Portmore Park & District Residents Association

Supporting local heritage, quality of life and community

Walton Lane Open Space designated a Local Green Space

We are delighted that Elmbridge Borough Council has now recognised Walton Lane Open Space as a designated ‘Local Green Space’ in its 2023 Draft Local Plan, submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.

This follows a PPDRA objection to the omission of this space from the 2022 EBC Draft Local Plan list of Local Green Spaces , an objection we submitted as part of the formal Regulation 19 Consultation.

The Local Green Space designation should help give lasting extra protection against any building development on this significant and much used local green open space.

Extract from Elmbridge Draft Local Plan SA Addendum 2023

M4.2 ENV3 46 Additional Local Green Spaces to be designated:

Stoke D’Abernon Memorial Park; Walton Lane Open Space; Kingston Grammar School Playing Fields/ Ditton Field, Thames Ditton

To improve accuracy and ensure soundness and compliance with NPPF para. 101 and 102.

No- these additional sites do not affect the SA of the policy.

Weybridge Hospital site – exhibition of new plans

Your chance to find out more about latest plans for the Weybridge Hospital rebuild, Library refubishment and local road improvements — 23-27 January 2023, in the Weybridge Centre for the Community, Churchfield Place.

There will be a week-long pop-up display with a drop-in session on one day to share progress on the redevelopment of community and health services in the area, along with a series of planned road improvements.

Pop-up display

  • Where: Weybridge Community Centre, Churchfield Place, Weybridge, KT13 8BZ
  • When: The display will be in place for one week from Monday 23 January to Friday 27 January
  • Times: Residents can call in anytime between 9am and 4pm each day

Drop-in session to speak to the team

  • Where: Weybridge Community Centre, Churchfield Place, Weybridge, KT13 8BZ
  • When: Wednesday 25 January
  • Time: 3pm to 7pm

The drop-in session will provide an opportunity to speak to key decision makers and the wider project team to find out more about how the facilities will benefit the local community.

If residents are unable to view the pop-up display or attend the drop-in event, the content will also be available to view online.

The libraries and highways and active travel consultations will close on the 28 February.

Find out more at https://weybetterweybridge.commonplace.is/

 

PPDRA promotes Local Green Spaces

PPDRA has alerted Elmbridge Borough Council to some significant green spaces in north Weybridge which are missing from the Draft Elmbridge Local Plan, which we feel merit the protection they would get if formally recognised in the EBC Local Plan as ‘Local Green Spaces’.

We initially listed 7 such spaces. Feedback from Elmbridge suggested that four of these cannot qualify. PPDRA has hence registered a formal Regulation 19 representation (in the formal consultation process which requires EBC is to consider further evidence) for the remaining three to be included in the Local Plan as Local Green Spaces:

  • Thames Street Green Space (by the top of Grenside Road)
  • Walton Lane Open Space (next to the Elmbridge Canoe Club)
  • Grotto Road Recreation Ground (the football field)

We are hopeful that Elmbridge will be convinced to include these as formal Local Green Spaces in the final Draft Local Plan it submits to the Secretary State next year.

View the evidence PPDRA submitted

NHS urgent care workshop for Weybridge residents – 6 Dec 2018

Here is the latest CCG update about consultation on local urgent health care provision, following the Weybridge Hospital fire.

The aim is to establish what NW Surrey needs for urgent care, given that Weybridge Walk In Centre no longer exists.  Meetings are in Staines, Woking & Weybridge.

The Weybridge meeting is in the Ship Hotel, Thursday 6 December, 19:00 – 21:00.  Please register beforehand by visiting http://nwsccg.eventbrite.com

From: Comms (NHS NORTH WEST SURREY CCG) <nwsccg.comms@nhs.net>
Sent: 24 October 2018 11:44
Subject: EVENT INVITATION: NHS workshop for Weybridge residents – what’s important to you when you need care urgently?

What’s important to you when you need care urgently?

 Join one of our interactive workshops in Weybridge, Woking and Staines in November

If you live in North West Surrey you are invited to an interactive workshop to discuss how urgent care services could be improved for you.

Local health and care organisations want to hear your thoughts and experiences to help shape future services. These events are part of The Big Picture – an opportunity for local people to join an open and honest discussion about the future of care delivered outside of hospital.

Once we have clearer plans for urgent care services across North West Surrey, we will be better placed to determine the services that will eventually go into the new healthcare facility at the Weybridge hospital site. As part of our future engagement plans we will want to work more closely with the local community around the new facility – this will include setting up dedicated group to consider services and the look and feel/design for the new building.

How to get involved – November workshops

During these interactive workshops we will:

  • Discuss what we mean by the term ‘urgent care’
  • Ask you to share your experiences and how you decide what to do when you need care urgently
  • Discuss what is important to you when you need this type of care
  • Explore what else healthcare services could do to respond

Dates, times & venues

  • Thursday 8 November, 19:00 – 21:00, The Hythe Centre, 36 Thorpe Road, Staines, TW20 8DL
  • Monday 26 November, 19:00 – 21:00, H.G.Wells Centre, Church Street East, Woking, GU21 6HJ
  • Thursday 6 December, 19:00 – 21:00, The Ship Hotel, Monument Green, 70 High Street, Weybridge, KT13 8BQ

To help us manage venue capacity please register beforehand by visiting http://nwsccg.eventbrite.com

Background – what’s this about?

The majority of health and care support happens outside our main hospitals and we know the system isn’t working as well as it could. Increased demand from a growing population, the changing needs of people living with long-term conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, and continual difficulties in recruiting the right staff are all putting pressure on our health and care system.

We have published a case for change – full version and summary version and produced a short film. These explain why change is needed and the emerging thinking around how we can support people to stay well for longer and reduce the burden on urgent and emergency services.

We are also thinking about how we support NHS England’s recently published standards for Urgent Treatment Centres – this is the new name being given to all walk-in facilities such as Urgent Care Centres and Walk-in Centres which will improve and standardise how these services are provided.

Please help us by sharing this information with your networks. You can also follow the conversation on Twitter and Facebook #BigPictureNWS.

Thank you for your continued support with involving local people in shaping the future of their health and care services.

If you have any queries please contact nwsccg.bigpictureprogramme@nhs.net or call 01372 232450

Kind regards

Comms Team
NHS North West Surrey Clinical Commissioning Group
58 Church Street, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 8DP
Reception Phone Number:  01372 232400
Direct Dial Number: 01372 232450

CIL funding 2019 open for applications

Do you know of a worthy community project in need of funding?

Elmbridge Borough Council has this week announced that they are now open for applications for CIL funding for 2019.  Expressions of interest are invited from projects which may qualify.

Funding criteria cover a broad range of initiatives which benefit the community. It is a matter of meeting the criteria, presenting a good case, and getting the application in on time (there is a history of worthy projects missing the deadline!).

Applications close on 21 October 2018.

Here’s what Elmbridge say in their announcement:

Elmbridge Borough Council is currently inviting applications for funding from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). CIL allows the Council to raise funds from some forms of new development to help fund the physical infrastructure needed to mitigate the impacts of new development. The bulk of the money raised goes towards strategic borough wide schemes such as highway schemes, permanent school expansions or flood works. However, as part of the process, the Council also allocates a portion of these funds to be spent locally on smaller infrastructure schemes that are required in the communities where development took place.

The Council has formed settlement area committees known as Local Infrastructure Spending Boards where local Councillors will decide on how these local CIL funds will be allocated. In the case of Claygate, the local proportion of CIL funds will be passed directly to the Parish Council.

The definition of infrastructure is broad and includes:

  • roads and other transport infrastructure
  • flood defences
  • schools and other educational facilities
  • medical facilities
  • sporting and recreational facilities
  • open spaces.

Successful local CIL applications for funding to date have included projects such as capital improvements to state schools to better enable them to meet the needs of an increasing school population, improvements to community facilities, footpath works and countryside access improvements. 

The application period for this round of allocations will run until 21 October 2018. Local Spending Boards will be held in Spring 2019 with the application form and guidance available below. For any further information please contact cil@elmbridge.gov.uk

Read more on the Elmbridge website.

Download a copy of the 2019 EBC CIL Funding Letter here

Weybridge Hospital Site Update

Below is an update from North West Surrey Clinical Commissioning Group on plans for health services locally following the Weybridge Hospital fire, dated June 2018. Headlines?

– Commitment to retaining the site for health services
– No commitment to replacing the Walk-In Centre
– Consultation on NW Surrey urgent care provision

As NW Surrey CCG said at the well attended public meetings, their responsibility is to look at the provision of urgent care services across North West Surrey — to decide what these should be and where they should be, in order to be most effective in serving the population of NW Surrey.

Here is the NW Surrey CCG update:

Weybridge Site Update for Stakeholders – Issue 2 1

Weybridge Site Update

June 2018

What is happening with the walk-in centre in Weybridge?

The walk-in centre was located in the same building as a wide range of GP and community services. Since the devastating fire in July 2017, we have managed to ensure the continuation of primary care services by getting the existing two GP practices back on the site along with a range of community clinics provided by CSH Surrey e.g. phlebotomy clinics.

It has not been possible to provide the facilities required for a walk-in centre to operate fully. The nearest alternative urgent care centre is a few miles away from Weybridge at St. Peter’s Hospital (next to the A&E department). We appreciate this is not preferable for people who used and valued the previous walk-in centre in Weybridge.

The local NHS has committed to re-developing and maintaining local health services on the Weybridge site and we are currently considering options for their future composition. We fully intend to involve members of the local community with development of these options and details regarding ways to get involved will be shared soon.

Is it possible to have a temporary walk-in centre for Weybridge?

A walk-in centre requires certain infrastructure that cannot be provided in temporary buildings e.g. X-ray facilities. There were also restrictions on space that meant it would not be possible to accommodate all elements of a walk-in centre. Finally, there was a need to prioritise those services used most regularly by the local community, these being the GP services and community clinics.

Is the local NHS going to sell the site?

No. We recognise the value of having services provided locally to the people of Weybridge and as such we are committed to delivering comprehensive health and care services at this location. Our long-term aim and commitment is to extend these services on this site.

NHS policy is clear that we only sell sites that are surplus to requirement. There are therefore no plans at present to sell the site of the old Weybridge hospital.

Will there be another walk-in centre in Weybridge?

The NHS across England has received a national directive to expand and improve all previous forms of community based urgent care (Walk-in-Centres, Minor Injury Units etc.) to become Urgent Treatment Centres. All of these centres across the country will have a standard service offering that will include:

  • access to urgent care appointments with highly trained practitioners, under GP leadership
  • diagnostics such as X-ray and basic blood testing
  • convenient access to appointments bookable directly online or through NHS111, which will reduce waiting times for patients

As a result of this directive and prior to the fire, the CCG was already planning how this type of care would be best provided for patients across North West Surrey as part of the overall provision of urgent and emergency care.

We will be entering into a formal public consultation to agree the design, location and deployment of these key services and we hope the public will help us by taking part and sharing their views on the different options.

We want to work with the local community and we are committed to making sure local people get the right kind of local services.

Are there any plans to involve patients in discussions about what will happen to these services in the future?

Yes, the CCG is finalising its plans to involve patients and the public in discussions. We plan to hold a public consultation on where urgent treatment centres would be best located across North West Surrey to meet the urgent and emergency health needs of our patients. We are aiming to start this consultation in September, to run for a 12-week period through to December 2018.

There will be multiple opportunities to get involved with the consultation, to join the conversation about urgent and emergency care provision and to let us know your views on the different options.

Once we have reached a decision regarding the provision of urgent treatment centres in North West Surrey, following the public consultation, we will have a better idea of the full range of services to be developed and built on the Weybridge site.

As well as these plans for the public consultation, you can already get involved with future health service planning in a number of ways:

  • Many of our GP practices have patient participation groups (PPGs), including Weybridge GP practices. These forums discuss local health matters. North West Surrey CCG has a PPG Chairpersons’ group that meets regularly.
  • We have a Patient and Public Engagement Forum (PPEF) which brings together patients and local health interest groups in North West Surrey on a regular basis to develop our engagement plans.
  • We are establishing a specific Patient Reference Group to focus on this programme of work

How will the rebuild be financed?

NHS Property Services are responsible for funding any re-build. Money has not been taken from local health service provision for building works.

What we had before worked really well. We know there are funding pressures in the NHS so are you looking to reduce those services because of that?

No. As a CCG we are of course obliged to meet our financial obligations but equally important are quality of care, patient experience and clinical safety.

That means having the best patient outcomes, meeting the latest standards for clinical safety, providing a good experience for the patients who rely on them and services that are easy to access when needed.

We need to make sure we have the right mix of local health services, that’s why we will be consulting people locally and across North West Surrey.

We have a petition signed by almost 3,000 local people to keep the same health services here, what do you say to those people?

Our planned engagement and consultation will allow everyone to join the conversation about our suggestions across North West Surrey and let us know their thoughts. Where we can we will contact the people who signed the petition and send everyone a consultation document.

We hope the local community will participate in the varied events and activities that we are planning to take place during the public consultation and let us know their views.

Are there any updates on the cause of the fire?

Following the fire at Weybridge Hospital, NHS Property Services (NHSPS) commissioned an investigation into the cause and extent of the fire. You can request a copy of the report from NHSPS at the following email address:

customer.service@property.nhs.uk

Updates on the CCG’s plans to engage and consult patients and the public regarding the rebuilding of health care services on the site and out of hospital care in general will be published regularly on our website www.nwsurreyccg.nhs.uk/weybridgehospital and shared directly with stakeholders who have confirmed that they wish to receive this information.

If you would like to receive updates on these plans from the CCG, please contact us using any of the following methods:

Email: nwsccg.comms@nhs.net

Post:   North West Surrey CCG
58 Church Street
Weybridge
Surrey, KT13 8DP

Tel: 01372 232400
Text/SMS 07880 091328

(You can also download the update as a pdf from the NW Surrey CCG website)

 

Re-energising PPDRA!

After a quiet period, we are looking to re-energise Portmore Park & District Residents Association.

There are some really significant local topics at present.
Top of the list is parking, and the Weybridge Parking Project. You can download a copy of the project report from Weybridge Society website.   UPDATE: You can now also view a clarification and update presented to the Weybridge Society transport panel on 17 July, or learn more from the Weybridge Society home page.

Expect a PPDRA newsletter in the coming weeks, followed by a Portmore Park & District community meeting / PPDRA AGM on Thursday 13th September, 7:30 for 8pm at St Charles Borromeo / Christ The Prince of Peace hall, Portmore Way, Weybridge.

Joining PPDRA is a way for people who live in north Weybridge to have more of a voice.

The more who participate in our local association the more we can achieve.

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

  1. Library proposals/ walk in centre
  2. Parking review
  3. Park & ride/ Traffic congestion
  4. Streetscape/ High street regeneration
  5. Brooklands business park accessibility
  6. Baker street
  7. War memorial lighting
  8. Road closures information
  9. Road surfaces
  10. Road safety

Future meetings

Weybridge 10K coming to our local roads on 5 March

weybridge10k-route-5-March-2017

On Sunday 5 March, a thousand runners will take to the roads of Weybridge. The run is receiving widespread support locally as a community sporting event. The Weybridge 10K run starts at 9am and will follow a circular route taking in Walton Lane, Desborough Island, Cowey Sale, Oatlands Drive, Monument Hill, Baker Street, High Street and Thames Street.

There are plans for an ‘Race village’ on the field by the Weybridge Health Club, with stalls including a Hog Roast, and a Big Red Bus Bar.

You can find out more at the Weybridge 10K website.

Note that Baker Street, High Street and Thames Street, Walton Lane and Desborough Island will be closed to road traffic for the morning, between 7:30am and midday.

 

 

 

Local concern at Parking Review recommendations

The long awaited Weybridge Parking Review recommendations have received mixed reactions locally, and disappointment at what was not covered. Here we give an overview of the parking issues, and draft reactions from PPDRA to the recommendations.

When the Surrey County Council parking team presented its Weybridge Parking Review report of recommendations, and drawings to the Elmbridge local committee at its meeting of 27 June for initial approval, councillors at the meeting reported a lot of concern from local residents

SCC reports that “As a result of concerns expressed by committee members, we are currently considering comments received in response to the publication of these proposals, before deciding on what schemes should be put forward to formal advertisement. We are still aiming to advertise these proposals in September.”

At a public meeting on 14 July organised by Cllr Andrew Davis, PPDRA Chair Miles Macleod was invited to attempt an impartial non-political introduction.

Here are the notes from that introduction:

Weybridge Parking Review – An Introduction from PPDRA

Parking is an increasingly serious problem for our town.  Weybridge needs:

  • Reliable parking for residents
  • Convenient parking for shoppers & visitors
  • Affordable parking for workers

The issue is that demand for parking spaces exceeds supply.

  • Weybridge has a particular problem in roads where Victorian and Edwardian homes have no off-street parking, so residents have to find spaces on-street, in competition with workers and shoppers unless there is a CPZ in their road.

Over the years this has got worse, with:

  • more cars,
  • new dwellings without private parking (which Government planning law forces Councils to permit near town centres)
  • progressively more yellow lines and on-street restrictions which reduce overall capacity

Many residents were pleased when Surrey announced a strategic review, which would try to do something about that.

  • Those who recalled the last strategic review, some 8 years ago, hoped it would be nothing like that – a plan which caused an outcry because it would have reduced parking capacity dramatically in parts of North Weybridge causing displacement to neighbouring areas.

PPDRA welcomed the new review’s aims. Our view has long been that:

  • residents in individual roads should be consulted on CPZs, within an overall strategy and consultation with wider community
  • the Councils — Surrey & Elmbridge — should work together to increase capacity
  • something major is needed to address the shortage of off-street parking in Weybridge

What was our reaction on seeing the Review recommendations?  Well, in some ways very disappointed
– where is the strategic thinking?  What about off-street parking? And why were some roads entirely ignored?

But it does have some positive points, in some of the changes proposed.

PPDRA DRAFT reactions to the Weybridge Parking Review 2016 report of recommendations

It has some good points:
  1. Trying to address some important parking issues, and consulting residents of the most immediately affected roads – particularly those close to the High Street, with limited private off-street parking (where residents rely on being able to park on-street)
  2. Proposing CPZ changes/extension based on the responses of residents of those roads
  3. Proposing something to help control early evening on-street parking near the town centre (by extending restrictions to 8pm)
  4. Trying to do something to increase daytime short-stay shopper parking (by allowing it in some sections of CPZ roads)
  5. Addressing known safety issues around various junctions
And bad points:

LONG TERM

  1. Failing to take a strategic view of Weybridge parking needs, and on-street vs off-street capacity
  2. Particularly failing to address the issue of public off-street parking shortage

IMMEDIATE

  1. Ignoring roads east of Thames Street (e.g. Grenside Rd, Grotto Road, West Palace Gardens, Old Palace Road)
  2. Not assessing the impact of displacement parking from CPZs
  3. Not being effective enough in increasing short-stay shopper daytime parking capacity (e.g. Oakdale Road daytime spaces count)
  4. Doing nothing to assist long-stay worker parking

There is a fair overlap between our views and the views from the Weybridge Society, but where we differ is that PPDRA does not think that all changes should be put on hold while the strategic issues are sorted out – there is a parking crisis in some roads near the High Street, which needs urgent action.