseshoe Lane – but not homes across a vital wedge of the countryside. Land that could open the floodgates to further development along Guildford Road, bringing the settlement of Rowly into Cranleigh New Town. Well, you can be sure Cranleigh School will get at least one vote – Councillor Stewart Stennett – who thanks to his Waverley mates – and against officers’ advice, has already bagged development in the Green Belt on his own land in Guildford Rd.
Residents’ whose homes surround the new paying facilities are objecting to having floodlit fields and running tracks near their homes.
Our followers over there in the East – tell us, the unctuous Martin Bamford “BB” as he is known locally, has gone out of his way to support the building of these homes – he is after all the local spokesman for everything concerned with expanding Cranleigh in every direction and controlling the Cranleigh Community Board – from which we and many others have been banned.
The seemingly cash-strapped school -(which boasts fees of around £15/20,000 per term) is joining its equally cash-strapped neighbouring centre of excellence at Godalming’s Charterhouse in joining the property game. Well – everyone else is at it- so why not us the say?
Cranleigh School is in line for a contribution to its new sports facilities from section 106 monies provided by Berkeley Homes. Villagers consider that, if they are going to any local schools, perhaps they should be going to public sports facilities and not to those who educate a mere 7% of British children! Ah! but they do say these are community facilities don’t they – the local hoy poly can rent them, as they do if they want to rent the school’s existing facilities. at a price – and when of course its students have no need of them?
It strikes us, reading Batty’s paean of praise for Cranleigh School – ‘a registered charity who are not in this for profit, instead of reinvesting monies into facilities … An asset rich, cash poor charity … Our local schools will benefit greatly from access to a new running track and 4G football pitch, with suitably equipped playing field space …
Not to mention his eulogy to his A2 Dominion pal, Andy Cranleafy, ‘the selected developer, A2D, is not only offering 35% affordable housing but is itself an organisation which reinvests its profits into building affordable housing and managing its existing portfolio …’
Isn’t BB seriously over-egging his pudding? Put a sock in it do. Everyone in the East knows which side your bread pudding’s buttered and, frankly, we’d all prefer it if you sat down and shut up so we don’t have to keep putting up!
Mind you, if the Dunsfold Developer is reading this, maybe he might consider offering BB a job as his new local PR … because he and his family speak up for anything and everything connected with – Cranleigh Village Hospital Trust; Cranleigh Chamber of Trade; Cranleigh in Bloom; Knowle `Park Initiative; Rowly Centre; and the Cranleigh Community Board – which now has a rival because he censors contributions and if he doesn’t like them – he spikes them!! The new board is Called the Cranleigh Community Group – which is championing opening the old Cranleigh Village Day Hospital and Minor Injuries Unit. Rather than a new multi-million-pound PRIVATE nursing home!
Now here’s an interesting objection from a former Cranleigh School employee – hope his pension’s safe!
Another little missive.
Surely if this Private School charges so much in fees it can support its own Sports Facilities without inflicting more houses in Cranleigh and on a rubbish bit of the Guildford Road – I visit the Notcutts Garden Centre since we LOST our lovely one in the Village. I have seen the Planning App. and have to say I wasn’t that impressed, but thought if it was going to provide something FOR Cranleigh residents maybe they would want it??? Are there any details as to how much time would be given to Open Access for the Public?
I do think the Flood lights are a bit of a cheek especially as (if I remember rightly) it would be until 10pm??
And of course the Staff of the school will have been coerced into sending responses in favour of it – It happens all the time, I am just surprised that the Parents haven’t also… or maybe they have but don’t actually live in Cranleigh (who would??) and that may look a tad obvious!!
Anyway up to Cranleigh residents to shout about this if they don’t want it – as although Alfold is Postal-wise considered part of Cranleigh it isn’t Cranleigh
Cranleigh people don’t appear to kick up a fuss about anything very much. It appears they take it on the chin – or maybe they are punch drunk?