Dear Neighbour

As it happens, no sooner had Redrow told the Council that it will try to influence the Local Plan Review rather than submit a planning application for Kempton Park, than the initial stage of that part of the Local Plan Review which Redrow wants to influence was sent out for consultation.

You may remember the SHMA – the Strategic Housing Market Assessment – that proposed that between 543 and 725 new dwellings need to be built in Spelthorne every year for the next twenty years. That’s between 11 000 and 14 500 new dwellings in a Borough which currently has 40 000 households.

Now we have the SLAA – the Strategic Land Availability Assessment – which will decide where those thousands and thousands of new dwellings will be built. The Council has just sent out for consultation the methodology it proposes to use for this Assessment. Click here to see the draft consultation paper.

We are in the process of looking at this draft methodology, but one thing caught our eye on an initial reading. Paragraph 19 and following paragraphs set out how a “Development Market Panel” will decide on issues of the Assessment’s methodology and the status of individual sites. Members of the Panel are proposed to include:

“… (developers; those with land interests; land promoters; local property agents, registered providers) each representing a different company/business/interest group. The panel will also consist of representatives who have the knowledge/experience to comment on the draft methodology/sites that are proposed for economic development in terms of their viability.”

Communities? Not mentioned.

So, it looks as if the vested interests will be sitting in judgement on their own claims for development  status .

The consultation closes on 15 October, so do get your comments in by then. Replies to planning.policy@spelthorne.gov.uk  .

Kind regards
Keep Kempton Green

Dear Neighbour

The Green Belt should be open (meaning free of residential development) and permanent. That’s what the Council told us at the 3 February meeting about Kempton Park.

Here’s what Redrow have to say about it:

“Work to evaluate the site remains ongoing alongside a study into highway improvements at Sunbury Cross and the provision of further community facilities and infrastructure … It is intended that this work will feed into the Council’s review of the Local Plan, which will need to consider how identified housing needs in the Borough can be met.”

i.e. they want to have Kempton Park’s Green Belt status removed. They will be hoping to do this through the Review of our Local Plan, rather than trying to do it under the existing Local Plan by submitting a Planning Application. Easier for them, as their efforts will be more hidden from the public eye.

By the way, we already know what “highway improvements at Sunbury Cross” means. Not so much “improvements” as an attempt to expand the capacity of Sunbury Cross to cater for the increase in traffic generated by the new suburb which Redrow and The Jockey Club are intent on building.

And not just at Sunbury Cross: there has been study after study by The Jockey Club’s traffic consultants into the already existing bottlenecks at the Hampton Triangle, and even as far afield as Hampton Court Bridge. (see https://keepkemptongreen.com/2014/03/21/keep-kempton-green-10/ for details of one of them.)

 

Here’s a couple of recent cuttings from the local press:

Richmond and Twickenham Times 11 Sep 2015

Surrey Advertiser 11 Sep 2015

 

Kind regards
Keep Kempton Green

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KKG – Document 104

Dear Neighbour

As we warned, one of The Jockey Club’s options regarding its plans for Kempton Park was to wait until Spelthorne’s Local Plan had been changed in their favour, rather than submit a planning application under the current Local Plan. We know that was one of their options because they told us so – in terms – in a meeting we had with them two years ago.

This is why KKG has been expending so much effort regarding the current Review of our Local Plan.

The Jockey Club also told us, the last time we spoke to them, that they would be deciding on how to proceed in September this year.

So here we have it, below and attached:

From: Brooks John
Sent: 03 September 2015 18:37
To:
Cc: Tambini, Roberto; Collier Terry; O’Neil, Lee; Dawn Morrison
Subject: Redrow Homes

Dear
 
I am writing to let you know that Redrow Homes have advised us they will be issuing a press release early next week to say they have an agreement with the Jockey Club to bring forward proposals for housing development at Kempton Park.   They will at the same time email all Borough Councillors.
 
We understand they will seek to promote the site for housing through the Council’s review of its Local Plan and not through a planning application at this stage. They are well aware of this Council’s strong stance in protecting its Green Belt.
 
We also understand they are looking at setting up a dedicated web page to provide a public explanation of their intentions and notifying local groups.
 
At this stage Roberto and I wanted to give you the earliest notice of what we understand to be Redrow’s intentions.
 
I will be able to give further advice, as required, when we see what they actually say but if you have any queries in the meanwhile let me know.
 
Regards

John Brooks  BSc DipTP DMS MRTPI MCMI
Head of Planning and Housing Strategy

Kind regards
Keep Kempton Green

 

 

 

Dear Neighbour

Fairview Homes, the developers hoping to build on the old Page Aerospace site at the junction of Forge Lane and Anvil Road, just off Green Street, will be holding a public exhibition on the premises on Tuesday 22 September, from midday to 8:00 pm.

They have already been going door-to-door, canvassing opinion amongst the immediate neighbours. The site is similar in many ways to the old Police College at the bottom of Green Street, now developed. Both are brownfield, and they are almost exactly the same size. So we have a very useful template against which to judge Fairview’s proposals, in terms of housing density, on-site parking provision, and a more general relationship with existing houses in the area.

Kind regards
Keep Kempton Green