New Threat emerges: Saturday 17th December 2011

New Planning application for access track and Forestry usage - right where Mansion application refused at appeal - Is there a link?

A walk on Dec 17th spotted a new planning notice and potential threat to the area. The notices had been placed within a couple of days of that date and then disappeared within a couple more days. The one nearest the access on Gravelley Hill was back in situ by Christmas Day. On checking details of the Tandridge Planning web pages it gives Dec 23rd for a decision date. This is completley inadequate for any local consultation and it is suggested that people write to Tandridge about that and any other concerns.

The proposal is for forestry use and a new trackway/access at Gravelly Hill. It is along a route proposed for temporary construction use as part of the "Mansion" proposal by the Harris Brothers, turned down at a planning appeal last year.

The land the proposed 'trackway' would open up runs directly to the location of the house refused at appeal. There is currently no track, or any evidence known if one ever existed. All that is currently there is a small animal/track or single width footpath that leads past a huge and old beech tree, which has sadly been a lightning strike casualty.

So far as we know there has not been an active forestry use, or in fact any use along this trail since before 1955, around the time the Harris family sold Hill House, which later became Gravelly Place. Reading a report accompanying the application, it is in fact a proposal to commence forestry use of the mapped area. We could anticipate that everything except the mature trees, could be harvested and of course, whatever is replanted, plus any ancillary buildings would improve the potential conversion possibility to residential later. Any trees replanted would hardly regenerate to anything like the current scale, and for many years. While clearing of old downland areas that have become scrubland is to be supported in some contexts, this proposal is perhaps dubious. The disturbance from tree felling, chipping or planking, or transport offsite on large vehicles, would have a significant local impact on narrow & rural lanes through the area. The full details are listed here: ( use the reference 2011/1558)

http://planning.tandridge.gov.uk/eaccess/AppNumberSearchResults.asp

This Blog was originally created to fight the mansion proposal last year, which has other background. Do look at the earlier editions. Both War Coppice Village Residents Association and the new Area 178 (Viewpoint) Neighbourhood Watch area and their members are welcome to contribute and post materials here or link to the site.

http://oldparkwood.blogspot.com/

The 2010/2011 planning application for an "Exception" to the Green Belt failed on a number of grounds - including access over land the Harris family did not own. This had been proposed from the trackway between View Point and Down House - toward the Harestone Valley bottom and Caterham School, over land owned by Charles Daniels, who did not consent to access over his land. It would also have crossed an ancient earthworks, which is still visible and formed an original 'Park Pale', a means to keep game within an enclosure. At the time of the enquiry a temporary access was proposed on exactly the line of this proposed trackway, to allow for construction traffic and was then to be reinstated. A trackway, especially one where scrub was cleared on each side, would also have provided any house located near the old beech with a line of sight south over View Point.

It appears the battle is about to restart and with the Government changing planning rules, with its 'Presumption in favour of development', this is simply the start of a new battle. Although Green Belt is supposed to be protected as before, all sorts of powerful land owners and developers are queuing up to look for loopholes, while CPRE, The National Trust and newspapers such as The Times and The Telegraph have run campaigns against. The Government's proposals have the jargon NPPF - New Planning Policy Framework.

http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/draftframework


("Oldpark". The majestic old beech tree at the site of the proposed house. Photo taken on the site inspection during the planning appeal. CMW)

Tom Bennington, the new chair of the War Coppice Garden Village Resident's Association, is a a key local contact.

As some of you will know a new Neighbourhood Watch (178) has recently been started from View Point, back to Tupwood Lane and the Green Belt parts of Harestone Valley, Hill and Upper Harestone. Wendy Russell is coordinating that group and will hopefully be able to keep them aware of developments.

Merry Christmas

"Oldpark"