Our Green Belt Officer, Paul Bartlett, has approached Councillors to get their views on the local Green Belt issue – full Q&A can been read here
Q&A with Long Ditton Candidates (Green Belt Views)
Admin
LDRA – Spring Public Meeting – May 2018
You are all invited to attend our Spring Public meeting on May 17th
Venue: St Mary’s Junior School, Sugden Road
Date: 17th May 2018
Time: 8.00pm
Our councillors will be there – your chance to ask them questions about the Green belt development, roads and anything else that may be on your mind about Long Ditton.
See you then!
LDRA Letter to EBC Regarding the EBC Response to Draft London Plan
EBC recently responded to the Draft London Plan and wrote to Sadiq Khan – EBC’s response can be seen here – (EBC Response to Draft London Plan)
LDRA have responded to this letter and written to EBC.
Our response can be viewed here (LDRA letter to EBC) and is detailed below:
24th February 2018
Dear Councillor Randolph and Planning Committee,
I am writing, on behalf of the Long Ditton Residents Association, in regard to the proposed response, to the Mayor of London, on the Draft New London Plan (NLP). Having read the Elmbridge suggested submission*, which will be agreed at the Cabinet Meeting for Planning Services, on Tuesday 27th February 2018. We would like to encourage the removal the section entitled ‘A strategic review of the Metropolitan Green Belt’, and request a reconsideration of the view on using Green Belt land for housing development.
The statements made in that section, encouraging the Mayor of London to perform a Metropolitan Green Belt review, indicate clearly that Elmbridge Borough Council (EBC) is still favouring the strategic approach of removal of Green Belt designation to meet housing demand.
February 24th 2017 was the closing date for responses to the ‘Elmbridge Local Plan: Strategic Options Consultation’, a year ago to the day. The EBC published ‘Summary of Consultation Responses -July 2017’ which stated that 3,760 responses were received, with approximately 50,000 individual comments. On page 14 – Section 5.2, it states that the ‘vast majority of respondents’ were opposed to any amendment to the Green Belt boundaries. This makes it all the more astonishing that EBC is providing feedback encouraging the Mayor of London to review Green Belt land, as a potential for development. The only interpretation from this is that EBC has not taken the consultation seriously, and is simply ignoring the feedback and wishes of its residents.
If the Mayor of London’s planning team are viewing Metropolitan Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land as sacrosanct, worth protecting, and valuable green infrastructure; why is EBC taking such a contrary approach, rather than supporting their position?
Additionally, this appears to be in contravention of the first priority listed in the ‘Elmbridge Council Plan 2018/19’, which states: ‘Character and Environment – We will make Elmbridge a sustainable and attractive place’. Encouraging a review of the Metropolitan Green Belt, which could risk development of the borough’s Green Belt land, hardly supports this stated priority. Also, the fourth priority listed: ‘Community Wellbeing – We will listen to all of our residents and support communities to become healthier, empowered and safe’, will not be served by ignoring the residents’ consultation feedback, risking the Metropolitan Green Belt being eroded, leading to a sprawling mass of housing development, and with increased pollution.
Furthermore, the Cabinet Minutes, from 15th November 2017 meeting, review the Borough wide short survey conducted in September 2017. They clearly state the residents’ view on green land and Green Belt to the council. On page 8, the minutes record:
– On the environment, the top response from residents, is ‘to preserve green spaces’ (74%)
– In the next 5 years, residents want EBC to be known for ‘protecting the Green Belt’
The EBC message to review all Metropolitan Area Green Belt land is in stark, and direct, contrast to the Mayor of London’s position, as the NLP states multiple times that Metropolitan Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land should be preserved and protected. I refer to the following sections:
Page 14, Section 1.2.1 Page 15, Section 1.2.8
Page 27, Section 2.0.2 Page 62, Section 2.3.1
Page 301, Chapter 8 – Green Infrastructure and Natural Environment
The EBC statement that Green Belt reviews are in ‘many cases concluding that there are areas of Green Belt, no longer sufficiently meeting the purposes of the designation’ was not found to be the case in Elmbridge. The EBC commissioned Arup report, ‘Green Belt Boundary Review – Issue Rev C – 14th March 2016’, did not list any Green Belt land in Elmbridge as being ‘non-performing’.
In the NLP, (page 303 – Section 8.2.2), it specifically makes the position clear that even unsightly and derelict Green Belt land ‘is not, however, an acceptable reason to allow development to take place’. This is supported by the ‘National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012)’, Page 19 – Section 9, Paragraphs 80 and 81.
Suggesting that the Mayor of London commissions a review of the Metropolitan Green Belt, we believe will be a very risky strategy, as it could easily lead to areas of Metropolitan Green Belt, outside of London, being targeted and current designation rescinded. Most importantly, this then sets precedent, and developers will petition for the release of other areas of Green Belt land.
EBC has just endured a Planning Appeal for ‘Drake Park’, contesting a developer’s appeal to be allowed to develop on Green Belt land in Walton on Thames. The EBC document ‘Statement of Case on behalf of the Local Planning Authority’ (LA Reference: 2016/2217; 23rd June 2017), contains a 5 page section, (8.1 to 8.22), defending the potential and irreversible ‘harm to the Metropolitan Green Belt’. This is completely contradictory to the feedback now being provided by EBC to the NLP. This inconsistent approach and polar opposite perspective, reduces EBC’s credibility.
In summary, we do not believe that it will serve Elmbridge’s purpose, or best interests, to make comments on the Green Belt, or by encouraging a Green Belt review, in the response to the New London Plan. It is likely to adversely impact Elmbridge’s reputation with neighbouring Boroughs and County Councils, and will draw more adverse reaction from its residents. Worst of all it could open the flood gates and threaten the future for all of Elmbridge’s Green Belt land. We hope that EBC will reconsider its position.
Thank you.
Regards,
Paul Bartlett
Green Belt Officer
Long Ditton Residents Association
Sadiq Khan’s Draft London Plan Makes Green Belt Priority
Local Plan and Greenbelt Update
It has been a year since the Public Consultation on Elmbridge Borough Council’s (EBC) new Local Plan, which closed on 24th February 2017. EBC received around 3800 responses (including 1299 from the Dittons).
More detail can be found on our Latest News Summary
LDRA is Now on Facebook!
The LDRA is now on Facebook to help communication. Please request to join up by searching Long Ditton Residents Association or clicking below to receive the latest updates!
Date for the Diary – AGM (9th November 2017)
AGM
All residents are invited to our AGM which will be held at 8pm on the 9th November at St Mary’s Junior School. All our councillors will be present – residents will have an opportunity to ask them questions.
Local Plan and Greenbelt Update
SEE OUR NEWS SUMMARY FOR THE LATEST ON WHAT’S HAPPENING!
School Traffic Calming Update and Zebra Crossings
Surrey County Council proposed to establish a Zebra Crossing on Ditton Hill Road.
Followi
Please see a copy of the Public Notice below, together with a plan indicating the location.
The proposed crossing in Sugden Road, also formed part of the public consultation in 2016, and a crossing is still planned to be installed, but due to feedback SCC is reassessing the best site for its installation – in the vicinity of St Mary’s School entrance or between Rectory Lane and Ewell Road. Further investigations are currently being undertaken to determine the optimum location for the crossing. SCC will then proceed with implementing the most appropriate option.
NOTICE
SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL
PROPOSED PROVISION OF A ZEBRA CROSSING
ON DITTON HILL ROAD (C162) LONG DITTON
Date: 17 August 2017
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Surrey County Council, in exercise of their powers under Section 23 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and after consultation with the Chief Officer of Police in accordance with Section 23(2)(A) of the said Act of 1984, propose to establish a Zebra Crossing on Ditton Hill Road (C162), Long Ditton.
The centre line of the proposed crossing will be 1.72 metres west of the common property boundary of Nos. 50 and 50A Ditton Hill Road and will be 2.4 metres wide.
A copy of the plan showing the location of the proposed Zebra Crossing may be examined free of charge at Reception, Surrey County Council, Quadrant Court, Guildford Road, Woking, Surrey GU22 7QQ, during normal office hours; and at Dittons Library, Mercer Close, Thames Ditton, Surrey KT7 0BS, during normal opening hours.
If you wish to make representations about the proposal you must send them in writing, stating the grounds on which they are made, to the undersigned, at Traffic Regulation Orders Team, Surrey County Council, Hazel House, Merrow Lane, Guildford, Surrey GU4 7BQ, by 14 September 2017.
Jason Russell – Deputy Director Highways and Infrastructure
Any Enquiries relating to this notice should be directed to:
Traffic Regulation Orders Team
Surrey County Council – Highways
Hazel House, Merrow Lane
Guildford, Surrey, GU4 7BQ
Tel: 0300 200 1003
Parking Review In Moleseys & Dittons
On Friday 18 August Surrey County Council advertised by way of a press notice in the Surrey Advertiser our parking proposals following parking reviews in:
- the Moleseys and the Dittons
There will then follow a five week period during which we will accept objections and comments on the proposals. SCC posted around 950 A5 postcards to all properties fronting the proposals..
Hard copies of the plans and our reasons for making the proposed changes will be available for public inspection from Friday at the following locations:
- Elmbridge Borough Council, Civic Centre, High Street, Esher, KT10 9SD
- Dittons Library, Mercer Close, Thames Ditton, KT7 0BS
Of course all the relevant documents are also be available onSCC website via the following address:
www.surreycc.gov.uk/parking/elmbridge
The LDRA have objected to the St Mary’s Road proposals as we feel they would not address the parking problems in Effingham Road.
SCC will accept comments and objections using an online form on the website listed above (preferred), or in writing to:
Mr David Curl, Parking Team Manager, Hazel House, Merrow Lane, Guildford, GU4 7BQ
The closing date for comments is Friday 22 September.
Once this has passed, SCC will create a report which looks at all the comments received. The final decision about what to go ahead with is made by the Parking Team Manager in consultation with the chairman and vice-chairman of Surrey County Council’s local committee for Elmbridge and the relevant county councillor for the area concerned. SCC would expect to have the final decisions made before Christmas, and then look to get the new restrictions implemented before the end of this financial year, although the timescale will be dependant on the number and nature of comments received and how long it takes to resolve any objections.
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