On behalf of Effingham Residents Association may we wish all our readers a very Happy New Year
This year will be an interesting one for Effingham and its surrounding area. There will be no let up in the numerous plans, both small and large, to build over the Green Belt, in and around Wisley and our village. If you have experienced long queues and traffic delays driving to the station or passing by or going to and from our schools – it’s set to get much worse.
So what can we expect:
The 295 homes Berkeley Homes & Howard of Effingham School planning application is set to go before Guildford Borough Planning Committee on 15 January – unless it is delayed further as Berkeley Homes need to establish “very special circumstance” to justify building on Green Belt.
Next the 2100 new homes on the former Wisley Airfield will also go before the above Planning Committee. The application faces stiff local opposition and from authorities such as Surrey Highways. One huge obstruction to this massive development is the need to comply with EU regulations. EU regulations demand suitable alternative recreation spaces. Developers and planners cannot just rely on Wisley & Ockham Common. They must provide a viable alternative. It’s called a SANG, a Suitable Alternative Natural Green open space. You might wish to Google the planning term SANG as it is high up there in the world of planning.
Effingham Parish Council is still forging ahead with its controversial Neighbourhood Plan. They face opposition from Effingham Residents Association – we have the uphill task of properly reflecting the majority views of our residents, advice from Campaign for Protection of Rural England (CPRE) and the Independent Examiner whilst keeping residents informed and fully aware of what the above organisations and individuals see are the risks the Parish Council face.
