Latest from the local StreetLife community bulletin
Squash in Effingham
http://www2.guildford.gov.uk/publicaccess/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=_GUILD_DCAPR_156829
This application for a 2,000 place school( the biggest in Surrey) and around 300 new homes on Greenbelt land in a bottleneck in Effingham, will be considered next week. If you thought there were many more objectors than supporters, I would remind you that the school recently sent out an email begging parents for support. Many have responded as the number of supporters has increased exponentially. If you don’t want this development to go ahead, now is your last chance to have your say. I’ve copied the link.
Ben L
Squash
Berkeley Homes no doubt bought Lodge Farm Field at a knock down rate as it is agricultural land in Greenbelt. I undetstand lots if people want a new school, who wouldn’t? To use the school as a lure to get planning permission by greedy developers is just wrong. Why don’t they seek out a site which will get planning permission, why go for an agricultural site in Greenbelt?
SM
Ben L
Squash
Sandra C
Nicola R
Squash
There is an allocation for 30 houses in Effingham Parish Council’s draft plan, presumably being the type of homes Effingham actually needs. A slight difference to 300 houses and THE biggest school in Surrey.
Bo J
Julia D
Keith F
Mary M
Julia D
Annabelle S
I think the main issue that people have are the new homes being built, without having adequate infrastructure in place to deal with all that comes with the build.
If it was literally just a matter of the build of a new more spacious school on the new site, then I’m sure that everyone would be thrilled – even those who seem to insist that the school as it is, does not need anything, but a little bit of upgrading.
Times change, which not many of us want or like, but needs must.
Mary M
Moving the school is not the right thing to do but the most profitable for Berkley Homes and The Howard of Effingham Acadamy with no consideration for the people of Effingham who will have to put up with building work, road closures and noise for months if not years.
I understand the comments regarding upgrading of the school but as others have said this can be done on the existing site. Destroying a village and adding substantial further congestion to a road that is already a bottleneck is not sustainable.
The additional places are not required. Once again in 2015/16 HoE has met demand from every parent that required a place and lived within catchment (regardless of preference) plus an additional 11 children who did not meet any of the admissions criteria or live within catchment. This is according to SCC own published information on their website. Similarly HoE is increasingly less attractive to parents who are now choosing other local options (The Free School at Cobham is more oversubscribed, as is The Ashcombe, Priory, George Abbot – just about every other local school that competes with HoE catchment. (When I say over subscribed I mean by applications from outside of their catchment / admissions criteria ) There is no justification for a new expanded school based on parental choice, or demand that could support ‘Exceptional circumstances,’ and the fact remains that this site, with the exception of a small area of Previously Developed Land on the far western corner, is inappropriate development within Green Belt according to both paragraph 89 of the NPPF and Strategic Policy RE3, of the current Local Plan. The land is also susceptible to groundwater flooding, is not supported by roads and public transport infrastructure, and will not deliver the mix of affordable housing that local people (and I mean Effingham and beyond) require. It will be a complete travesty if the proposal is accepted and I would urge all local people to oppose it by writing to the case officer here: John.busher@guildford.gov.uk