Berkeley Homes has withdrawn their current planning applications for Effingham Lodge Farm (see post of 16 March for details of applications). They have also announced that they will not be building a new Howard School claiming that “rising economic and regulatory pressures mean that our plans to deliver this scheme are no longer financially viable”.
EFFRA understands they are instead looking at using the Effingham Lodge Farm site solely for residential homes using a change in planning law where the land can be claimed to be “grey belt”.
Howard of Effingham School informed parents and carers about this decision and say they “are now pursuing alternative plans to make our school buildings and wider site the best they can be. THPT, the Trust responsible for our school, has already agreed to plan refurbishment of our buildings which will likely begin over the summer. The Trust will also seek to secure alternative funding for more extensive works on the school site, and put in place a comprehensive plan for redevelopment, refurbishment, and upgrades over an extended period of time”.
EFFRA intends to publish a joint press release with Effingham Parish Council about this in the next few days.
Did I dream this…but I was under the impression the only reason the Trustees of the previous landowner agreed to sell this green belt space to BH was because it would be used for the good of the local community? Surely there must be something that legally protects the community from such outrageous behaviour by this conglomerate.
Will Browns Field be retained by the Howard School or do Berkley Homes now own it?
Money, money, money and backhanders to the then Secretary of State, using the promise of a new school, affordable housing (!), development of KGV building, The Street etc etc…
Everyone knows this number of houses near Lower Road, Browns Lane etc would be a traffic disaster anyway!
Can whatever they come up with next to line their pockets not be stopped completely? How many years has this been going on?
Not claiming to be fully informed on the years of proposals and counter money-making detours from Berkeley’s original application but put us out of our misery!
Effingham is a sleepy village, not a town as Cobham has become since I moved from there 30 years ago!
This is appalling. The residents of Effingham have only managed to reconcile themselves with the loss of this large stretch of Green Belt land because we thought “At least we’ll get a new school and some affordable housing for our youngsters and those who can’t afford to live in the area but work here”.
Surely the new school and the affordable housing were the reasons that the original planning refusal was overturned!
The area is being sacrificed to greedy developers.
Totally agree Joanna. Doesn’t matter which Government messes up being in power, they don’t live anywhere nearby or care (and they can have several homes hidden away from the ‘rules’.) Bit like Guilford Borough Council… all our Council Tax seems to go to Ash and other areas near them. God knows how Effingham will be ignored with new East/West Surrey Councils!!!!