myKnaphill20/9/12
Fences going up around the cottage, prior to demolition
29/8/12 Work scheduled to start
The pavement outside the old shop has been marked out for the commencement of the demolition and when Phil asked about this at the Civic Centre he was told that work would be starting soon although no date was mentioned.
20/6/12 Shafted again.
Bad news folks – Sainsbury’s have WON their appeal and the store destined for 15 High St has been granted opening hours from 07.00am to 10.00pm Monday to Saturday and 0800am to 10.00pm on Sundays. The Inspector also over ruled the Highways decision to ban customers parking behind the store. In her report the Inspector stated that she says that if customers are not allowed to park behind the store then they will park on the road and this would potentially be a road safety risk.
As is becomming par for the course, WBC could be seen to have let the village down – they supported the original condition 7 (opening hours) and failed to lodge an objection from their environmental officer.
24/4/12
We haven’t reported much on the Sainsbury’s front for a while so if you’re wondering why, it’s quite simple – there hasn’t been too much to report! We CAN however, say that the appeal is still underway and that the Planning Inspector is scheduled for a site visit during the first week of May…
3/2/12
Many people will think that this issue was resolved last year when Woking’s Planning Committee approved a trial for a variation to the opening times for the proposed Sainsbury’s shop on the site of Clifton’s Lawnmower shop and the bungalow at 6 Fosters Lane. At the turn of the year we in the KRA started to get concerned as the final decision notice had not been published and there were rumours that Sainsbury’s were to appeal.
Our concerns were well founded, we received a letter from Woking Borough Council dated 26 January stating that Commercial Development projects Ltd (whoever they are) have lodged an appeal on the grounds that Woking Borough Council has not determined the application within the requisite period. Not sure what that means as WBC has failed to place any additional papers on their web site.
All those who wrote into the Council when the application was first up for consideration should have received the letter dated 26 January. The letter also contained details how residents can write to the Planning Inspector with their views on the appeal.
Remember what the Development Company are seeking on behalf of Sainsbury’s, it is the right to open their shop from 07.00am to 10.00pm Mondays to Saturdays inclusive and 08.00am to 08.00pm Sundays and Bank Holidays. What the Planning Committee had offered was for the above times to be operated for a trial period of 12 months from when the shop opened.
It must be remembered that this new shop will not have any parking for customers and there are residential properties on two sides of the site.
If you want more details, when they become available, you can either go to Woking Borough Web site, their reference number is 12/00002/PLNCON or go to www.planningportal.gov.uk/pcs, find appeals search and the ref number is APP/A3655/A/11/2167625/NWF. The planning portal will also give details on how you can contact the Planning Inspector. Failing either of the above please feel free to come back to the KRA for more information.
Even if you didn’t write to WBC when the initial application was being considered you can still write to the Planning Inspector.
myKnaphill 
The KRA have submitted a detailed report to the Planning Inspector who is dealing with Sainsbury’s appeal. We have made it clear that we were totally opposed to the development that included a new supermarket. We are strongly opposed to any relaxation of the conditions that the Council imposed on the devlopment.
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If the KRA had reacted in the first place when residents were expressing their concerns about the original application then we might not have go to this point. Too little too late!
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Jon, I wish we could have done more but having read all the paperwork connected with the application, much of which was withheld until after the Planning Officer had made his recommendation, it is very difficult to stop an application when the parties are ‘playing the system’.
For your information we are now given to understand that the new supermarket that is to be built at 15 High Street will probably be leased to Tesco’s rather than Saisnbury’s.
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It was clear early on that the Clfitons shop was moving, and the siting of plant on the roof meant this was designed to be a mini supermarket. It appears now that a property developer and not Sainsbury’s are running this that the site may have been sold, so it is not a great surprise that they will lease to the highest bidder.
The biggest shame for me though is that we lose perhaps the most attractive building in the village, and in its place get a huge block of flats completely out of scale. No doubt we will get used to it in time, but I dont really see any upsides for anyone apart from those who benefit financially.
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