Author Archives: webknaphill

YOUR opinion is wanted!

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Over the years we have had numerous pieces of feedback regarding the KRA. Thankfully in the main this has been supportive in nature but we understand that opinions vary and in some quarters we are not viewed favourably. We have made a few changes over the past year to help toward communication but we would like your views on how we are performing, what we do well and more importantly where we can improve.

The survey below will help us with that and we hope is a step toward letting you see we do take criticism and comments seriously. The 9 question survey will be open until the end of August when the results will be shown on the website. It is open to all residents of Knaphill village except KRA committee members.

The Knaphill Residents’ Association was set up to help the residents so it’s time to tell us, anonymously if you prefer, if we live up to your expectation.

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Brookwood Farm update 28th June

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We have continued getting involved with local councillors and council bodies; our secretary, Phil Stubbs, attended the SCC Local Committee meeting and has produced this update for you. Whatever happens, KEEP sending in letters and objections to WBC and SCC Highways, your local councillors and MP Jonathan Lord.

 

SUMMARY

  • Bagshot Road is trying to operate at traffic levels well beyond the design of the road especially at Brookwood Crossroads.
  • In the 1990’s it was shown that the amount of traffic on the A322 warranted a bypass. A bypass that was planned but cancelled on the grounds of cost. It was the planned bypass that opened up Brookwood Farm for development.
  • There has been a total lack of real community consultation over the proposed pedestrian access at the north of the site.
  • Natural England has reported that they have no objection to the proposed development and the plans to offer an alternative green area in Brookwood Country Park.
  • All local primary schools are full and for 2012 over 25% of parents failed to get their first preference for admission of their children into local schools.
  • There remains outstanding work on GP coverage and the impact the increased traffic from the development will have on the air quality.

ROADS

There are two major issues on the road network and the impact the Farm development will have on the infrastructure. The first is the overall impact vehicles serving 300 dwellings will have on the already congested A322 (Bagshot Road). The developer states that their proposed traffic management plans will ease the flow of traffic on the A322 but there remains a difference of opinion between the developer and Surrey Highways Agency on the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.

Surrey Highways should not take a gamble on an untested road management system. It is the residents who will have to live with consequences if the system fails.

Before writing their final report Surrey County Highways must take into account other developments along the A322 corridor. Building has started on the old Vauxhall site in Bisley (Fox garage); the Fox pub site is on sale as development land. Pirbright Camp is to house a full regiment.

FOOTPATHS

Surrey Highways Authority are arguing that new residents who will be living in the northern part of the Farm development will need a new footpath so that they can access bus services from the A322 and access to the local schools without having to walk down the spine of the state and exit at the Redding Way junction.

The proposal is for a new footpath to enter the estate close to Grindle Handle Corner. The KRA understand that Cala Homes have argued against this proposal and it is opposed by residents who live in that area. There is also the question of the impact a new public right of way would have on Bisley Common.

 

GREEN BELT

Natural England has stated that they have no objections to the proposed development. Natural England is responsible for checking that nationally protected areas like Thames Basin Heath on Sheets Heath are not seriously disturbed. To counter any development close to a protected area the developer and local authority have to provide suitable alternative natural green space and Natural England have stated that WBC’s plans for Brookwood Country Park meets that criteria.

SCHOOLS

Surrey Education Authority has confirmed that all local schools are oversubscribed. To help alleviate the problem two new classrooms are to be built at St. Johns School in Victoria Road. In the case of the Knaphill Junior and Knaphill Lower schools Surrey Education Authority have confirmed that there is no room for any significant expansion within the current school boundaries. In the case of the schools at Bisley, Brookwood and Pirbright the Ministry of Defence have stated that a regiment currently based in Cyprus is to be relocated to Pirbright barracks and therefore these two schools will be full. In fact Surrey Education have been informed that there will be a requirement for the County Authority to find 200 school places for the children coming over from Cyprus with the regiment.

Woking’s secondary schools are also overs subscribed.

So what does this mean? First parents are going to have limited choice in the school their children will attend and it is likely that many children starting at primary school will fail to gain admittance to their nearest school. The above will lead to more traffic carrying children to and from schools. This latter point must be taken into consideration by Surrey Highways.

HEALTH COVERAGE

The question of GP coverage has yet to be addressed and the KRA will shortly make contact with Surrey County Council and Surrey NHS to look at current GP coverage and what plans are being put in place to increase surgery facilities.

WHAT CAN YOU DO

All those opposed to the current plans for Brookwood Farm should keep up the pressure on local Councillors and our MP. We should not underestimate the impact that 200+ new families will have on local facilities such as schools and GP coverage plus the increased congestion on the A322. Neither Surrey County Council nor Woking Borough Council has any plans to improve local facilities and the Highways Authority has no plans to significantly improve the flow of traffic along the A322 or the A324.

This is the wrong time to open up Brookwood Farm for development and it should be postponed until the various authorities have come up with concrete plans to improve the provision of school places and GP coverage plus there has been a full assessment of all developments along the A322 and A324 corridors and the plans for a bypass are revisited.

Valerie French Opening

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I am exceptionally pleased to say that Knaphill has a new store opening in Anchor Cresent, next to Lyons & Co.

Valerie French hairdressers will open this week after some [very] frenetic decorating! I spoke briefly to Valerie who is very excited about the opening and will be announcing a ‘Grand Opening’ event soon.

It brings some very welcome news to the village and we hope the new store every success. You can contact Valerie French on 01483 767214 and at 7 Anchor Cresent, Knaphill GU21 2PD.

State of the village

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I’m becoming worried about the centre of Knaphill village. It’s getting to a point where every direction holds a new empty store, or a sign announcing closure. I passed the old library today and there was a couple of elderly women looking at the state of the old building and said it’s shocking that it is left to rot.
Clifton’s has now moved to their new premises in Carthouse Lane leaving the keys with Sainsbury’s perhaps; the HSBC bank is closing early next month which has many residents of the opinion it will be gobbled up by the hungry supermarket chain which would be nothing short of devastating to the village. The old Viceroy business remains resolutely empty with piles and piles of flyers and post on the mat (why do people continue delivering there?!) and the bin by the Anchor pub hasn’t been emptied for what looks like months. Despite several complaints, communiques and citiations being thrown toward Surrey Highways they refuse to do anything with the blocked sewer in Broadway. We contacted Thames Water and they came down within 2 hours to check their part so why is it so difficult for SCC to comprehend?

I’m left with the feeling that perhaps we don’t care enough or are being battered far too hard by the likes of the planning department.

I’m being a misery guts I know. There is some good news though – we have new shops that have opened and existing ones having a facelift! We all welcomed ShuZu last year and currently Stefs Homebake is being refitted. There has also been a ‘sold – stc’ sign outside the neighbouring shop for quite some time and The Anchor is a new shade of something which is growing on me and we do have new takeaways filling empty shops.

More good news (26/6/12) is that very soon, Valerie French Hairdressing will be opening in Anchor Cresent.

But there’s still those remaining holes that need filling and something really has to be done about the old library site (answers on a postcard please!).

Guess who I want to help out? We all have a duty of care for the village – it won’t sustain itself if we neglect it and allow it to fall apart at the seams. We have to use it by shopping there, selling there and being there or else one day we’ll look back and wonder what the heck happened to a once very quaint village.

Booking Forms for 2012 Show

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Village Show 2012

Get out the calendars and mark it down; 14th July 2012 is the date of this years show.  Mizens Railway is the location.

If you are interested in getting involved with this year’s show please don’t be shy, because now is the time to come and join us.  Volunteers are always welcome, and it’s always useful to know that helpers are coming – instead of standing around with crossed fingers hoping that someone will come forward – to join in the fun.

You can contact us at:  villageshow@knaphill.org

We’re fairly well organised but many hands speed things up considerably.  Comments are also very welcome.

If you want to have a stand at this year’s show please follow the links to download an application form.  You will be pleased to know that we haven’t put the prices up, you just need to select what sort of exhibitor you are.

In line with current policy we do try to maintain a good variety of stalls and we like to know what you will be offering.  If there are too many of any sort of stalls we may not accept your booking;  so get your booking in early.

Payment is with the form and we run a first come, first served policy if there is a clash of stalls.  No payment, no booking.  No refund if you fail to turn up.

Completed Stall Forms with payment should be sent to:

Village Show, Knaphill Post Office, Anchor Parade, Knaphill, GU21 2PD

Remember to leave an email address so we can send you a receipt.

Entry forms for the Horticultural Show are also available online and everyone is welcome to enter.  There are children’s sections, divided into age groups.

Download your application form today and submit it as soon as possible, bringing along your entries on the day for display and judging.

Early submission is encouraged so we can organise enough tables, so get your bookings in NOW!

Please download your forms here:

KRA 3rd Booking Form Small Business Village Show 2012 final

KRA 3rd Booking Form Business Village Show 2012

KRA 3rd Booking Form Community Village Show 2012

 

Right click on the links above and ‘save link as’ to download the forms for printing.

We have several exciting items already booked and more on the way.

 

Memory Lane – Jubilee

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June Harding vividly recalled the disruption to her class at Knaphill School on the afternoon of 6th February 1952 when classmate, Arthur Martin, stood up and excitedly announced, “Please Miss. Please Miss. The King is dead.” Their teacher Miss Nancarrow was shocked, and reprimanded him, “Boy, don’t stand there and tell lies!” but Arthur insisted it was the truth, he had been home for lunch and heard the news on the radio. The School Office confirmed it; yes George VI was dead.

There was a lengthy period of official mourning, but spirits gradually lifted as Princess Elizabeth took up her role as the new monarch and plans were made for her Coronation in the summer of 1953. As a young college student Bob Boorman recalled going with friends on a grand tour on London buses to see the decorations that had been put up all over the city. Having been brought up in the ‘black out’ and austerity of the war years Bob had never seen anything like it. The evening sky glowed: the ‘Coronation Arches’ of flags, trimmings and lights; the beautiful floodlit public buildings; The Festival Hall and the lights along the Thames.

Coronation Day, June 2nd was a Public Holiday and people were pleased to have the opportunity to celebrate. Most households didn’t have a television in those days, so families like Ruth Collyer’s on Victoria Road, invited friends and neighbours in to watch the programme with them. Di Blair also remembered a house packed with people, squeezed in to their living room, to watch the grainy black and white image on the 9 inch screen. It is hard for modern viewers, with so many channels and choices, to realise how special the TV and radio broadcasts were on that day; the pomp and ceremony of the event was relayed to millions of people via the BBC programmes, and most people across the country watched or listened.

As well as London, most towns and villages made a real effort to decorate their neighbourhood. Bob came home to be part of Knaphill’s Coronation celebrations. A procession had been arranged through the village and he was persuaded to join the ‘recorder band’. There was a big party on the ‘top’ recreation ground, with various sports events, floats and fun. There were many local street parties too. Di and Ruth both remembered neighbours shared in the preparations: made decorations, begged and borrowed trestle tables, made sandwiches and cakes, orange squash, pots of tea and often someone wheeled out a piano or brought along an accordion so people made their own music and sang.

When the children went back to school there was a Commemorative Mug for every child. The Radio Times and most newspapers had special editions with photographs, and British Pathé produced a film of the Coronation that many schools and families went to watch it at the cinema. Do you have memories or memorabilia from the Coronation? How our lives have changed since then. We have lots of improvements and good things to enjoy now, but somehow memories linger on, reminding those who were growing up in the 1950’s of a simpler time………

Thanks to all those who shared their memories and photographs with KRA and helped in the preparation of this article.
Special thanks to Ruth Collyer, Bob Boorman, Di Blair, Mrs Kathleen Boorman, June Harding, Sylvia and Derek Cloak.

Sainsbury’s win planning appeal

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Some background information

In2010 Cliftons submitted a planning application to redevelop the site of their old shop at 15 High Street, Knaphill and the bungalow at 6 Fosters Lane. The application was to replace the current shop and workshops with a three storey building containing 12 flats on 1st and 2ND floors and a large shop on the ground floor. This application was agreed with a number of conditions one of which was to limit the hours the shop could be open to customers, under the original planning decision the shop could open from 08.00am until 8.00pm and Sunday trading hours. It was at this points that Sainsbury’s publically stated that they were to take on the lease of the shop but wanted to open from 07.00am until 10.00pm Monday to Saturday inclusive. This request for extended opening hours was recommend to be accepted by Woking’s Planning Authority. The Planning Committee were concerned with the traffic and the impact on residents who live in the centre of Knaphill and agreed to Sainsbury’s being allowed to have the extended opening hours for a trial period of 12 months. Sainsbury’s rejected the offer of a trial and went to appeal.

Planning Officers Decision

The Planning Inspector has found in favour of Sainsbury’s, sorry I should report in favour of Commercial Development Projects Ltd, Sainsbury’s did not want the publicity. The Inspector has given permission for the new shop to be open to customers from 07.00am to 10.00pm (07.00-22.00) Mondays to Saturdays and 08.00am to 09.00pm (08.00 – 21.00). In reaching this decision the Inspector refers to the opening hours of the Co-op and the petrol station. The Inspector also points out that the appeal was only to examine the question of the shops opening hours as the Council had already approved the design and build of the new development. On the request for the extension the Inspector also points out in the report that the Planning Authority fully supported the request for extended opening hours.

Road Safety

One other change is in connection with car parking at the rear of the new store. The majority of parking bays are for the residents of the flats but on the original application 5 parking bays were for staff and customers. The Highways Authority initially stated that they had no objections to the plan and it was passed as originally outlined, 5 parking bays for staff and customers. The Highways Authority then changed their position and by the time the application for extended hours came before the Planning Committee the Highways Authority stated that it would be unsafe for the car park to be open to customers, on grounds of the amount of vehicles entering and leaving the car park. The decision of the Planning Inspector is to revert to the original plan and therefore the 5 parking bays reserved for staff will also be available to customers. The Inspectors argument is that if customers cannot park behind the shop they will park in the High Street and that could result in congestion and highway safety problems.

 

So 5 parking bays for staff and customers, if say 3 members of staff drive to work that leaves only 2 customer parking bays, people will finish up parking on the road especially early morning and late at night. The passing of this plan will give rise to highway safety issues.

Impact on the village

The basic question is; does Knaphill require two Sainsbury’s stores within 800 metres of each other? This new store will have a detrimental effect on the current choice of shopping in the village; more premises will probably become available for more take-aways. The next question is what will happen to the HSBC bank when the Knaphill branch closes next month, one thing we can be sure of whoever puts in a planning application Woking Borough Council will not take into considerations the views of local resident’s.

Police: Newsletter

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Please find below your weekly Neighbourhood Watch Crime Bulletin.

 

Friday 15th of June 2012 – Wednesday 20th of June 2012

 

In Your Area

 

I have to report that in the last week the following crime/crimes occurred in or near to your area.

 

Crime Reference WK/12/3653 – Between the hours of 14:30 on Sunday the 17th of June and 07:10 on Monday the 18th of June 2012 a property in ALMA CLOSE, KNAPHILL was subject to a NON DWELLING BURGLARY.

 

During this time the offender/offenders gained access to a shed and stole a bicycle.

 

Outbuildings should be locked at all times. Large valuable items should be placed out of view and chained up to other items or a secure anchor point within the outbuilding. Items could also be property marked via engraving or painting your house number and postcode onto them. A record of their serial number should also be kept and registered onto a national property database, visit www.immobilise.com for further information.

 

 

Crime Reference WK/12/3677 – At approximately 01:00 on Sunday the 17th of June 2012 a property in BARTON CLOSE, KNAPHILL was subject to an ATTEMPT BURGLARY.

 

During this time the offender was disturbed trying to force open a rear door of an occupied property. They then fled without gaining entry.

 

The suspect is described as being a white male, aged 18 to 24 years old, skinny build, 5ft 9 in height, very freckly, wearing a black hoody.

 

The majority of burglaries that are committed occur at the rear of properties. For this reason it is important to deter access into your back gardens. Gates should be closed and locked at all times when not in direct use. Deter the scaling of gates and fences by adding trellis to the tops of them.

Please make sure all doors and windows are closed and locked when not in direct use. Please don’t think that because you are only popping out for a moment that it won’t happen to you!

Consider the installation of an intruder alarm in your home. Any alarm installed should ideally conform to standard BS EN 50131 and should be fitted by a company that is NSI (National Security Inspectorate) or SSAIB (Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board) approved. Details of such companies can be found at www.nsi.org.uk or www.ssaib.co.uk

 

If you feel that you have witnessed any incident that may relate to the above crime/crimes please call 101 quoting the relevant crime number.

 

 

Sutton Green Suspect Arrested

 

Crime Reference WK/12/3589 – Between the hours of 23:30 on Thursday the 14th of June and 00:45 on Friday the 15th of June 2012 a resident witnessed a suspect trying to open vehicle doors in GUILDFORD ROAD, SUTTON GREEN.

 

Police were soon on scene and although the suspect fled from them he was soon detected, arrested and had his own vehicle seized. Another good example of where the information you provide can really help us to detect and prevent crime.

 

 

Can you please circulate the details of the crimes to the members of your watch if you think it will be of value. Remember that if you have elderly or vulnerable residents in your road this information may frighten them so be careful how you deliver this message.

 

Yours Sincerely

 

Mark Saunders

Crime Prevention Design Advisor

Woking Borough

 
If you need to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us on

Email: 13180@surrey.pnn.police.uk
Tel: 101

SCC respond to transport concerns

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Greg Devine of Surrey County Council has kindly responded to one of our queries regarding the Brookwood Farm development. As WBC consistently ignore or refuse our requests for information, in this case specifically the report SCC submitted on the development, we asked him to address our main concerns on an overall approach to traffic figures and footpaths, he responded-

Dear Mr Stubbs,

Thanks for your message. In reply to your questions about the housing development at Brookwood Farm, I can update you about the county council’s transport position for Cala Homes’ planning application.

Below I have repeated an extract from a recent message I sent, summarising the outstanding transport problems on Cala’s application. Underneath is a fuller explanation to reply to your specific points:

“Overall Summary

  • Unfortunately I have yet to receive full information about:

– upgrading footpath 13, or an equivalent route through the new country park, – a pedestrian link from the northern third of the site to the Bagshot Road bus stops near the Woking / Surrey Heath borough boundary, and – future maintenance arrangements for the new A322 bus shelter.

  • Unfortunately there is a loose-end about the development traffic generation and the current figures slightly underestimate the development traffic generation.
  • Unfortunately after screening the Linsig junction modelling output tables, there are unresolved issues about:

– the affects on pedestrians / cyclists crossing the A322, associated with the proposed increase in signal timing at the (site)/A322/Redding Way and the A324/A322/(Cemetery Pales) junctions, and – the benefits of linking the (site)/A322/Redding Way junction with the A324/A322/(Cemetery Pales) junction, as set out in the application TA are not obviously demonstrated by the signal junction micro-simulation results so far received. I will commission further reviews by the county council’s intelligent transport service about these matters, to further decide about their acceptability. ….”

Development vehicle trip rate
To recap, we thought Cala’s was too low and recommended they use a trip rate based on the locally sourced traffic survey information. Cala used this local trip rate, but unfortunately applied an additional reduction for the proposed 25 affordable elderly person’s homes. Since the local trip rate already includes movement from the Sunnyside and Rapsley Lane affordable elderly person’s homes, Cala’s revised trip rate reduction is questionable and we have reported back that they still slightly under-estimate the development trip rate. In turn this will have the effect of very slightly

Development traffic impact / A322 junction modelling
To recap we had reservations about Cala’s estimated traffic impacts on the A322/Redding Way and A322/A324/Cemetery Pales traffic light junctions. Their traffic modelling results showed a lot of additional traffic congestion, which did not well reflect their statements about the development traffic impact. Recently we received revised traffic modelling information and we have provided some immediate feedback, because the same problems seem to persist. I have engaged the county council’s intelligent transport systems service over Cala’s revised traffic modelling information, to get feedback from our traffic light specialists. I am also due to meet with Cala this week to discuss the remaining issues.

Development single access
Yes, the developer still proposes a single vehicular access point into the site via a new fourth arm onto the A322/Redding Way.

I hope that this answers your message and tells you about the current situation.
Regards
Greg Devine, Transport Development Planning

Work starts on Brookwood Farm junction

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Yes work has started on Brookwood Farm although the planning application has yet to go before the Planning Committee. The work that is under progress is clearing the land next to the A322 Bagshot Road ready for installation of the full crossroads at the junction with Redding Way and an archaeology dig is also being carried out.

A322/Redding Way Junction

Changes for this junction have been discussed over several years and detailed plans were drawn up in 2005 when an application was submitted to build 12 houses on Brookwood Farm. The subject was last raised when the planning application for the extension to Sainsbury’s on Redding Way was before the Planning Committee. My understanding is that Surrey County Council, as the highways agency, already has the authority to go ahead and change this junction from the current T junction to a full crossroads.

The question is why now?

Just to remind everyone SCC Highways stated that this change to the junction will have the general effect of reducing the operational capacity of a junction. Also the design of the new junction can accommodate the traffic movements of about 200 dwellings to remain within the operational capacity of the junction.

Archaeological Dig

It is standard for any development of this size being checked to see if it is of any archaeological importance but the timing of this work is interesting.

As we know there was a high degree on consultation before Cala Homes submitted their planning application and one would have expected that if WBC had any concerns about the history of this site then it would have been carried out prior to Cala Homes committing themselves to the cost of preparing a full planning application with the various specialist reports that were submitted with the actual application form.

We could also understand why a survey would be undertaken during the application determination period (technically that is where we are now), if that was a direct response to a request by the Planning Officer following representations made by local residents or Statutory Consultees. We are unaware that such concerns have been raised, we are sure we would have heard. Of course the KRA are not party to any statutory consultation responses since WBC never publish on their website such documents until after an application has been determined. So much for transparency.

The normal procedure would be for a request from the local authority to a developer to carry out such a dig after planning permission has been agreed and as a condition to build. This would make sense as the developer has been given permission to build and therefore cost of the archaeological dig would not be wasted.

 

So we come back to the question, why now?

In our opinion the clue to the answer is in the fact that this work started after Cala Homes had submitted their amended plans, amendments that had been incorporated into the original plans following talks with WBC and SCC. So have the authorities given Cala Homes sufficient information for them to believe that the amended plans will be given a favourable tilt when the Planning Officer makes his report and recommendation to the Planning Committee?