The WeyBetterWeybridge project has resumed, and we are pleased to see it is consulting more local groups and residents. The reframed project brings together Surrey Heartlands CCG (NHS), Surrey County Council and Elmbridge Borough Council, to explore how to make the best use of the Weybridge Hospital and Weybridge Library sites to create something of lasting benefit to the local community. You can read PPDRA comments for the project here.
A large Stakeholder Reference Group (SRG) has been set up to help support the development of the program’s proposals. This includes a cross-section of local residents, and representatives of community groups including the Weybridge Society and PPDRA, local schools, churches, businesses, NHS and the councils.
The PPDRA comments in September drew on views from residents in Portmore Park & District, and in October the PPDRA Chair suggested a (unifying) vision for a successful outcome for WeyBetterWeybridge. Other visions are possible!
The underlying principles are important. The idea of more integrated community facilities is highly appealing, if they can be delivered:
- without losing irreplaceable things which residents value, like public green open space
- without increasing parking stress, and
- without changing the character of Weybridge with overbearing buildings.
A previous radical option, publicised by HLM Architects on 21 March 2021, fell short on several counts. We are assured that the reframed project is taking a different approach.
We look forward to new proposals which the whole community can embrace, which will benefit Weybridge residents long into the future.