Today Effingham Residents Association submitted its objection to planning applications 21/P/01283 and 21/P/01306 to build an extra 110 homes on the Green Belt. The applications were submitted by Berkeley Homes as it claims that building the new Howard of Effingham School is financially unviable and more enabling homes are needed. You can read the objection at EFFRA Objection to 21P-01283 and 21P-01306.
EFFRA has also released a Press Release suggesting that if the scheme is now financially unviable, as Berkeley Homes claims, then the options for the school should be reassessed. A partial renovation is likely to be more cost effective and require less homes to be built on the Green Belt. You can read the full Press Release at EFFRA Press Release on Berkeley Homes Applications 2 August 2021.
This is a key stage in the process. Guildford must recognise current social parameters and not accumulate more ‘sleeping’ commuter type stick-ons to established and incrementally grown villages. The plus of the community of Effingham is its resilient population. The management of things outside of its control have seen unnecessary interventions.
With the demographics of education being improved access along with affordability for the existing population the School must be flexible in its approach. Seeing the Coram Foundation Schools as something of a primary model is one possible blueprint.
Evolving to suit common problems with ADHD Autism and other disadvantages must be thought of. The school should design a model which suits the changes in children’s health – severely impacted academically and mentally going forward.
I fully support your efforts in seeking refusal of the Berkeley Homes proposals. I support you in establishing a new future and provision of – perhaps a co-ownership model to build a mix of housing appropriate in scale space and location.
Best wishes
John