A community website from WCRA - the Westfield Common Residents' Association - based in Westfield, Woking, UK » Housing Development

FOI – Housing PFI Timetable

the WCRA Editor — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 10:23:25 +0000

A new FOI request has been posted to WBC to clarify the foward timetable for the proposed PFI funded Housing Development at Moor Lane.

The FOI can be viewed here: http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/pfi_housing_moor_lane_please_sup

Housing Site Flooded – 27-28 Feb 2010

the WCRA Editor — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:24:07 +0000

Like all residents in the area, you probably experienced a degree of localised flooding following the very heavy rains over the weekend of 27-28 Feb 2010.

For example, several of the back-gardens in Moor Lane were once again swamped as the ground was already saturated and the local drainage could not cope.

Interestingly, the proposed housing site was also somewhat overcome as you can see from the pictures below:

So this begs the question of where will all this water go when there are hundreds of houses on this site?

Answer that, Woking Borough Council.

Review of the bidder presentations – Disappointment

the WCRA Editor — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:29:06 +0000

For those of you unaware there was a presentation by the two remaining bidders at Moorcroft on Saturday 19th September 2009. It was not widely advertised so you are forgiven if you missed it.

I’m afraid to report that after viewing the presentations and talking at length with many of the attendees, the general reaction to the presentations by Evolution and the Place Partnership was one of general disappointment and there was little there that was not presented at the previous consultation.

True the ideas are still evolving but little appears to be have done to address existing residents concerns about the core issues of density, access, residential scale, lack of facilities, flooding and noise.

We understand these matters go be beyond the remit of the bidders but its hugely frustrating that there wasn’t anyone there from the planning department of WBC that could consult on these subjects.

The bidders themselves are either unaware, uninformed or waiting for direction from WBC.

To WBC – Its not hard guys – full PROPER consultation with residents, proper reasoned dialogue and open review of the issues. Then perhaps you might start the process of healing the rift with the local community.

Attached is pictures of the proposed site layouts which contrast rather starkly with the rather pretty design submitted in support of the new access application.

Site Design submitted by WBC in new Access Application

Site layout by Evolution

Site layout by the Place Partnership

As always, feel free to submit comments below.

Illustrative Site Layout (2009/0764)

the WCRA Editor — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:00:08 +0000

Well the forces of propaganda are out in force again.

Witness something called an illustrative site layout included in the package of documents delivered to support access application (2009/0764).

At first glance this is nothing less than a revolutionary compared to the previous site maps we have been shown, in particular:

A central fountain / pond has appeared
An eastern lake (with boating?) has appeared
Wooded outdoors area have appeared in the eastern part of the site.
Tree lined boulevards feature in abundance.

However before you all get too excited read the small print on the diagram that states that:

For illustration purposes. Not forming part of application.

In other words a load of old toot that is produced by a developer to make the proposed development look good and to let the decision makers at the planning committee feel a warm glow.

Ignore – the real development won’t look like this.

WBC Event – Bidder Presentation Day – 19th Sep 2009

westfieldcommon — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:05:41 +0000

Message from WBC:

The Public Workshop will be open from 11am – 4pm on Saturday 19th September at the Moorcroft Centre for the Community. http://www.woking.gov.uk/community/older/centresforthecommunity/moorcroft
Kind regards
Priority Homes Team
Woking Borough Council
www.woking.gov.uk/priorityhomes 01483 743891

Housing Site – Is Access from Moor Lane likely?

the WCRA Editor — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:01:11 +0000

Copy of an letter from Priority Homes in response to an enquiry from a Moor Lane resident.

To:
(Resident)
Moor Lane
Woking
GU22 9QY
From:
Woking Brought Council
Civic Offices
Gloucester Square
Woking
Surrey
GU21 6YL
Telephone (01483) 755855
Facsimile (01483) 768746
DX 2931 WOKING
Email wokbc@woking.gov.uk
Website www.woking.gov.uk
14th July 2009
Dear (Resident)
RE: Moor Lane Development
Thank you for your email dated 4th July regarding access to the development site north of Moor Lane.
At this stage the Council is not intending to use Moor Lane as a main access to the development site.
The County Highways Authority (CHA) would require significant changes to the Moor Lane carriageway for it to be used as a major access to the site. Some of the land required to achieve the necessary road structure to provide an access from Moor Lane is not in the Council’s ownership and would therefore require a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) of 3rd party land. However, a CPO would be difficult to justify because a detailed options appraisal by an independent highways engineer identified viable alternatives (not requiring the use of Moor Lane) which satisfy CHA requirements.
The Council is therefore not intending an access from Moor Lane itself to be included in any access planning application to the development site that is made by the Council.
However, in a separate study the highways engineer has determined that it may be possible for a small number of units to be served from Moor Lane itself without requiring any carriageway widening or major junction improvements. If the small number of units requiring access were to the eastern end of the Moor Lane, it may require at least three passing places along the length of the narrowest part of this road. Those currently bidding for the rights to develop the site may wish to pursue this possibility.
Another option would be for the bidders to investigate the possibility of achieving an access, again, for a small number of units, at the western end of the site, where the Moor Lane carriageway widens. This approach would require an assessment on the deliverability of such an access bearing in mind the common land status of the land between the road and the site.
In summary, minor access from Moor Lane, if any, would be addressed by the bidders in consultation with the County Highways Authority at the Masterplan stage and by the Local Planning Authority at the detailed planning application stage.
We will be holding a public consultation on Saturday 19th September between 11am and 4pm at The Moorcroft Centre for the Community.
We hope we have helped in some way to answer your queries. The Council will continue to keep residents informed as the project progresses. If you would like further information regarding Priority Homes please refer to Woking Borough Council’s website at www.woking.gov.uk/priorityhomes or call 01483 743891

Yours sincerely
Priority Homes Team

Planning Committee – Transcript of the WCRA Speech

the WCRA Editor — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:47:34 +0000

For those who were unable to attend the meeting, here is a transcript of the speech that was delivered by Kerry. Enjoy!

Moor Lane Access – Planning Application – Reference: PLAN/2009/0434

On behalf of fellow Westfield Common residents here tonight to show that they object to this application we would wish the committee to take the following into consideration
Permission for the outline application in 2006 was conditional on sign-off of a legal agreement between WBC & SCC. This in turn was conditional on WBC demonstrating that transport access was viable. Neither have been done. According to the Planning Officers report, outline permission has not been granted and this application becomes null and void in view of this.
The purpose of this application is to demonstrate that WBC can deliver access routes to the site free from significant financial risk, over which they can exercise more control and there is no guarantee that these are the access routes that will ultimately be developed. This is for the benefit of the developers in that allows WBC to demonstrate that the developers will not take on exposure to financial risk and also allows WBC to move forward with the legal agreement previously mentioned. WBC are attempting to manipulate the planning process to suit the requirements of the PFI / Planning lifecycle and this application is no more that an artifice to achieve this.
The application purports to represent 3 access points to the proposed development site whereas, in actuality, the sole point of access is via a single junction – namely that of Balfour Avenue onto Westfield Road. We would contest that to narrow the application scope and ignore access onto the major road does not fulfil the councils own statement of intent made in a letter to residents dated 29/4/09 of determining “the most realistic and deliverable points of access”.
The application fails to justify how proposed access options can be “the most realistic and deliverable” as it includes no documentation clarifying the proposed development design and hence density. It states its purpose as being to determine access points suitable for a development of 200 homes which is in direct conflict with the density of 470 homes stated in WBCs literature. Until the scale and design of the development is accurately and definitively decided any application for access routes cannot be realistically granted as there is insufficient information available to allow for fully informed decision.
A comprehensive review of the application in conjunction with professional analysis of the Transport Statement highlights significant flaws including indisputable analytical errors and the artificial deflation of traffic density by the use of out of date data. The planning officers report defers the issues raised by our review to consideration under future planning applications however, we would expect any publicly funded body to be legally bound to show a duty of care in the construction of its planning applications and would hope that the useful expedient of pushing problems forward to another application would not be permitted as a method of ignoring errors within this one.
In conclusion it is inappropriate and in our belief fundamentally wrong to propose an access application separate from the full application for the site, as without the details for the proposed development of the site it is impossible to properly debate the appropriateness of any proposed access. We would therefore request the committee to reject the application with the further recommendation that any application for access to the development site be made only as part of a full planning application which should cover all aspects of the proposed development, be made in full consultation with WCRA and utilise a mutually acceptable Transport Consultant.

Announcement – Bidders Presentation #2 at Moorcroft

the WCRA Editor — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:47:31 +0000

According to the WBC Priority Homes web-site:

The Bidders will be displaying their revised proposals for the Priority Homes Project at a Public Workshop on Saturday 19th September 2009 between 11am and 4pm at Moorcroft Centre for the Community.

WBC – Next Planning Committee Meeting

the WCRA Editor — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:39:34 +0000

One of our members has spoken to Katie Dunk as to when the committee might be meeting, re: the Access Application.

Katie said that it will not be decided officially until 5 days before,but “unofficially” it’s likely to be 07th July.

The next planning committee after this is in September.

WCRA Objection letter – Access Application No 1

the WCRA Editor — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:53:43 +0000

Attached is the current draft of the WCRA response letter to the Planning Application for access.

The letter itself is quite short and summarises a common view of the points of concern but the detail is actually listed in the Appendix of the document.

Heres how I suggest you use it:

In your letter, reference the WCRA letter if you agree with the points we raise, i.e. say something like “I would also request that you take into account the official letter of response from WCRA” ;
Feel free to review the appendix – picking out those points which support you personal letters of objection;
Feel free to add the appendix to your letter;
Remember to copy your letter of objection to your local councillor;
Remember to copy your letter of objection to WCRA;
Remember to submit your letter by tomorrow;
Its helpful if you compose your own letter personalising it to your own situation;
If you dont have time to review the WCRA letter in detail – remember its still worth sending a letter to Woking Borough Council, simply stating your opinion and personal viewpoint.

The WCRA letter is attached here: WCRA Objection Letter v3