Cranleigh Brick and Tile Community Liaison Group

Cranleigh Brick and Tile Community Liaison Group

On the evening of the second of June, I was invited, as a member of the community liaison group, to visit the site of the old Cranleigh Brick Works, off Knowle Lane, to see part of the ongoing work to control the pollution and re-mediate the land.

Work has currently come close to a halt as the ecologists capture and relocate great crested newts, common lizards, frogs, toads, grass snakes and slow worms to safe areas, away from the bulldozer’s path. You can read more about this on their Cranleigh Blog.

With the huge scale of the problem, the task ahead of the land owners is immense but the on-site team has total confidence that this damaged and polluted site can be brought back to nature, and that the hazardous chemicals and materials there can be managed to limit their effect on the surrounding areas effectively.

Many of the vast derelict buildings will soon be removed and a huge earth cap will be built over the polluted ground, allowing rainfall to be redirected and managed so that it won’t in future carry pollutants into the surrounding countryside. Capturing and holding the unpleasant chemicals where they are is considered to be the best way of managing them.

Although the site looks a terrible mess, I was glad to go with their ecologist to release a toad, many froglets and a common lizard into one of the ponds created to re-home these fragile creatures.

When we first heard of this project, we expressed our concern about the prospect of up to 70  eight wheel tipper trucks a day visiting the site because of the danger of a traffic accident and the damage to the roads. The good news is that so far there have been few problems reported, although lorries are not yet running to full capacity, and the contractors have taken it upon themselves to make ongoing and necessary road repairs, even though it isn’t strictly their responsibility.

I have a sense that they’re keen to work with the local community to make this much needed work run as smoothly as possible. To this end, they’ve provided Cranleigh Rugby Club with new jerseys for their 50 year anniversary to give something back to the area and are currently considering a contribution to Cranleigh Football Club .

I’ve been invited back in the autumn when it’s hoped that the relocation of the reptiles will have been completed and the serious ground works will then be under way.

Phill Price
Press Officer
Cranleigh Civic Society

If you have any queries or concerns about the Cranleigh Brick and Tile works please do get in touch.

Tipper Lorry Movements to Cranleigh Brick & Tile Works

Tipper Lorry Movements to Cranleigh Brick & Tile Works

By a Cranleigh Resident

Work commenced at the Cranleigh Brick & Tile Works (CB&TW) at the end of 2015; it soon became very apparent that both Wildwood Lane and Knowle Lane were not suitable to take the size of vehicles that are currently bringing in waste soil to the site.  The question is, did Surrey Highways carry out a comprehensive survey of both lanes prior to giving consent?

Surrey Highways seem to be very reluctant to engage with local residents to discuss the state of both lanes. Do Surrey Highways have any future plans to enhance Wildwood and Knowle Lane to a standard that can take this size and weight and vehicle?  The roads are being torn apart with vehicle movements and they are not yet working at full capacity.

In the coming weeks CB&TW will be ramping up to seventy movements per day (140 in and out) for a minimum of five years. After asking Surrey Highways on many occasions for an understanding of how road repairs should be highlighted, as of yet I have had no response from them.

The current potholes along Wildwood Lane are very dangerous and are putting public safety at risk; have they been highlighted with bright orange paint like the minor potholes you see along the A281?      NO!

As Surrey Highways are aware of the condition of the road, you have to question their motive. Could it possibly be that if Surrey Highways do highlight the potholes then they become responsible for vehicle damage and or a possible road traffic accident?  Clarity on this point would be appreciated but probably not forthcoming!!

If you think more should be done to maintain the safety and condition of Wildwood Lane email your Cranleigh Surrey County Councillor Alan Young  ayoung500@yahoo.co.uk and copy in your MP Anne Milton anne.milton.mp@parliament.uk and as always copy in the Cranleigh Civic Society info@cranleighsociety.org