ACTION NOW – Creeping threats to Cranleigh?

MORE HOUSING PLANNED, AND MORE FIELDS GOING      CRANLEIGH PRIMARY SCHOOL STILL IN SHOCKING DISREPAIR

Good Morning and May the Force Be With You!  (because it’s May the fourth!) We trust that you are all well? and thank all our paid up members  – we really appreciate your support.  For those of you who read these missives as well as our members – please remember – we are trying to help keep Cranleigh special…  fight unreasonable change and conserve what’s best about Cranleigh.

We want you to take action please – concerning the on going plans that Surrey County Council (SCC)  has to build a new Primary School on green fields. Please can you get your letters out today or tomorrow so that they arrive before the end of this week – of course Friday is a “Bank Holiday” – VE Day Please read on……

Background in brief – Surrey County Council owns Land in Cranleigh -both Longfields and that the schools are on – Glebelands and Cranleigh Primary (yes it has been bought from the Diocese) Cranleigh Infants and Acorns Nursery.  For many years SCC have had a plan to build a new Primary school on fields that Glebelands and other schools can and sometimes do use for sports.  If you have an enquiring mind please note that the submitted Cranleigh Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan includes provisions for further housing to be developed in Cranleigh at Longfields old people’s home (closed) 20; St NIcholas school 75; Cranleigh Infants school 15;  and that this goes with Waverley’s Local Plan part one.  So it appears that there is nothing we can do to stop the policies turning into realities – or is there?

Waverley planners and councillors rejected a planning permission submission to build houses on both schools’ sites.  Surrey CC will resubmit. We must keep vigilent.

Surrey CC have long since provided plans, on which they consulted as far back as 2011, to build a brand new large school on green fields. These are often waterlooged, they are sited behind residential housing along the Common (opposite the Curry Inn). To get to the new school will involve walking past the social Club and Bowls club (in the direction towards Guildford) They are on the school’s web site for viewing. Increases in housing, traffic and a weird tucked away access point are worrying us all.

And recently SCC have submitted elaborate changes to the new school plan – you can see them here – there are many documents to look at. 

Planning Application 2018/0138/SJ/WA/2018/2044  Waverley borough Council’s website – use the code from WA

Surrey County Council’s long term Plans to build new a primary school and nursery in Cranleigh on bare fields that are currently available for sports for pupils at Glebelands senior school, Cranleigh are challenged by us.  The updated NPPF of 2018 does not seem to have been taken into account.  The Environment Emergency declared by Surrey County Council, Waverley Borough Council and Cranleigh Parish Council have not been taken into account.

Cranleigh Society Requests a full review of the legitimacy and appropriateness of these plans – urgently required public consultation too – because the people who live here now just don’t know what is going on.  Also and very urgently we – 

 Request an Environmental Impact Assessment

With reference to the planning application WA/2018/2044, we all can write to complain that the latest communication from the Surrey County Council dated 27th April 2020 does not just provide us with ‘additional Information’ as indicated, but shows significant changes to the plans, including the appearance of the south elevation and the height of the school hall. This is very misleading, and another example of how the applicant is trying to avoid public scrutiny and push this proposal through at a time when the public is focused on COVID 19.

We request that an Environmental Impact Assessment be carried out immediately:

  • especially as the site is located between a Conservation Area and an Area of Outstanding Beauty.
  • This EIA should have been carried out when the Secretary of State first gave permission to build on the school playing fields in November 2015, but it was not.
  • Since then, the very serious implications of climate change have been recognized and need to be more fully considered in this application.
  • Due to the sensitive and vulnerable location of this site and the adverse environmental effects that will arise from covering this green field site with tarmac, concrete and an artificial football pitch, there is an urgent need to carry out a full and detailed EIA, taking into consideration all aspects of the development;
  • including noise pollution due to its close proximity to residential buildings.  The noise emanating from a 60 pupil nursery outdoor classroom, from the air-conditioning and from the vents of the kitchens will be quite considerable.

Caroline Smith <mwcd@surreycc.gov.uk>

and copy our Councillors Paul Follows too paul.follows@waverley.gov.uk  – Liz Townsend <liz.townsend@waverley.gov.uk>; Andrew Povey CLR <andrew.f.povey@surreycc.gov.uk>; Cllr Angela Richardson <angela.richardson@cranleigh-pc.gov.uk>; Tim Oliver <tim.oliver@surreycc.gov.uk

Street Champions Network up and running, Cranleigh Primary School Petition renewed

Cranleigh Parish Council’s Street Champions Network is up and running – Good Morning!

Firstly we wish you all very well and hope that being at home is not proving too testing for you.  You may feel very concerned about going out at all.  Did you know that if you need something from the shops, or to talk to someone you can phone our Street Champions? To do so –  Either phone 0300 200 1008 – or Cranleigh Parish Council between 9:30 and 12:30 Monday to Friday on 01483 272311, or look for a leaflet through your door with a vetted person’s name and phone number on – your Street Champion – who lives very nearby to you and will help with anything you need. We are bracing ourselves for a full 12 weeks of being mostly unable to do things in the normal ways.  23rd March to …. probably mid June.

Secondly thank you so much for all your support of Cranleigh Civic Society – your membership payments mean that those of us who are carrying out the reading and meetings to speak up for you can pay for our annual insurance and the web site, plus any other costs we really need to cover.

Our 3 Councils are managing the work they do by staying at their homes and contacted each other for meetings via video on their computers. We can all do this as families and groups too.  Cranleigh Society are holding online, “Zoom” meetings to discuss issues that matter to all of us. The Government has a draft Act of Parliament allowing legal proceedings to take place remotely including planning permission meetings’ decisions.   We will try to find out how this is being interpreted and used going forwards.

The pressing issue that was left high and dry is the state of Cranleigh Primary School and the project Surrey CC has to pull it down, build houses on the land and build a brand new school on fields behind housing on the Common (opposite Curry Inn).  Before the “lock down” Cranleigh Society launched  a petition to stop all this and get the current building urgently repaired.  After a couple of weeks the allowed petition was taken down because it breached some planning rules or other!  We didn’t even get the list of 200 or so people who had signed it sent to us.

We have now launched a new petition appealing to SCC to simply repair the old school urgently, ready for September. you can see and sign HERE

There are many Websites to help people share information about which shops, pubs and restaurants are doing delivery services.  One place to find out is the “Destination Cranleigh” and their Facebook Page – you can access it HERE

Waverley BC are also trying to help people with information on their web site – you can see this HERE

We feel enormous gratitude to the local shops where we can get everything we need – for example – shops that are open are Fishmonger, baker, butcher, chemist and For Earth’s Sake (10am to 2pm) fresh organic vegetables, all sorts of basic foods, plus store cupboard items including cleaning materials.  Also the newsagent towards the Common is selling fresh vegetables and you may know of a few other Champion shops supporting us all – including providing home delivery services. Do comment bleow.

We are all being urged to make a routine and try to stick to it. to get jobs done, speak to family and friends by phone and video, including Grandchildren, and try to get fitter rather than fatter!  We are now being advised to only do one weekly shop and to attend our mental wellbeing too – taking time to appreciate what we value, love and enjoy. We are trying very hard to spend some time every day valuing what we have.  We don’t know when and if we will see all our family and good friends again, but we all have trust that “We will meet again!”

ON Thursdays we have found out how to access YouTube and see our National Theatre Live productions from 7pm – all for free.  You can access the page HERE

stay safe, do keep in touch and let us know your concerns and if we can help we will

best regards to all

Petition CRANLEIGH Primary school Repair and rebuild petition

Petition CRANLEIGH Primary school Repair and rebuild petition

http://petitions.surreycc.gov.uk/Cranleigh-CofE/https://petitions.surreycc.gov.uk/Cranleigh-CofE

https://petitions.surreycc.gov.uk/Cranleigh-CofE/

Please read this petition and sign if you haven’t already

Since our Councils have all declared they are now spending money on the “Climate Emergency” can we get them to re think and re plan Cranleigh’s Primary School?  They could stop cutting down trees, repair old crumbling schools with eco wise products, and carefully design and build on the old site rather than green fields. This would be in everyone’s interests.

thankyou

Cranleigh update

Cranleigh update

Several items to think about this week:-

The floods were better predicted and managed, but not without some people getting stranded on flooded roads – and some people experienced sewage coming up – again!  Thames Water need to fix this!  Thanks to our fire brigade for all their hard work.  Also Surrey CC & WBC for sending out BIFFA – Various drains and grills were cleared before and during the storms.  BIFFA are the current contractors.  People cleared their own drains outside their houses too.  Were you badly affected? Please let us know and we offer our sympathy and will make sure to let the councils know.

CRANLEIGH PRIMARY SCHOOL – there is a notice on the door of Cranleigh Village Sports & Social Club stating that the contractors have moved in and will be clearing a hedge this week, before the birds nest, and sorting out some pipe work too.  The notice said in preparation for the new school being built. click here to see the vision. 

Cranleigh Church of England Primary School including the Infants school and nursery are likely to be moved to one new site – yes a brand new building but the location and details are not good…

Surrey County Council want to sell the current excellent school sites for housing.

Approximately 90 houses in the centre of the village will be built if they get planning permission on appeal.  The current crop are not selling as well as hoped.

The application has been turned down by Waverley Borough Council planners.

But Surrey County Council planners have stated they think they can ‘get around this’.  If this succeeds Mann’s warehouse site may go for housing too.

THINKING ABOUT NEW BUILDING – IT IS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND THE WALKING & PARKING – HOW WILL YOU DELIVER AND COLLECT YOUR CHILDREN SAFELY? WILL WALKING THERE BE EASY ENOUGH OR FRAUGHT WITH TRAFFIC?

Cranleigh Society has looked carefully at the new building plans and feels that the scheme to tuck a new school for more children from Nursery Age to 11 behind the Social Club is Fraught with problems.

But something really must be done as soon as possible. All we can do is lobby to get the current sites upgraded or a much better plan – ideas?

 The existing school building has been promised to be rebuilt or refurbished for 18 years. Because of this It has been thoroughly neglected!

The roof is leaking. Children sit with buckets collecting water pouring through the ceiling

Surrey County Council plan to move it to a site that is currently unused even for playing fields – to the side of Cranleigh Village sports & Social Club.

Apparently the stream at the top of the fields means the fields are often too soggy for sport, but this has never been dealt with and so Glebelands and Cranleigh primary don’t use them because they flood.

The Assembly hall is small: it cannot accommodate assembly for the whole school & there will have to be 3 sittings for lunch

The new site will have AstroTurf not grass play areas.

There is no area for parents to gather at drop-off and pick-up

The access is limited to school vehicles.

No parking close by for pick-up & drop-off

The school will have to pay staff extra to walk children to & from the bus parking.

If you don’t contribute – then those who have powers to make decision on your behalf won’t know what you think and want.

Write to Surrey County Council at mwcd@surreycc.gov.uk  and our Surrey County Councillor Andrew Povey   andrew.f.povey@surreycc.gov.uk

Write to our planning authority -Waverley Borough Council, in Godalming – have a look – here WA/2018/2044

Write to our Member of Parliament Angela Richardson, angela.richardson.mp@parliament.uk

Having declared a climate emergency it would be better for SCC to examine all aspects of this projects now, and rebuild on the current site, and make the school carbon neutral – a new primary just opened in Sutton says this – “The school will be Zero Carbon and Passivhaus certified”.  see more details here 

Cranleigh Society is here to help Cranleigh maintain its special feel by examining planning applications and infrastructure, and letting our Councils know how the public feel about proposed changes.  Please contribute by contacting us and also your councillors.. and the links we send you.  You can join the mailing list on our website for free. You can also complete the membership request found on our web page.

CVHT – Cranleigh village hospital trust has changed its name – legally – to Cranleigh village health trust.  They have had their AGM and 2 directors left.  They have pledged to continue their project to get beds back to Cranleigh.  You can see their story on their web site here and also the Parish Council’s minutes of a meeting – here . Cranleigh Society has no opinion.

DID YOU KNOW – that we are lucky enough to have several places to go with friends and family – or to make new friends – here in Cranleigh ?

Cranleigh village Sports & Social Club has many activities to suit all tastes and ages – have a look here – they are open mostly in the evenings.

Rowleys is not just a day centre for the very old – far from it – it is a very nice place to go for coffee, lunch and activities, and to have ones hair and nails done, between 9 and 3 daily. They also sell beautiful flowers donated by M&S at reduced prices! have a look here

Not forgetting our wonderful Cranleigh Arts Centre and U3A and so many other clubs too.

And also SMART Cranleigh – on the High street, manned by volunteers, connecting people – opening hours are during shopping times – opposite M&S. 

Cranleigh Leisure Centre is meant to be being upgraded or rebuilt or something – but we just don’t have news at the moment – however plenty of people really enjoy the classes and facilities there.

Please do leave a comment and follow up with actions too.

We hope to see you at The Three Horseshoes pub sometimes.  Usually the second Wednesday in each month from 6:30 pm (good food)

best regards to all.

Cranleigh Society update

Cranleigh Society update

1st February 2020 and all is well…….  let’s put our energies into things that really matter now rather than worrying about the National and International political landscape – it’s out of our hands for now.

Our councils are settling into their roles now, and the declaration of a climate emergency by the 3 councils that affect us means things will change.  For them to reduce their carbon footprints they have to look into all they do.  This might include not sending contractors all over the area to fix and maintain things such as our verges and commons.  They might decide to have less meetings where they need light and heat!  who knows?  They are certainly looking into the best uses for all buildings and also at the gas boilers throughout the borough.

If you are interested in keeping up to date with what Cranleigh Parish Councillors and staff are doing – the Clerk Beverley keeps a good record in the minutes of meetings and the messages on the web site.  You can access all this here – we attend some of the meetings and recently were pleased to see 2 police attend too.  The Friday Night project at the Leisure centre was discussed – they would benefit from a couple more volunteers – anyone interested in interacting with youngsters aged 11-15? Plenty of youngsters benefit from having the club and they are pretty well behaved too.  The Council are installing public toilets at Snoxhall Pavilion which should be good news for all who use the area.  Did you ever read the latest version of Cranleigh’s Neighbourhood Plan – see their web site.

Waverley Borough councillors are finding all sorts of financial problems associated with the planning applications that have been passed.  Also they seem to prefer to be cautious about giving planning permissions – great for the environment, but we do wonder where their next £s will come from if not from the builders! They have slowed down on efforts to rebuild Cranleigh leisure centre – which has had to net the cladding as it had become a danger.  The car park was cordoned off while the work was completed last week. If the activities of our Borough council interest you have a look here

As you will no doubt realise the services provided to us all are divided between the 3 councils and Surrey County Council is responsible for the major aspects of our lives such as the removal of rubbish and recycling, rebuilding and maintaining schools, and roads and so on.  Our County Councillor is Andrew Povey – andrew.f.povey@surreycc.gov.uk – and he is looking into improving Cranleigh High Street – there is a small pot of money from the developers – we don’t yet know what can be afforded and what will benefit Cranleigh the most.  The project to build Cranleigh a new Primary School has stalled at the moment – we are watching SCC meetings to try to see what they will do next. You can look up for yourselves here

Looking forwards there continue to be – very slow – moves afoot to clean and clear and reshape our local watercourses and  rivers to improve natural habitats and to ease potential flood waters. Surrey Wildlife Trust has very few people and very little money but they are great people with big ideas.   How has your winter been so far?  Any flooding?  If so please do record dates and depths and tell Cranleigh Parish Council – or us. Cranleigh cemetery certainly has problems that CPC are hoping to address soon.  We don’t have any updates about Thames Water’s management of our fresh water supplies and sewage removal.  We have yet to talk to our new MP Angela Richardson, about the Flood Forums too.   The Wey & Arun Canal trust are working very hard – there’s very few of them and little money – but the aims to reopen sections of the canals are fabulous as it all helps with wildlife as well as providing for humans to enjoy nature.  There is a special event 23-25 May we hope to support.  Do check out their web site here

We continue to meet and monitor all we can – Facebook forums and Twitter too – If you are keen to get involved in promoting Cranleigh as a great place to live, work and play, please get in touch, and also join us at our Monthly socials – these take place at The Three Horsehoes pub, by the obelisk, on the 2nd Wednesdays each month, from 6:30 pm.  Good pub food is available, some come and go early, some later – do join in and get to know us, tell us about you and how we can defend our village against problems, improve it and make it simply the best.

DATES

PUB MEETINGS – 12 FEBRUARY; 11 MARCH, 8 APRIL

We also meet Monthly at one of our houses – 24th Feb, 1st April.

We hope you enjoyed reading this post – please do add your comments!  We read them.

Wednesday 11th 6:30 pm pub meet up & Cranleigh Society News

PUB MEETINGS GOING FORWARDS – anyone and everyone welcome to join us at Cranleigh’s  The Three Horseshoes – second Wednesday each month – December 11th, January 8th etc. Some of us go from about 6:30 pm and there is good pub food available too.  It is meant to be social and fun as well as a chance to share ideas and discuss action plans.

SAVE USED STAMPS AND SEND TO RNIB – find out here

PRIMARY SCHOOL & NURSERY REBUILD – In the wake of the JPC refusing planning permission for housing to replace the 2 schools sites – and putting multiple conditions that would make an appeal somewhat challenging for SCC,  are you keen to keep the pressure on SCC to achieve a better outcome?

The pressure would be aimed at rebuilding both schools and nursery on the existing Junior School site and to look at how this could be achieved. We agree with the JPC that the plan to put 91 dwellings on the 2 sites – opposite Glebelands school and at the end of Dewlands Lane (leads to the cemetery) – is significant over-development of the centre of the village.

The idea of building a new Junior & infants school and nursery on the area of sodden playing fields beside the Cranleigh sports & social club and bowling green feels unrealistic for multiple reasons: Access for parents and children is more difficult due to the narrow roadway to the buildings; where will people park for drop-off and pick-up and what routes will they walk?  Once the housing is all erected there looks as if there would be nowhere to park.  .  The  WBC Joint Planning Committee overruled their Officers’ advice and refused. We do appreciate that SCC has no money set aside for building a new school and nursery but even a superficial examination of the existing school demonstrates years of neglect – where has the money gone that could and should have been spent on it?  Is it in a pot somewhere and if not why not?

CRANLEIGH LEISURE CENTRE – Waverley don’t seem to have the money after all – at least not at the moment – to rebuild the Leisure Centre – so they have postponed talking about it till February – maybe then they will engage with their public – we don’t know!

HIGH STREET INITIATIVE – Cllr Andrew Povey held another meeting about the High Street and what it needs to be improved – money is available.  Write to Cllr Povey on all topics related to Surrey County Council andrew.f.povey@surreycc.gov.uk

SMART CRANLEIGH – coffee mornings are being attended by new residents and some people have discovered a few activities via their on-line calendar – they aim to be the point where anyone and everyone can “connect”  – see their web site here and enjoy all the services and clubs Cranleigh has to offer.

ROWLEYS CENTRE FOR THE COMMUNITY – OPEN 9:30AM TO 3PM Monday to Friday – Did you know that Rowleys is a facility for many age groups and needs with rooms to book and lots of helpful things to do?

CARE HOME SPACES IN CRANLEIGH?  Since many Care Homes were closed across the Country and by our Surrey County Council -including Longfields of Cranleigh – that site sits idle.   We are assured that when locals need care home nursing spaces there are plenty nearby – really?  Since the HC One & CVHT Care Home application has been refused on various planning grounds – what next?  We need Surrey County Council to get on with sorting this out.

CVHT – “Name change  – 9th December 2019 – The Cranleigh Village Hospital Trust’s proposals to bring back Community Beds to the village, and to support the provision of additional village health services, have evolved significantly over almost 20 years in the light of changing public health policy, and so we are now considering a change of Trust name to Cranleigh Village Health Trust.”

CRANLEIGH VILLAGE HOSPITAL The original building is in desperate need of loving care and attention – one can see holes in the fabric where creatures can enter – NHS Properties Ltd – have not responded to CCS’s enquiries – we want the old building looked after. We will continue chasing this.

The services the hospital provide are growing – which is great – both the NHS and the League of Friends are working on this and we can use the site for all sorts of needs that our GPs refer us for.  The burning question is can the Hospital site become an Urgent Care Centre or equivalent?  Read what NHS England tells our GPs and CCGs (links below)

URGENT CARE CENTRE FOR CRANLEIGH?  NHS England are insisting on change

The first cohort of UTCs are now operational in over 100 sites across the country.

Currently, local commissioners, supported by NHS England regions, continue to redesign urgent care services outside of A&E aiming to designate all remaining type 3&4 services as UTCs or to change their function to become other primary health care services by December 2019.  As stated in the LTP, by autumn 2020 the UTC model will be fully implemented.  This means UTCs will be embedded as part of a consistent ‘out-of-hospital urgent care’ offer in all localities with the option of appointments booked through a call to NHS 111.

ROAD SIGNS LEFT OUT BY SURREY CC – report here   SCC / do it online / A to Z of Forms / roadworks signs left on highway