Here’s a question received from a Farnham resident by the Waverley Web.
Q “Do you or anyone at the Waverley Web happen to know why Longfield in Cranleigh is still “permanently closed and Cobgates in Farnham and others??”
A Simple! says a SCC spokesperson:
“Surrey County Council – has the properties under constant review and a great deal of work is going on to use these properties.”
Longfields in Cranleigh and other homes closed in 2015 – yes, you get it – eight long years ago but fear not – Surrey County Council is “working on it!”
This was agreed by SCC at a meeting in March 2015
The decision was lambasted in the press and by the BBC at the time – Longfield wasn’t the only one. There was also Brockhurst in Ottershaw, Cobgates in Farnham, Dormers in Caterham, Park Hall in Reigate and Pinehurst in Camberley.
We found a snippet about Park Hall in Reigate which illustrated discussions were still underway in 2019 on what to do with the building https://reigate.uk/park-hall-future-still-unknown/
Nothing further. Three years later it seems they are still scratching their heads, their scalps must be raw by now! Some buildings are vandalised, despite having notices on their gates that they are covered by Security experts – Knight Security, at what cost we wonder?
Empty buildings attract vandals.
All these buildings are lying empty – listed as permanently closed – and no doubt falling into serious disrepair and dilapidation. Well, it’s about time they have opened again and something useful done with them. It’s a disgrace.
Housing is desperately needed we are told, accommodation for war-torn refugees is needed – housing for the homeless and people living on the streets – may be a women’s refuge (or maybe in this woke environment it would have to be called a “persons” refuge). Surely these buildings could now be put to some good use eight years after they closed – converted into living accommodation of some kind.
Why are we waiting?
How long does it take before someone at Tory-controlled SCC makes a sensible suggestion on what to do with them.? Or have they just forgotten about them altogether ……. in which case give it a few more years and they will simply rot?
But hang on a minute – maybe that’s the idea – these properties have good size grounds and of course, if there was only a pile of rubble left they would be ripe for development which would make the council a tidy sum no doubt. No permissions are needed.
