WOOD STREET VILLAGE ASSOCIATION
Monday 11th December
Minutes of previous meeting:
WSVA MEETING
13th November 2023
Present at the Zoom meeting: Janet Sutton, Belinda Baker, Robert Grimmond, Ali Johnson, Bilal Akhtar , Bob McShee, Dave Grey, Helen Bell, Alex Waugh, Caroline Mankelow, Nicky and Martin Parsons, Philip Brooker, Nuala Crampin, Richard Trinick, Simon Firth, Terry Wright, Chris Webb and Louise McCann.
Apologies: Alex Russell, Honor Brooker, Keith Witham
MATTERS ARISING
SCC is to start work resurfacing the footpath from Broad Street to Fairlands on 20th November. The footpath will be out of action for a month. The only issue that needs to be clarified is whether the footpath is going to be improved all the way to Fairlands.
Bob talked about the Double Flush Campaign which has been launched to improve the toilet facilities at St. Mary’s Church. The cost of the campaign is £130,000 of which £65,000 has already been raised.
Double Flush is about securing the future of St Mary’s by bringing the church up to modern day requirements. This will be achieved by providing an additional toilet, which will have disabled access and the floor to the kitchen will be raised to give level access from the church to the toilet for wheelchairs. The kitchen will become smaller due to the new toilet. Improvements will be made to the guttering above this single story building to prevent leaks occurring. It is anticipated that the works could take up to 3 months to complete. Funding of the project will be by legacies and grants, plus the church is seeking funding locally and is asking people to pledge their support by making donations.
A similar project was undertaken at St Alban’s church a few years ago, and the modifications there have proved to be very beneficial to the users of the church and hall.
Bob proposed that we give a donation from the Village Association of £250 and this was seconded by Alex. Terry said that at present the WSVA has about £1,100 in the bank. The cheque is to be made out to Worplesdon PCC. Caroline will contact the Church Office to pass on Keith’s information about applying for funding through Your Fund Surrey.
Alison has been sticking larger signs on the bus stops so people can clearly see the phone number for the Connect bus service. She needs more velcro-Janet will check if she has some.
Alison has investigated the cost of new signage for the village informing people of events or asking them to go to the Facebook page. The cost is £80 for a sail sign (it was agreed this can be difficult to read) or £230 + VAT for a banner and frame of 3m x 2.5m. If we needed one sign for each end of the village that would cost £460 + VAT. It was agreed that more investigation into the cost and effectiveness of signage is needed.
CAROLS ON THE GREEN – Saturday, 16th December at 4pm
Alison has applied to the Parish Council for permission to hold carols on the green 3 times. Louise has now agreed to be the named first aider. The choir is coming but Mike Briggs can’t be there. We have a keyboard but need someone to play it. We also need a gazebo for the keyboard. Alex will hopefully be able to put up the gazebo in the morning. Janet has the paper cups and will bring the urn from the church. We hope to use the beacon. Caroline has a gas canister stored with the beacon. Terry and Richard might also have gas canisters. Caroline would like someone else to store the beacon after the Carols on the Green. Bob has been to visit Silver Birch House in Keens Lane who may be willing to make some mince pies. Alison and Steve will buy the rest and the mulled wine. We normally buy 24 bottles of mulled wine and 120 mince pies. We may need new signs for the donations. Janet is hoping to get the card reader from the church. Please bring wellies.
SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL
Keith Witham was unable to attend, but wanted to draw attention to a summary of his email of 1st November:
Visit to Surrey Police HQ; meetings with the Chief Constable, the Guildford Police Commander, and the Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner, Lisa Townsend.
How residents can help to combat speeding by supporting your local Community Speedwatch.
Updates re Guildford Borough Council from your GBC Cllrs
LOCAL PROJECTS THAT HAVE COME TO FRUITION … WITH SUPPORT FROM SCC
– Fox Corner Wildlife area, new Boardwalk
– Riding for the Disabled, new defibrillator
– Emmanuel Church, new disabled ramp
– Normandy Community Shop and Cafe Opening
Surrey Schools – at the forefront of Eco-Schools
Worplesdon Young Musician of the Year 2024
Combatting Rural Crime – PCSOs
New gritting trucks for Surrey ready for the winter
Advice about flooding and adverse weather
Welcome – Surrey Fire and Rescue’s latest recruits
And finally, as usual, a summary of the SCC/GBC responsibilities and contact details
He stated that if someone from St Mary’s Church could contact him re their Double Flush campaign he is happy to advise on any potential support from Your Fund Surrey etc. It would be useful to know if they have applied to YFS.
Farnborough Airport have now submitted their Planning Application to Rushmoor Borough Council (the local Council there) and the reference at Rushmoor Planning is 23/00794/REVPP
Keith has more information if anyone wants it.
GUILDFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL
Bilal reported that the North Street planning application has gone through and involves 47 affordable units, 31 of which will be social housing and the other 16 will be shared ownership.
Officers still have concerns about the overdevelopment of the site at Hester’s Yard. The developers want to meet with councillors from the area to discuss.
Councillors met with developers at Blackwell Farm to ascertain which field would be used for which purpose.
GBC officers are talking to the landowners of the SANG who want to sell to GBC who would then own and manage the site. The company is unlikely to allow the car park to be opened until section 106 has been agreed. The land has only got planning permission for a SANG. Bilal thinks one of the Ash developments is linked to the site.
Chris Webb contacted both SCC and GBC with concerns about the safety of the entrance to the SANG where cars park because the car park is not open. Here is the reply from SCC:
Dear Christopher Webb,
Issue: Road safety enquiry (Road Safety)
Location: FROG GROVE LANE WOOD STREET VILLAGE
This area does not fall under the responsibility of Surrey County Council as this is not on the public Highway. Looking at the land registry this is currently unregistered.
There are no enforceable parking restrictions in this area, you may wish to contact Surrey Police on 101 if this causing an obstruction or danger.
I have checked with GBC planning where an appeal is currently with them. They may be able to assist you further with some more information.
Here is the reply from GBC:
Dear Chris,
Thank you for your enquiry.
I am writing to confirm that this land is not SANG; rather it is currently privately owned land and therefore its management is not the responsibility of Guildford Borough Council. Any issues relating to the public highway should be addressed to Surrey County Council.
Then Chris followed up with a freedom of information request about what’s being done to resolve the SANG issue and received the following:
Briefing note SANG at Frog Grove Lane
Author: Hendryk Jurk, Parks Development Lead
Location: Land at, Frog Grove Lane, Wood Street Village, GU3 3EZ.
Background:
The provision of Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) is set out in the Council’s Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area Avoidance Strategy 2017.
The development of the SANG at Frog Grove Lane was permitted under Planning application 16/P/02134for the change of use from agricultural land to public open space and nature reserve to facilitate a Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG).
The Planning Application was allowed on appeal by The Planning Inspectorate on 31 October 2017 ref APP/Y3615/W/17/3179179.
This planning application allows the site owner to develop a public open space. At the time of application, the site owner split the site into three development phases:
Phase 1 (21ha) has been landscaped and laid out as public open space.
Phases 2 (8.28ha) and 3 (4.08ha) remain fields at the present time.
Issue:
In accordance with the Council’s SANG policies it is the Council’s preference to take on the management of SANG sites. The policies also provide an option for developer to provide and manage their own SANG site.
The policy states:
SANGs may be provided by developers and private landowners, subject to meeting the requirements set out in this strategy and agreement from NE. Where SANGs are proposed on privately owned land, as part of the approval process, and to ensure that the site is secured in perpetuity, these sites are required to be transferred into enduring ownership with adequate, ring fenced funding provided for the life of the SANG. Enduring ownership means they will be owned and managed by organisations that will exist in law to all intents and purposes “in perpetuity”.
Typically, this involves the developer providing an endowment to the land manager, either the Council or a third party, for the long-term management of the SANG and a long stop date to transfer the freehold of the land to a qualifying body through a S106 agreement.
The conditions in the S106 agreement for the SANG at Frog Grove Lane to meet this requirement have not been agreed during the negotiations with both party’s solicitors, and therefore the adoption as private SANG within Planning policy has not been progressed.
This means, the landowner has planning permission to develop a public open space, but not permission to collect SANG tariff without the conditions that meet the policy requirements.
As it stands, the site is private land and it is the owner’s responsibility to get the necessary agreements in place to allow the Council to adopt the site as SANG under the Thames Basin Heath Strategy.
Next steps to resolve the issue:
Officers have continued to discuss possible options with the site owner. The site owner has indicated that they interested in selling the land, or part of the land, to Guildford Borough Council. Officers are considering this. There is no timeline set for the process. Officers are seeking to obtain an independent evaluation for the land at present, which will inform the next steps.
Additional information:
The site owner has provided a valuation of the land of £5,000,000.
Alex suggested he should write a letter to GBC to explain the views and frustrations of Wood Street Village residents regarding the SANG, and in particular the delayed opening of the car park.
WORPLESDON PARISH COUNCIL
The next formal Flood forum Meeting will take place on Friday 17th November at 10am at the Parish Office. All are welcome to attend. Peter continues to keep the grilles across the Parish clear to prevent the flooding of property.
Requests to hold the December carol singing event and the Summer Show 2024 have been approved by the Parish Council – subject to receipt of the supporting documentation.
The initial application submitted by the Jazz Festival Committee contained the wrong date. A revised application will be considered by the General Purposes and Finance Committee on 23 November 2023.
The Woodland Trust has provided 420 whips (free of charge) to the Parish Council, which will be planted in Nevins Copse to further strengthen the boundary hedges. SCC will be providing 420 canes and spiral tree guards (also free of charge) together with ten feather trees (sapling trees), which will be planted on various parish owned sites across the parish.
To mark King Charles III’s coronation, the Parish Council is proposing to plant a tree on the corner of WSVG (corner near the Christopher Robin Day Nursery. The type of tree is to be selected in close consultation with SCC who are the landowners.
One of the posts on the Oak Hill notice board has been struck by a vehicle and will be reinstated in the near future.
On Armistice Day, wreaths were laid by the Parish Council at St Albans, St Mary’s Worplesdon, the 14th hole of the golf course, Merrist Wood College, Harry’s Meadow (Jacobs Well) and the war memorial at the junction of Queenhythe Road and Clay Lane (Jacobs Well).
Andy Connor will join the Parish Council (2 days per week) to assist Peter with his increasing workload.
Worplesdon Parish Council is aware that motorists are again driving over the Green causing rutting. A public consultation was undertaken in 2022. The majority of respondents were against introducing physical restrictions, additionally, the 2024/2025 budget is proposed to increase by approximately 11% and there are currently insufficient funds available to install posts (and security gates) around the Green, even it were the wish of residents to install them.
Worplesdon Parish Council is consulting on the provision of Christmas illuminations at locations across the parish. Closing date for responses is 31 December 2023. Ways to complete the consultation document: paper copies can be requested from the Parish Office: 01483 300094 or click on the following link to access the online form https://forms.office.com/e/t3gQ6gAPwg or use the QR code below.
AOB
Janet reported that, since the pavements have been repaired down Frog Grove Lane, a lake has been forming after heavy rain where Sandy Lane meets Frog Grove Lane. She wondered if SCC could come and look at the site. It was suggested that she go onto SCC’s website to report the problem.
Richard reported that the newsletter is at the printers and should be sent out to the distributers by the end of the weekend. Alex thanked Richard for all his work on the newsletter.
The Church is planning to replace the old cooker at St. Alban’s so it is hoped that the Parish lunch in December and the Horticultural Society Christmas party can both take place.
Caroline asked if the money had been sent to Wood Street PTA to cover the work done at the school to improve the grounds. It was agreed that WSVA would fund this initiative at the last meeting. Alex and Terry will follow this up.
Alex asked for a brief Treasurer’s report to be given at every WSVA meeting, as used to happen in the past before the WSVA meetings lapsed for a few months during Covid.
The meeting finished at 9.10pm.
The next meeting will be on Monday, 11th December 2023 at 8pm and will be a Zoom meet.
