Press Release
The following press release was issued on 13th May by Effingham Residents Association
Re : INQUIRY FOR THE APPEAL BY BERKELEY HOMES (SOUTHERN) LTD. AND THE HOWARD TRUST PARTNERSHIP
The Inquiry begins on Tuesday 16th May into the Appeal by Berkeley Homes and The Howard Trust for a replacement building on Green Belt for the Howard School increasing its size from about 1,600 to 2,000 pupils funded by an enabling development of 295 houses on Green Belt land. The Effingham Residents Association (EFFRA) will be strongly supporting Guildford Borough Council and Effingham Parish Council as a Rule 6 party in opposing the Appeal. EFFRA has submitted a public statement to the Inquiry. This is available on Guildford Borough Council’s website.
Effingham residents are overwhelmingly against this proposed development. 488 letters of objection to the planning application were received by Guildford Borough Council of which at least 175 were from Effingham residents and the others were from Bookham and other local villages. The major concern was inappropriate development on the Green Belt. In response to EFFRA’s Residents Survey of August 2014 93% opposed the proposed development. Many residents will be attending the Inquiry to demonstrate their opposition and to support Effingham Parish Council in opposing it.
Residents believe that not only does this proposal clearly not constitute very special circumstances for building on the Green Belt, but that if allowed it would do irreparable damage to the Green Belt and the open countryside, to the rural character of the village and its Conservation Area and many listed buildings and increase congestion in the local area.
Statement to the Public Hearing
On Tuesday 5 May 2017, Effingham Residents Association issued a statement to the public hearing into the appeal. The full statement, along with all other statements issued by the various parties is available on the Guildford Borough website here