A slight change to our plans in that we are starting the Annual General Meeting (AGM) this year 30 minutes earlier than usual.
It will be held via a Zoom meeting on Wednesday 3rd March 2021 from 7:30pm
For those that wish to attend please email the following address to register.
info@woodcoteepsomresidentssociety.org
We will then send out a zoom link to all registered.
Agenda, minutes and meeting details to be posted onto the website and social media.
Surrey County Council (SCC) elections coming up in May this year.
Be safe and apply for a postal vote.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-a-postal-vote
Hi
I am writing to you with a brief update about some of our local issues.
Covid-19 related
It is great that the number of cases of Covid-19 in the borough is falling. Thank you to all those who have been adhering to the ‘hands, face and space’ motto and other guidance and staying home when possible. Although the rates are decreasing, there is still a way to go – please do continue to be vigilant and remember that many people with the virus have no symptoms, but can infect others who may become very ill. If you would like to see the figures on infection rates, they are available on the Surrey County Council website (www.surreycc.gov.uk)
The vaccine rollout is going very well, with many grateful recipients. It is being organised by Surrey Heartlands on behalf of our local GP practices. Although initially those eligible for a vaccine were asked not to contact their GP surgeries to try to make an appointment, at this stage of the rollout, anyone aged 70 or over who has not yet had a vaccination appointment is urged to make contact and arrange one. This can be done through www.nhs/covid-vaccinations, by calling 119 (free of charge) or through your GP.
If you have an appointment for a vaccine and are wondering whether the centre is closed because of the snow or ice, you can find the latest information on the Surrey Heartlands web page (https://www.surreyheartlandsccg.nhs.uk/). If the centre is open, but you are unable to keep your appointment, please contact them as soon as you can so that you can make another appointment and your slot is not wasted.
Council services
For Borough Council services, particularly during this bad weather, please check the Council website (www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk). If the waste or re-cycling collection routes need to be changed, there will be information here.
The website also provides information about support for businesses and residents, particularly during the pandemic.
Planning matters
An update on the major planning applications in the Ward –
22-24 Dorking Road – This application was to demolish 2 detached houses on the corner of Dorking Road and White Horse Drive and build a block of 20 flats, (part 2, part 3 storeys, plus apartments in the roof and semi-basement, with some basement parking). The application was refused by the Planning Committee, but the applicant has appealed the refusal and we await the outcome of the appeal.
Guild Living – The NHS Trust sold part of the Epsom Hospital site (fronting Woodcote Green Road and including the former staff accommodation and admin block). Guild Living applied for planning permission to redevelop the site as a ‘care community’ for older people, comprising about 315 apartments plus 28 ‘care suites’; replacement of 24 key worker units, together with facilities for the residents; a children’s day nursery and some shops and cafes; plus 170 car parking spaces. The proposed buildings would have been up to 9 storeys high and be close to both residential neighbours and the Woodcote Green Road boundary. The Planning Committee refused the application. Guild Living report that they are currently preparing an amended application and will also be appealing the refusal of their original application.
Langley Bottom Farm – this is an application to build 20 houses on land at Langley Bottom Farm. It is in the Green Belt and the buildings there are currently used by various small businesses and for agricultural storage. The entrance to the site includes a bridleway that is well-used by both walkers and equestrians. The application is due to be heard by the Planning Committee on 18th February and the Officer recommendation is to refuse it.
Epsom Hospital car park – The Hospital Trust has applied to build at 6 story car park in a similar position to the current visitors’ car park. It would be for patients, visitors and staff. It is expected to come to the Planning Committee soon.
Details of planning applications can be found at https://eplanning.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/online-applications/
Borough Councillors are able to make a 3 mins presentation to the Planning Committee in support or opposition to a planning application on the agenda. Where we are approached by many residents and there is a clear view, we take up this opportunity. We normally do this by Bernice speaking on matters relating to the Langley Vale part of the Ward and I speak on those nearer the town. Steven is a member of the Planning Committee and so has to read all the paperwork and reports and approach the meetings with an open mind.
The Woodcote (Epsom) Residents’ Society has a planning subcommittee that can advise and comment on major planning consultations and, where appropriate, can speak for residents at Planning Committee meetings.
Future developments
We have continued to lobby central Government and our MP about the unreasonableness of the new housebuilding targets for this borough and requesting that they are revised in line with the more recent Office of National Statistics housing need trajectories. Although this has been done, the Government has now added an affordability ‘uplift’ – i.e. if housing in an area in more expensive than the average in the country, they increase the requirements arguing that more housing is needed so that the supply meets the demand and prices drop – even in areas such as Epsom & Ewell where we really don’t have the land to for the additional 577 / year.
The Government is consulting on various aspects of their forthcoming planning guidance reforms, and we responded robustly to the consultation document on extending permitted development rights. They are now consulting on parts relating to quality of design of new developments, to which we will be responding.
The borough is currently developing a policy on planning enforcement to ensure a timely and consistent approach where there are questions about whether building works comply with permissions and other regulations.
We are fortunate to have our green open spaces, particularly during the pandemic – but please remember that we should be exercising close to home. All our parks, commons and other open spaces are seeing greatly increased use, particularly with gyms and other sports facilities closed. The recent very wet weather has made many of these areas really muddy and the grass is suffering. Please take care when you are out and make sure you wear suitable footwear for the possibly muddy slippery conditions – and do remember to keep your distance from others.
If you are going to Epsom and Walton Downs, please remember that this is private land and, although we are allowed access on foot for fresh air and exercise, this must not interfere with the race horse training. The training takes place in the mornings, so you are encouraged to avoid this time and visit the Downs in the afternoons. Horses from several of the training yards enter the Downs either by the Rubbing House or the Downskeepers’ Hut. Both of these are narrow access points where there can be a lot of people also coming and going. Remember, not only are racehorses easily spooked and unpredictable and can pose a very real threat to the safety of anyone too near to them, but they also have right of way. This is the workplace for the training industry – take care!
Roads
Surrey Highways have issued the following advanced notice –
D2202 Woodcote Road, Epsom – Temporary Prohibition of Traffic Order 2021 Surrey County Council propose to make the above mentioned Temporary Order under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, the effect of which will be to prohibit vehicles from entering or proceeding in that length of D2202 Woodcote Road, Epsom that extends from its junction with A24 Dorking Road and A24 South Street to its junction with Woodcote Close. This Traffic Order is required to enable SGN to carry out gas mains replacement and/or maintenance works. These works are anticipated to be carried out between the hours of 8am and 4pm, within 2 weeks of the 12 month period of operation of this Temporary Order that commences on 13 February 2021. Advanced warning signs will be displayed and the temporary closure which is anticipated to be required for 24 hours each day, will only operate when the relevant traffic signs are displayed. Access for pedestrians, cyclists, equestrians and to residences on the affected length of D2202 Woodcote Road, will be maintained at all times. Access for emergency vehicles, local residents and businesses will be via the signed vehicular diversion route which will be Dorking Road, Woodcote Side, Woodcote Green Road and Woodcote Road.
As you see, the date of the work has not been decided yet, but it will be sometime during the next year. I will update you when there is a definite date and we will post it on the W(E)RS website (www.woodcoteepsomresidentssociety.org).
Liz Frost
RA Councillor, Woodcote Ward
10/02/2021
We’ve been told by SGN that work to upgrade to their gas network in Woodcote Road is safety-critical and needs to go ahead now.
They have agreed with Surrey County Council to carry out this necessary work during the national lockdown to minimise disruption to the local community.
The contractor who will be completing the project on their behalf was due to start work on today (Monday 15 February) until Sunday 22 February.
In order to complete the work safely, their engineers will need to close Woodcote Road at the junction with Dorking Road (A24) to Woodcote close. A signed diversion will be in place, access and exit to the BP garage will be available only from Dorking Road.
The lane to make a right hand turn from Dorking Road into Woodcote Road will also be closed to prevent vehicles getting stuck in this lane. The three-way traffic lights currently in place by this junction on Dorking Road will be temporarily replaced with a pedestrian crossing and two-way lights operated by the crossing users only, this will hopefully keep the traffic flowing more effectively.
The map below shows the traffic management.
The contractor is working closely with the UK Government and public health bodies to make sure they work in line with expert advice during the pandemic. They have extra safety precautions in place to protect their colleagues and our communities from catching or spreading the virus as they carry out this work.
Woodcote (Epsom) Residents’ Society (W(E)RS) welcomes the Planning Officer recommendation to refuse the above planning application at the forthcoming Planning Committee meeting on 18 February.
Link to the Public Pack Agenda for Planning Committee, 18/02/2021 https://democracy.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/documents/g1075/Public%20reports%20pack%2018th-Feb-2021%2019.30%20Planning%20Committee.pdf?T=10
Following many resident concerns about the scheme W(E)RS strongly objected to the application back in May last year on a number of grounds but especially on the grounds that:
1. much of the land was still in agricultural use and therefore the land was not Previously Developed Land (brownfield land) as argued by the applicant. Accordingly, the proposal should be seen as inappropriate development in the Green Belt which could only be justified in very special circumstances – which clearly did not apply in this case.
2. The development would cause substantial harm to the openness of the Green Belt, to the character and appearance of the site and surrounding rural area.
3. It would be in an unsustainable location with respect to travel and encourage private car use.
4. Increased traffic movements would conflict with current movements of racehorses, other hacking horses, pedestrians, cyclists and dog walkers, especially on a shared access road.
The Planning Officer report accepts most of the above objections and recommends refusal on grounds of 1. inappropriate development in the Green Belt, 2. being situated in an area without good public transport links and likely to encourage privatecar use, 3. resulting in adverse impacts which would significantly outweigh the benefits arising from additional housing units.
Cllr Bernice Froud, as a resident in Langley Vale and in her role as a Residents Association (RA) Woodcote Ward borough councillor, intends to speak against the application at the Planning Committee meeting to further highlight resident objections and hopefully ensure that the committee supports the recommendation to refuse.
It is looking very likely that the May elections will take place which is great news.
Government released the following earlier today – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/may-2021-polls-delivery-plan/may-2021-polls-delivery-plan
Guild Living has recently consulted residents on its revised plans for a Residential Care Community at Epsom Hospital following rejection of the earlier application 19/01722/FUL.
A webinar promoted by Guild Living took place on 13 Jan 2021 and the overwhelmingly (100%) negative comments at the webinar indicated that residents consider the proposed changes to fall far short to overcome the grounds for rejection of the first scheme which included:
None of these are considered to have been satisfactorily addressed in the revised proposals as put forward in the Webinar. Changes are considered to be marginal and do not significantly change the harmful effect of the overbearing height, mass, scale and design of the proposed development.
Comparing roof heights (without roof plant), the revised proposals still show a significant increase in height over existing heights. The roof line of the extensive and massive 8-storey main Blocks that are now proposed in place of the previous 9 storey Blocks would still be 6.35m higher than that of the existing Wells hospital building.
The 2m depth of landscaping alongside 40 Woodcote Green Road flank boundary is considered wholly inadequate to screen and separate the adjacent residents from visitor parking, noise, disturbance and fumes. These residents would also still be overlooked from the proposed upper floor flat windows within the Block proposed on the site of the existing Woodcote Lodge building.
Woodcote (Epsom) Residents’ Society considers that a further 2 floor levels should be omitted from the main 8-storey Blocks, equalising them with the maximum height of the Wells Building at 6 storeys. Similarly, 1 floor level should be omitted from the 4 storey Block now proposed adjacent to 40 Woodcote Green Road as when allowance is made for roof plant it would still be nearly 8m higher than the adjacent 2 storey housing. Additional landscaping is also required to offset the development from the residential boundary.
There are also outstanding resident concerns regarding inadequate parking provision and traffic generation. For example, the number of parking spaces, reduced in number under the proposed revisions, is considered likely to result in overspill parking.
We have raised all these matters with the Council’s planning officers and have requested that in their pre-application discussions with the developer that they require further amendments to any future planning application submitted to address the outstanding concerns of the local community highlighted in the webinar.
NB: Produced by the WERS planning sub-committee
Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) this year will be held via a Zoom meeting on Wednesday 8th March 2021 from 8pm.
Agenda, minutes and meeting details to be posted onto the website and social media.
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22 December 2020
Dear Stakeholder,
Covid-19 community vaccination programme for Surrey
Surrey Heartlands CCG have been receiving lots of enquiries from the public regarding the Covid-19 vaccination programme in Surrey.
The Frequently Asked Questions are being updated regularly and can be found here. Please share these FAQ’s with your network.
Please encourage local people not to contact the NHS to seek a Covid-19 vaccine appointment, and reassure them they will be contacted when an appointment is available. We would ask you to encourage local people to help the NHS by being patient.
When people are contacted, they are urged to attend their booked appointment. Please also remind people that both doses of the vaccine are needed for it to be effective (which is about 7 days after the second dose).
Your help with sharing these key messages is much appreciated.
Finally, we would remind everyone to please continue to follow all the latest guidance to control the virus and save lives.
Thank you for your continued support.
Many residents will already know of Surrey County Councils (SCC) plans to abolish all of Surrey’s borough and district councils and create a Single Unitary Council providing all services for Surrey’s 1.2 million residents.
The plan was hatched in secret, with SCC’s leaders talking to the Government and Surrey’s Conservative MPs, and it was only made known when it was revealed in an article in the press. However, whilst the Government had signalled its intentions to review local government, SCC was in fact trying to get ahead of any actual announcement of their future plans.
As it was, the Government itself told SCC that it was premature, but not before the leaders of SCC had spent a huge amount of council taxpayers’ money on consultants, leafleting, market research and lobbying.
At the SCC Council Meeting in October, Residents’ Association County Councillors put down a Motion calling for the Conservative Leader of SCC to publish the cost of his plans to date.
Instead of debating the motion, the Conservatives ordered their county councillors not to speak and, after only two speeches a vote was taken and the motion calling for details of the costs to be made public was defeated by 52 votes to 21.
Despite this refusal to be open, various requests for financial information show that so far SCC has spent over £¼ million on the project.
Across Surrey there is real concern about SCC’s attempt create a unitary council and thereby seize the powers and the financial and property assets of boroughs and districts.
A new group called #Residents Against Surrey Single Unitary had been set up to challenge the plans and you can find out more about the group and SCC’s plans at www.RASSU.org.uk.
The RASSU website also allows you to sign a petition against SCC’s plans for a unitary council.
