Portmore Park Road closure for repair during school holiday

Portmore Park Road is to get a better surface. THE WORK HAS NOW BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR THE SCHOOL HOLIDAY
It will be closed between Thames Street and Balfour Road on five days for Surrey Highways to carry out resurfacing works.

Start date to be announced: Postponed from 16 July 2019, to avoid a clash with the last week of school term.
Parents need car access to St Charles Borromeo in the last week of term to collect children’s possessions. Surrey County Councillor Tim Oliver has been extremely helpful in getting the road closure date changed to accommodate school access.
RESURFACING WILL NOW HAPPEN DURING THE SCHOOL HOLIDAY (precise date to be confirmed as soon as possible).
Duration: 5 days (Monday – Friday only), road closed from 9.30am – 4pm.

Look out for advance warning signs on site for any date changes or check www.roadworks.org and @ElmbridgeLC on Twitter.

Surrey Highways say they will make sure people can get to and from their house or business when it is safe to do so. Please talk to a member of Surrey Highways staff on site if you need help – they say “talking to our staff can solve most issues”.

The full length of Portmore Park Road will need to be closed to complete the areas of resurfacing.

Surrey Highways have been given extra funding to repair roads which have suffered damage due to bad weather. The money has been used to form a programme of works called the ‘Severe weather recovery programme’ which we are delivering as quickly as possible to try to bring the worst affected roads in Surrey up to an acceptable standard.

More information is available at www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-and-transport.

Surrey are giving residents as much notice as they can, but as the programme is moving quickly are not always able to give as much warning as we would like.

Delays in work

Work is sometimes delayed by bad weather. Surrey Highways will keep residents updated on any changes via the advance warning signs.

Parking

It is essential to keep the road free from parked vehicles. Please park somewhere else otherwise your vehicle may be towed away to a nearby road.

Noise

There will be some noise but Surrey Highways say they will try to keep this to a minimum.

St Catherine’s Beales Lane refusal confirmed

Refusal has now been confirmed of plans for a huge block on the St Catherine’s site, Beales Lane (2019/0386), but with two changes to the reasons. The plans were initially refused by Elmbridge Planning Sub-committee on 20 May because of the harmful impact of height and massing on the character of the area, access and manoeuvring issues, and loss of trees and soft landscaping.

The application was referred back to the Sub-committee to consider an additional pre-identified issue, missing legal agreement for affordable housing. At the 17 June meeting, that new reason was added, but the access and manoeuvring issues were removed as a reason following new advice from Surrey Highways.

Residents are disappointed that Surrey had no objection to the traffic and parking issues the plans would have created, with lack of adequate turning space on site, and delivery vehicles having to reverse out of Beales Lane into Thames Street. However there was great relief that Elmbridge recognised the unacceptably oppressive impact of such a massive building close to the the road, where at present the low building is set back and softened by grass and trees.

Here is the 17th June decision:

Elmbridge Borough Council Meeting of South Area Planning Sub-Committee, Monday, 17th June, 2019

2019/0386 – St Catherines, Thames Street, Weybridge

Minutes:

One late letter of objection had been received.

The Sub-Committee Members resolved to refuse the application at the meeting held on 20 May 2019 for three reasons. Whilst the legal agreement securing the affordable housing contribution had not been received, the reasons for refusal had not included the lack of the affordable housing contribution as one of them.

Accordingly, during the introduction of the application, the Special Projects Officer advised the Sub-Committee that as the legal agreement had not been received, an additional reason for refusal needed to be included. The Sub-Committee agreed to add this reason for refusal.

Furthermore, the Special Projects Officer provided an update on the verbal advice received from the Highways Authority regarding the layout of the access and parking area on the development site, which had been included in the original reasons for refusal of this application at the Sub-Committee meeting on 20 May 2019. Given that there were concerns as to whether this reason was sufficiently robust, the Special Projects Officer sought a formal view from the Sub-Committee as to whether it wished to continue with this reason for refusal. In light of the update and having considered the information provided by the Special Projects Officer, the Sub-Committee were supportive of the removal of this reason for refusal. Accordingly, the Sub-Committee resolved to

Refuse permission, contrary to the Officer’s recommendation, for the following reasons

Confirm Reason from the Sub-Committee decision 20 May 2019

Due to its height and massing, the proposed development would be out of keeping with the character of the surrounding area. The proposal is therefore contrary to the requirements of Policy CS17 of the Elmbridge Core Strategy 2011 and Policy DM2 of the Elmbridge Development Management Plan 2015.

Confirm Reason from the Sub-Committee decision 20 May 2019

Due to the loss of trees and green spaces around the building, which are considered to provide high landscape contribution towards the character of the area, the proposal fails to enhance and integrate into its surroundings. As such, the proposal is contrary to Policy DM6 of the Elmbridge Development Management Plan 2015.

[Previously listed as Reason 3. of the decision of the Sub-Committee made on 20 May 2019.]

Add Refusal Reason

In the absence of a completed legal agreement, the proposed development fails to secure the necessary affordable housing provision contrary to the requirements of Policy CS21 of the Elmbridge Core Strategy 2011and the Developer Contributions Supplementary Planning Document 2012.

Remove Reason

The layout of the access and parking area would result in hazardous manoeuvring due to the lack of turning point within the proposed rear parking area which would result in a need to reverse from the parking spaces to the under-croft access road in order to leave the site in forward gear. As such, the proposal is contrary to the requirements of Policy DM7 of the Elmbridge Development Management Plan 2015.

[Previously listed as Reason 2. of the decision of the Sub-Committee made on 20 May 2019.]

Beales Lane plans cause concern for residents

Plans for a three storey block of 17 flats and 11 houses in Beales Lane, with 53 bedrooms, are being considered by Elmbridge Borough Council (application 2019/0386). Over 100 objections have been registered with Elmbridge. Read our PPDRA letter here.

Bigger, higher, denser, closer to road

The new block would replace the existing St Catherine’s buildings (lacking merit but inconspicuous, total 27 bedrooms) with a significantly taller block, of more than twice the mass, with its bulk much closer to the road.

See the photo and plans above to get a feel for the proposed scale. It is 55% higher from ground to rooftop compared with present, towards the Thames St end.

The plans propose parking spaces for 28 cars behind the block, accessed via a height-limited entrance mid-building.
The style of the proposed building is quite unlike other properties in north Weybridge. Some residents feel strongly that it is wrong for the location.

Many are concerned about the excessive bulk, and negative impact of the proposed development on the streetscene, traffic and parking – that it would transform the character of Beales Lane, and not in a good way.

Open, light, green and small scale

Residents are worried that the character of Beales Lane will be lost. Beales Lane is green and open towards its Thames Street end. The St Catherine’s buildings are low and mostly set well back. Their layout is staggered so it doesn’t impose.

The houses opposite are a traditionally styled 1998 development, in keeping with the character of Weybridge.

It is currently a pleasant suburban lane, leading to the historic small cottages of Church Walk.

The new building would present a much larger and more dominating profile along its length, and project closer to Thames Street. It would be a massive difference.

The current St Catherine’s building as seen from Thames Street

The proposed building would be 55% higher, far wider and project much closer to Thames Street

Below we list some objections to the development plans, raised by local residents.

How to give Elmbridge your views

Comments to Elmbridge Borough Council are invited by 29 March, but will be accepted after that. The application will be decided by the South Area Planning Sub-committee. To register your comments, search for 2019/0386 at www.elmbridge.gov.uk/planning

It is helpful if objections are on grounds that relate to relevant planning legislation / relevant sections of EBC Local Plan. Below are relevant issues of worry to local residents. We list things that Elmbridge Borough Council must consider in deciding planning application 2019/0386:

Oppressive bulk and mass
- The proposed development is EXCESSIVELY MASSIVE compared with neighbouring properties
- It is taller, with its bulk closer to the pavement, and would dominate a road that is currently open and spacious
- Its bulk and mass would be excessive for this suburban site.
- Beales Lane leads to the historic riverside small scale cottages of Church Walk, the contrast is stark
Lack of fit with local streetscene
- The proposed is quite unlike other buildings in the area, in appearance and style as well as scale
- North Weybridge is characterised by Victorian/Edwardian dwellings with traditional roofs and lots of gables
- The proposed vertical and rectangular lines might look fine as worker accommodation in Rotterdam, but don’t fit well here
- It would have a very negative visual impact, transforming Beales Lane
  - from a light, open, airy road with chimneys the highest points & St Catherine’s largely set well back
  - to a visually narrower street dominated by a high, massive, alien building along its south edge
Excessive density
(not a likely winner, given current pressure for increasing density, but worth arguing)
- This is a much higher density than neighbouring dwellings
- It squeezes a large volume of habitable space (11 new houses and 17 new flats, 53 bedrooms) onto the site
- The floor area and number of bedrooms doubles
Loss of privacy
- Neighbouring residents are concerned about loss of privacy, especially in their back gardens
Loss of light
- Neighbouring residents are concerned that the proposed high building will block their light. Some question the measurements supplied in the application, for the height of windows opposite.

Visitor parking being used by school parents for child collection; note narrow roadway

Impact on safe traffic flow, safe delivery access, and safe manoeuvring, given lack of turning space
This is a Surrey matter (so it is worth also writing to our SCC councillor, tim.oliver@surreycc.gov.uk, on this aspect). We are surprised that Surrey Highways has no objection
to the prospect of large vehicles having to reverse out of Beales Lane into Thames Street (a road which Surrey’s own figures show carries around 5700 vehicles a day) right next to a school crossing:
- Beales Lane is directly opposite the entrance to St George’s Junior School, so there are special safety factors
- As sheltered elderly housing (27 bedrooms), there were previously very few residents’ vehicles associated with St Catherine’s
- Beales Lane/Church Walk is a cul-de-sec with no turning circle
- It gives resident and delivery access to circa 43 homes (apart from St Catherine’s)
- Delivery and traffic flow would be greatly increased by 17 new flats and 11 new houses (53 bedrooms)
- Currently the St Catherine’s visitor parking space is used for turning by delivery vehicles and visitors
- It is heavily used at school drop-off/pick-up times (scores of vehicles using it to turn)
- The proposed design would remove current turning facilities, and mean large vehicles having to reverse into Thames Street, which carries high traffic flows and has a school crossing adjacent to St Catherine’s; reversing vehicles would risk the safety of pedestrians including school children and obstruct traffic flow
- The design does not allow headroom for vehicles higher than approx 2.5 metres to access the rear parking, so big delivery and removals vans would have to park up obstructing narrow Beales Lane
Impact on parking
- 28 parking spaces are proposed to serve 28 dwellings (9 x 1 bed; 13 x 2 bed; 6 x 3 bed)
- 40.5 spaces would be required to meet Elmbridge Parking Standards:
  - Development Management Plan – Appendix 3: Elmbridge Parking Standards (DM21 – Access and Parking)
    1 bed residential unit : 1 space per unit
    2 bed residential unit : 1.5 spaces per unit
    3 bed residential unit : 2 spaces per unit

Learn more and register your comments

The number of people who comment is crucial to the future of Beales Lane and Church Walk.

Search for 2019/0386 at www.elmbridge.gov.uk/planning.

Comments to Elmbridge BC are invited by 29 March, but will be accepted after that. Use the comment form on the EBC website or email tplan@elmbridge.gov.uk.

The application will be considered by councillors on Elmbridge Borough Council South Area Planning Sub-committee.

If you feel it is important that they are all aware of your comments, you can email them directly:

Cllr Barry Cheyne (Chair) Oatlands and Burwood Park
Cllr Mrs Dorothy Mitchell (Vice Chair) Cobham and Downside
Cllr James Browne Cobham and Downside
Cllr Andrew Burley Oxshott and Stoke D’Abernon
Cllr Oliver Chappell Oxshott and Stoke D’Abernon
Cllr Andrew Davis Weybridge Riverside
Cllr Michael Freeman Weybridge Riverside
Cllr Peter Harman Weybridge St George’s Hill
Cllr David Lewis Oxshott and Stoke D’Abernon
Cllr Mrs Charu Sood Weybridge St George’s Hill

bcheyne@elmbridge.gov.uk; dmitchell@elmbridge.gov.uk; jbrowne@elmbridge.gov.uk; aburley@elmbridge.gov.uk; ochappell@elmbridge.gov.uk; adavis@elmbridge.gov.uk; mfreeman@elmbridge.gov.uk; pharman@elmbridge.gov.uk; dlewis@elmbridge.gov.uk; csood@elmbridge.gov.uk;

Traffic and parking issues are the responsibility of Surrey County Council, who will prepare a consultation report in relation to planning application EBC 2019/0386.

The Surrey County Councillor for Weybridge is Tim Oliver
tim.oliver@surreycc.gov.uk

You can download a pdf copy of our March 2019 newsletter about application 2019/0386 here

Flats or Flats & Houses?

Some residents are puzzled by the reference to 17 flats and 11 houses in the planning application, when the drawings appear to show a single large block of flats, arranged over three floors.

Below is an extract from the 2019/0386 Application Form

Grenside Road school parking

Parking and turning on private land, obstructing residents

Residents of Grenside Road face school traffic and parking issues which need help from Surrey Highways.
Grenside Road is a cul de sac with no turning space, so things can get fraught when large numbers of parents park up on the pavement and neighbouring land, wait with engines running, then try to turn around and drive out.

The private access to residents’ parking spaces and lock up garages is often obstructed by parents parking and manoeuvring and trying to turn around to depart from Grenside Road.

The school’s use of the Grenside Road gates as a secondary entrance is in line with Surrey’s policy of multiple access points. But the road lacks the parking controls expected around a school entrance. There are still no zigzags or special parking restrictions around this entrance, despite the optimistic comments made by an outgoing councillor, before last year’s Surrey County County local elections, about Surrey making safety improvements in Grenside Road.

St George’s Junior School is trying to make sure parents are considerate, but official parking restrictions from Surrey would allow traffic wardens to enforce better behaviour. PPDRA will continue to draw this to the attention of the new County Councillor, Tim Oliver. Action is needed to improve a situation residents find unacceptable.

Traffic and Parking – What do YOU want done?

Remember Surrey’s 2009 North Weybridge parking proposal? Many residents objected strongly, with good reason. It proposed CPZ restrictions that would have made life difficult in some roads. The plan was scrapped, and other roads that needed parking controls had to wait. Conclusion? CPZ proposals must be designed to meet the very different local needs of different roads.

2009 North Weybridge CPZ proposal – strongly rejected by residents

Parking and traffic: problem twins…

Our part of Weybridge has traffic and parking issues which vary considerably from road to road. We have several roads used as rat runs, three schools, roads where residents have no off-street parking and others with ample off-street parking.

Previous attempts at strategic parking solutions have failed because they ignored local residents’ differing needs. Can we do better now?

Traffic issues arise from the sheer number of drivers who want to use our local residential roads

As a rat run
Or for the school run
Plus some driving irresponsibly fast where possible

The impact of traffic is serious

Reduced safety for pedestrians and cyclists
Greater disturbance for residents from noise and fumes.

Parking problems have more causes

Limited on-street capacity, in roads where residents have no off-street parking and finding anywhere to park is a challenge
Short term school run parking obstructing driveways, pavements and junctions
Workers and visitors wanting free long-stay on-street parking
Shoppers wanting convenient free short-stay parking

The impact of parking varies

Massive and prolonged negative impact when residents are displaced from parking near their home
Short-term inconvenience and great annoyance when access is obstructed by school run parking at key times
Recurrent annoyance from seeing a road being used as a free car park
Positive effects when considerately parked cars reduce excessive traffic speed (natural traffic calming).

Local priorities

Top priorities for PPDRA (discussed extensively over the past ten years: see previous postings), are that parking restrictions and provision:

Reflect local needs, which vary from road to road
Draw on the views of residents in each road
Give highest priority to safety
Give very high priority to ensuring residents with no off-street parking can find somewhere nearby on-street to park (e.g. by local CPZ in badly affected roads)
Give special attention to school & school-run parking issues, and their impact on residents
Allow ample convenient short stay parking for shoppers
Allow all-day on-street visitor parking where appropriate
Are strategically coordinated across the area to reflect overall needs (without forcing ‘one-size fits all’ restrictions on residents)
Strategically relate on-street controls to off-street (public and private) parking capacity
Provide adequate affordable off-street capacity, without sacrificing the character of our townscape (i.e. avoiding visually intrusive multi-storey car parks or paving over public green spaces)
Don’t use strategic planning as an excuse for inaction: where there is an urgent need, action must be urgent.

Residents’ views matter

Here we give some more background on local issues for residents around traffic and parking, and their impact.

Local views on traffic are reasonably clear — most residents don’t want dangerous rat run traffic in their residential roads — but parking is more divisive. One resident’s solution may be another resident’s problem.

PPDRA’s long held view on parking is that local residents are the people who know most about the parking needs and issues in their road and nearby. Residents are the people who have to live with the issues day after day, so their views should be heard.

Of course restrictions must be strategically coordinated across the area, but that must not disadvantage roads in urgent need.

Residents who have to rely on finding an on-street parking space have the greatest need — so PPDRA has long supported residents’ majority calls for controlled parking zones (CPZs) in roads like Elmgrove Road (given a residents-only CPZ) and Dorchester Road (still waiting).

Areas around schools also have particular needs. For example, we have been lobbying for safety improvements in Grotto Road and Grenside Road.

Wide area CPZ concerns

Currently it is suggested that a large area of Weybridge could be made a CPZ, perhaps with inner and outer zones (see the Weybridge Parking Project). Some local residents — including most of the PPDRA committee — were worried by proposals in the original Parking Project report, because they seemed to ignore considerations that some residents feel are local priorities. Happily, the Weybridge Parking Project team appear to be evolving the proposals in response to concerns.

Impact on our area

One resident said, after reading the report, “I don’t want to see our town ringed by multi-storey car parks and dominated by yellow lines, clearing the way for faster rat run traffic”.

Reduced capacity

Other residents (e.g. in Radnor and Glencoe) are aware that a CPZ in their road would significantly reduce their ability to find anywhere to park, because of all the additional yellow lines (see the 2009 plan above).

Previous proposals rejected

Reduced capacity, greater rat run danger and increased inconvenience were key reasons behind residents’ overwhelming rejection a proposed 2009 North Weybridge CPZ (see plan above).

The proposal to ban daytime parking on Portmore Park Road was especially unpopular. It would have encouraged rat run traffic, reduced parking options for residents of nearby roads, and caused problems for parents collecting children from St Charles Borromeo.

There were also worries of impact outside the proposed CPZ boundary, in Thames Street and beyond.

So what factors must be considered now, and what principles would bring the best outcome? The Local Priorities listed above by PPDRA draw on years of input from local residents.

SHARE YOUR VIEWS AT OUR COMMUNITY MEETING & AGM ON 13 SEPTEMBER
7:30 for 8:00 pm at St Charles Borromeo school hall, Portmore Way, Weybridge

PPDRA position on parking

In summary, PPDRA, rather than proposing specific parking solutions, seeks to

listen to residents’ concerns about parking and traffic, which may vary from road to road
focus on the principles around parking and traffic that matter for our community
lobby Surrey and Elmbridge Councils to act in line with those principles, and find strategic solutions which are sensitive to the differing needs of different roads in north Weybridge

At its heart, our position is that any strategic parking solution must reflect the differing needs of different roads.

Problems vary across our area

Our part of north Weybridge has some very specific parking and traffic issues, which vary enormously across the area.

We have many attractive narrow fronted Edwardian and Victorian homes within walking distance of the town centre, busy schools, local businesses, tree-lined suburban boulevards with large houses, and traffic trying to avoid main road jams.

Diverse issues

Traffic and parking issues vary from road to road:

roads of narrow fronted homes with no off-street parking, where residents have problems finding anywhere to park
roads used as rat runs which would be dangerous without effective traffic calming
shoppers and visitors needing somewhere to park, and displacing residents
roads where school run traffic and parking dominate parts of each school day
workers seeking all day parking, and displacing residents

Strategic needs

Many residents have long believed that strategic action is needed, with the councils working together. Surrey County Council is responsible for controlling on-street parking, Elmbridge for off-street.

A strategic approach to parking and traffic issues will only succeed if it addresses the different issues facing different roads in north Weybridge. It must be sensitive to local priorities and the different needs of different roads.

Strategic solutions are difficult, which means they take time. Hence many residents are disturbed at suggestions that urgently needed local changes should be put on hold pending an overall strategic solution. It should perfectly possible to agree more immediate local changes, in line with an overall strategic vision, to relieve severe problems.

There is a cost to local residents in failing to meet their needs!

SHARE YOUR VIEWS AT OUR COMMUNITY MEETING & AGM ON 13 SEPTEMBER
7:30 for 8:00 pm at St Charles Borromeo school hall, Portmore Way, Weybridge

——————————————-

UPDATE 11 Sept 2018

We have added a further clarification from Pauline O’Sullivan on CPZ proposals from the Weybridge Parking Project, which illustrates how the Project is being responsive to local concerns.

Conserving Broadwater Lake

Broadwater Path opens the way to funding

Weybridge residents and visitors alike are enjoying lakeside walks along Broadwater Path, between Grenside Road and Cowey Sale. Its dedication as a public footpath and its new crushed stone surface give year round access to the lakeside – a beautful, tranquil, historic local feature, rich with wildlife.

What many don’t know is that the path is essential for the future of the lake itself. Without formal public access, the lake would not qualify for the public funding needed to stop it silting up. Broadwater is a centuries old man made lake, which requires maintenance.

Without dredging, the lake silts and becomes marshland, growing rushes then self-seeded trees. In the 14 years that residents (including PPDRA) pressed for the path, silting got worse at the Greenlands Road end. The middle length also silted badly, until residents raised funds to dredge.

Last year Elmbridge BC contributed a CIL grant, which helped fund some urgent dredging. The Broadwater Conservation Society is now seeking public funding from national sources, and wider local support.

This historic lake is an important part of local heritage. So PPDRA proposes to become affiliated to the Broadwater Conservation Society. To be voted on at our AGM on 13 September.

Broadwater Lake and Path, August 2018

Update on planning future health services for Weybridge

Residents who signed up to participate in consultation about future health services for Weybridge following the Community Hospital fire have received the update below.

Note that the NW Surrey Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) website has been updated with NW Surrey CCG’s informative reports of the two community meetings held on 17 October in St James’ Church, Weybridge.

PPDRA aims to contribute to the consultation in liaison with members who wish to particpate in the engagement process. If you are strongly interested in the shape of our future health services in Weybridge, please let us know.

FROM: Comms (NHS NORTH WEST SURREY CCG)
DATE: Wed 15/11/2017 13:30
SUBJECT: Engaging the local community in planning future health services for Weybridge

Thank you very much for expressing an interest in joining a smaller working group/s to consider future health services for Weybridge.

We have set out our draft engagement plans below, and it would be really helpful if you could let us know which group/s you might be interested in participating in:

Engaging local people across North West Surrey on our urgent care strategyAs we described at the public meetings in Weybridge on 17 October, we are starting to think about how we plan and improve access to urgent care services across North West Surrey. This will include services in Weybridge so it makes sense to start thinking about the wider picture first before we focus on the detail for a new healthcare facility in Weybridge.To start this engagement, we are planning to hold a wider engagement event (possibly end November/beginning of December) with up to around 50 people from across North West Surrey to start thinking about the best way to provide urgent care, on the day services for local people. This is likely to be a daytime event and we will also be inviting people from other parts of North West Surrey. This would include some facilitated table discussion.

A smaller working group to look at our developing urgent care strategyFollowing the event above, we would look to create a smaller working group that might meet every 2-4 weeks for a period of several months while we work through options and move towards public consultation.
Weybridge Hospital Patient Advisory GroupOnce we have clearer plans for urgent care access across North West Surrey, we would like to create a dedicated patient group to consider services + the look and feel/design for a new health facility in Weybridge. We anticipate a working group of up to around 20 people. This is not likely to meet until well into the New Year. This group is likely to meet approx. once a month for the duration of our planning for the new build (which could be up to around 2 years depending on how the planning moves forward).

As we indicated at the meetings in Weybridge, engaging the local community is a key part of our planning; we will continue to keep people updated via our website, the local press and other methods as appropriate and there will also be opportunities for more people to get involved during public consultation where we will also have further public meetings. During that wider consultation period we would also be very happy to come out and talk to local groups as much as possible.

In the meantime, we would be very grateful if you could indicate which of the above you would be interested in participating in; these are not mutually exclusive so you could opt for more than one if you wish.

All up to date information on Weybridge Community Hospital is now on our website and can be found here.

Communications and Engagement Team
NHS North West Surrey Clinical Commissioning Group
58 Church Street, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 8DP

Web: www.nwsurreyccg.nhs.uk
Follow us on Twitter @NWSurreyCCG

Weybridge Community Hospital — concern over which services will return

St James’ church was packed to capacity for two meetings on Tuesday 17 October. Around 800 local residents attended, hoping to hear positive news about health services returning to our town, after the destruction of Weybridge Community Hospital in the disastrous fire back in July.

The news was mixed. Good news is that the hospital site will be retained, interim accommodation for the two GP practices is being constructed as rapidly as possible, and should be up and running in December, and a new permanent building will be constructed on the site over the next three years or so.

The bad news is that Weybridge is unlikely to get back the Community Hospital as it was, with its Walk In Centre, X-Rays and extensive outpatient services.

What about the Walk In Centre?

So what will we get? North West Surrey Clinical Commissioning Group (NWS CCG) is responsible for deciding. The meetings were led by Matthew Tait, of NWS CCG, along with representatives of NHS Property Services and local GP practices.

The publicity handout headed ‘services returning to the former Weybridge Community Hospital Site’ (see below) made it clear that GP practices, a range of treatment room services, and Lloyds Pharmacy will return. Beyond that, all is up for discussion.

The great area of concern for residents at both meetings was the future of the Walk In Centre and X-rays etc. Will the Walk In Centre be returning?

We were told that Walk In Centres are now an outdated concept, that CCG thinking has moved on. But there will be treatment services. There is no short-term replacement for the Walk In Centre, as there is no space on the site and no other suitable site has been found. [Surrey County Councillor Tim Oliver on 20 Sept told local residents that part of the library building had been considered for a replacement Walk In Centre, but proved not to be feasible.]

CCG ‘engaging with community in NW Surrey’

About NW Surrey CCG

Residents were told repeatedly by Matthew Tait of the NW Surrey CCG, and his colleagues, that they would be engaging with the community of North West Surrey to understand local needs, and that future services would be shaped to meet those needs.

It appears that NWS CCG are starting with a clean sheet of paper, and looking at the needs of local towns from Ashford to Woking and beyond, in deciding what future facilities we will have in Weybridge.

Before the fire at Weybridge Community Hospital, Weybridge was a hub for local community health services. The loss of the Community Hospital means that we are no longer a working hub.

The services delivered in Weybridge in future may be better or worse than before the fire, NWS CCG cannot say at present, but CCG have a duty to look at the overall clinical needs of North West Surrey.

Weybridge concern about LOCAL provision

For many Weybridge residents, the important question has a different emphasis: ‘will we get back the LOCAL provision of health services that we lost in the fire?’

NW Surrey CCG cannot promise that we will get them back. But CCG want to engage with the community, and the massive turnout at the two meetings — CCG had originally planned to hold them in a room with a capacity of 100 people! — is a sure sign that Weybridge residents care deeply about local provision of those services.

There are natural concerns that our town may be diminished by a long-term loss of local provision of services which we value highly and rely on.

But as Matthew Tait has said, we may get something better and more future-proof. Perhaps the voice of local residents will be heard.

Three years of interim services

20 ‘pods’ (portakabins) have already been sited on part of the Weybridge Community Hospital site previously used for staff car parking, and these are being fitted out as GP Surgery facilities, plus treatment rooms.

The interim facilities on the former hospital site should be up and running by December 2017, at which point the Church Street Practice and Rowan Tree Practice will return to Weybridge. Another pod will house Lloyds Pharmacy.

Limited parking

There will be parking on the interim site for about 30 cars (presumably this will mainly be for staff parking?), including disabled spaces. The impact of this reduction in parking over the next three years is likely to be significant.

[If the remainder of the site will not actually be built on until two years time, would it not be possible to level most of it, and use it for temporary parking until building actually starts?]

There were questions about the possibility of increasing parking space longer term via underground parking (too expensive at £15,000 per space, according to NHS Property Services) or a multi-storey car park on the site (not dismissed, but likely to face cost and planning issues).

Three year plan

The majority of the interim site will become a building site for construction of a new building by NHS Property Services, following commissioning by CCG, in a process expected to last around three years:

12 week consultation in NW Surrey looking at community clinical needs
Followed by a feasibility study & further engagement
Outline business case + procurement
2-3 months design
3-4 months for town planning consideration and consent
8 weeks tendering process
12 months of building and fitting out

Community Engagement

Throughout the meeting, the words ‘engage’ and ‘engagement with the community’ were repeatedly used. PPDRA looks forward to genuine consultation, and has asked to be part of the process.

Meeting with Surrey County Councillor Tim Oliver, 20 Sept 2017

COUCNILLOR-LIAISON-SURREY-303l

Issues that matter for Weybridge residents were the topic of a useful meeting between local residents’ groups and the Surrey County Councillor for Weybridge, on 20 September.

Clr Tim Oliver met with representatives of local residents groups in Weybridge, including the Weybridge Society, Portmore Park & District RA and Triangle Residents.

In advance of the meeting, PPDRA circulated a list of Surrey-related things that concern residents of our part of north Weybridge. Most of these were covered constructively in the meeting.

Below we list the PPDRA issues, plus Tim Oliver’s agenda. Summary of some key points covered in discussion to follow.

Summary of PPDRA issues/questions for Weybridge Surrey County Councillor – September 2017

1/ Parking concerns in north Weybridge

Need for effective strategic planning and action on parking (Weybridge-wide, recognising the specific issues of Portmore Park & district, including residents of our increasingly densely populated residential roads near the High Street where most households have no off-street parking, plus shoppers and workers and school runs)
Local reactions to the recent Parking Review, especially Dorchester & Gascoigne Road issues, and lack of action on Grenside Road following our meeting with Margaret Hicks

2/ Traffic flows and speeds in north Weybridge

Keeping speeds low in residential roads
Extending the 20mph limit to the east of Thames Street: Grotto Road, Monument Road etc (region of St James’ School & surrounding residential roads; additional traffic calming, particularly for Grotto & Greenlands Roads?)
Preventing Portmore Park Road / Thames St / Walton Lane becoming a faster & more heavily used rat run
Positive visibility of roundels in existing 20 zone (a few more needed, CIL funding possibility? likewise interactive signs?)
Request for up-to-date figures on traffic flows in Walton Lane/Thames Street and PPR

3/ Any SCC plans to reduce the overall negative impact of traffic on Weybridge?

4/ Safer cycle routes

SCC plans for improving safety of cycling Weybridge (given big spend in other places, and statements of previous Weybridge councillors)?
Particular issue cycling between PPR and Station/Heathside School at Balfour Road and Church Street.

5/ Pavements

Progress of town centre pavement / pedestrian area plans?
Dangerous unevenness on pavements and gradients on drop kerbs (and no way of reporting gradients online)
Continuing issue of missing pavement on one side of Grotto Road, approaching the junction of Thames Street (a crossover of two school runs, with many pedestrians; blind corner for traffic exiting Grotto Road)

6/ Public Footpaths

Excellent to have Broadwater Path FP40!
Gradients/difficult access to parts of FP36 (Grenside Road to River Thames)
Dual use of FP20 (PPR to Minorca) ?
Issues of horse riders on Desborough Island, including churning its unsurfaced perimeter footpath

7/ Road surfaces / potholes

Status of resurfacing vs patching?
Issues of recurrent break-up at high use turning areas (e.g. Elmgrove Road outside Waitrose car park) and bends (e.g. PPR either side ode of traffic islands)
Recurrent dangerous break-up & subsidence around drains (where cyclists have to ride – e.g. in Thames Street))

8/ Impacted gullies causing recurrent road flooding

g. the end of PPR by Balfour Road; Walton Lane (or is that an EBC culvert issue by the canoe club?)

9/ Weybridge Community Hospital

Transport to temporary Walton location (new enhanced bus timetables – is SCC monitoring need /demand/ take–up?)
Rebuilding plans (essential not to lose the local community facility!!!)
Medium term plans?

10/ Town centre improvement initiatives

Weybridge Library building – current plans?
Status of thinking on part-pedestrianisation, e.g. weekend/market day closures at end of Baker Street?
Other positive SCC thinking?

11/ Future housing plans – SCC involvement?

What is the SCC role in the consultation on future housing needs (e.g. in matching plans to infrastructure & community character; some local concerns about the impact of building multiple flats – with transient rentals – on the character of a family residential area)

12/ Possibilities for SCC supporting community & voluntary involvement?

Helping residents take pride in our locality, e.g. through supporting voluntary minor clearing work along public footpaths.

Happily, the PPDRA issues overlapped considerably with the agenda suggested by Tim Oliver:

AGENDA

Introductions

Purpose of the meeting

Library proposals/ walk in centre
Parking review
Park & ride/ Traffic congestion
Streetscape/ High street regeneration
Brooklands business park accessibility
Baker street
War memorial lighting
Road closures information
Road surfaces
Road safety

Future meetings

Broadwater Path taking shape at last

Broadwater Path – Weybridge Public Footpath 40

Broadwater Path — a picturesque walk along the edge of Broadwater lake — is at long last becoming a properly surfaced reality. The path runs through the tranquil Green Belt countryside between Grenside Road, Weybridge and Cowey Sale (Walton Bridge). Work to lay the crushed stone surface started this month, and should be completed by mid September.

At the time of writing, nearly half the length has already been surfaced, and it looks superb — a good solid surface where before there was tangled undergrowth and mud. It will be a wonderful lasting asset for our community.

Broadwater Path surfacing in progress July 2017

The surfacing is possible thanks to Community Infrastructure Levy funding secured from Elmbridge Borough Council.

The formal dedication of the public footpath by Surrey County Council was complete by the start of this year, after over 15 years of local effort to make it happen.

Broadwater Path is more than a walk though beautiful scenery — the dedication of the public footpath opens the way for public funding to help conserve the historic Broadwater lake, which has been silting up badly in recent years. We can now look forward with greater confidence to this priceless local feature being enjoyed by future generations.

The final agreed official route of Broadwater Path