Hi everyone,
Topics in this newsletter:-
1) Botanical Place Update – work has started
2) Draft Woking Town Centre Masterplan – Public consultation until 17th October 2022
3) Walk on Wildside - Feedback
4) 2023 Calendar - For sale
5) Surrey County Council - transfer of parking enforcement and highway maintenance in April 2023
6) Have your say – Tree removal
1) BOTANICAL PLACE UPDATE
RVG announced in their recent Newsletter, that they have appointed contractor Higgins Partnerships.
Work started on site on 22nd August 2022 with temporary site offices and welfare facilities being delivered and the diggers and heavy machinery arrived Friday 26th August. Work has continued apace.
Further details can be found in their introductory newsletter.
For those who don’t receive their email newsletter, RVG have also stated they “Went Green in July”
“July was a very special month for us at Retirement Villages Group and for the Botanical Place project team. We painted the month green in style. How did we do this?
Following the powerful rule of three:-
- One, finally got the green light to start construction of Botanical Place;
- Two, we have confirmed a Green Shovel event on site to celebrate; and
- Three, we published our commitments and priorities in support of our sustainability goals…
2) DRAFT WOKING TOWN CENTRE MASTERPLAN CONSULTATION
Woking Borough Council have created a DRAFT Town Centre Masterplan and there is now a period of public consultation until 17th October 2022. More details and feedback forms on the ten themes can be found at WBC online.
The Masterplan sets out what Woking’s skyline could look like by 2030 and, once approved, will provide developers with detailed guidance relating to building heights, density, infrastructure, and environmental measures.
The draft document has been compiled using feedback from stakeholders and resident focus groups, and now everyone is invited to give their views. It covers ten specific themes, and you can comment on all of them or just the ones that interest you”.
Full details can be found by clicking here
3) WALK ON WILDSIDE pt2
The second event was held on 30th July and based on the feedback received, it was a great success.
Around 50 people came along and apart from consuming the Pimms and tea and cakes, they were able to a walk around the grounds to see the wilding in action and listen to a short talk by Joy Sachak about the history of The Old House.
Joy mentioned the site was owned in 1272 by Roger de Leghes and then it was called Leghes Farm. Records show there was a building on the site in the 16th Century, owned by Nicholas Burley. He extended the building and his wife’s, and his initials are still visible today on the replacement fireplace installed in 1604. The dwelling was further extended in the 17th and 18th centuries when an additional floor was built and formed its current appearance.
Since moving in, they had discovered old paintings behind Georgian plaster, possibly dating back to the 15th century, as well as gradually purchasing additional land that was formerly part of the early estate.
The exact date of the name change is not clear, but there are records showing the sale of The Old House from the Earl of Onslow to WH Pinnock in 1909.
Thank you to everyone who came along for supporting the Forum.
4) 2023 WILDLIFE CALANDER
To celebrate the variety of local wildlife found in Pyrford, the Forum, with the help of local photographer Mike Tibbotts, has produced a 2023 calendar. There are 13 superb pictures, and it is available for £12 by emailing info@pyrfordforum.org.
The calendar makes an ideal Christmas gift.
5) LITTER PICKING PYRFORD COMMON 9th OCTOBER 2022
The Forum has decided to hold its next Litter Picking event on Sunday 9th October starting at 1:30 pm from the Pyrford Common Car Park on Pyrford Road.
Please let me know if you can come by emailing info@pyrfordforum.org
6) SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL TRANSFER OF PARKING & VERGE CUTTING
Surrey County Council recently announced that from April 2023, highway verge cutting, weed control and on street parking enforcement management will be taken “back-in-house”.
“Surrey County Council is responsible for highway verge cutting and weed control, as well as on-street parking enforcement. It currently has agreements in place with eight district and borough councils to manage the verges on the county council’s behalf, and all on-street parking enforcement is managed by the districts and boroughs.
From April 2023 the county council will manage both of these county-wide to ensure consistent approaches across Surrey.
The county council aims to promote biodiversity by promoting wildflowering on appropriate highway verges and will continue to trial more sustainable approaches.
Managing parking across the county will ensure a good service is offered throughout the county and offer good value for residents.”
7) HAVE YOUR SAY
A new issue has been raised with me recently – the number of tree removals.
The concern was the removal of existing mature trees. Many organisations like Woodlands Trust & CPRE are promoting tree planting as trees suck carbon from the air and store it in the ground. Their removal releases CO2 back into the atmosphere.
The Forum has a policy in its adopted Plan on trees - OS5 - which recognises “the wooded and leafy community character of Pyrford is an important asset to the community” The Plan also says, “There is strong support for retention of trees in the area.”
Further details on the policy and its justification can be found in the Plan on pages 33 – 35 on our website at www. pyrfordforum.org
Interestingly, tree related planning applications are 25% of the total since January 2015 and in that time the number of applications has increased from 25 in 2015 to 80 in 2021. Tree applications can include crowning, branch removal as well as complete tree removal.
What are your views on existing trees being removed?
So far, two other issues have been raised – parking & speeding.
If you any other local issues/concerns, then why not email info@pyrfordforum.org
Take care & stay safe.
Regards,
Andy Grimshaw
PNF Chairman
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