200 March on Millmead to Protest About Threat to the Green Belt

Published on: 29 Nov, 2013
Updated on: 11 Oct, 2015

Marchers chanting outside Guidford Borough Council offices at Millmead this afternoon.

Marchers chanting outside Guildford Borough Council offices at Millmead this afternoon. The leading march organiser, Jules Cranwell, can be seen with the microphone in the centre.

Around 200 protesters took part in the March on Millmead this afternoon (November 29) in support of campaigns against any proposals to build on the green belt in Guildford borough.

They were met at the council offices by two senior council officers Sue Sturgeon, managing director at Guildford Borough Council (GBC) and John Armstrong, democratic services manager, who told them no councillors were available to talk to them.

The officers took receipt of the letters and petitions presented, assuring the protesters that they would be properly considered alongside the others they had received during the consultation.

John Armstrong, head of democratic services and Sue Sturgeon, managing director at GBC, accept petitions and letters presented by the protesters.

John Armstrong, democratic services manager and Sue Sturgeon, managing director at GBC, accept petitions and letters presented by the protesters.

The marchers had gathered at Guildford railway station before marching in a column to Millmead via the Farnham Road car park. En route and at the council offices there were chants of “Mansbridge Out!, Juneja Out!”* and “What do we want? Green Belt! When do we want it? For ever!”

The three Conservative borough councillors for Horsley, Jenny Powell, Andrew French and Jenny Wicks were the subject of other chants.

County County Bill Barker (Con, Horsleys) was the only councillor marching to protest.

County councillor Bill Barker (Con, Horsleys) was the only councillor marching to protest.

Among the marchers was one solitary councillor, county councillor Bill Barker (Con, Horsleys). He also addressed the crowd briefly saying there would be further protests at later stages and villagers would bring tractors and horses that would bring Guildford to a halt. One marcher responded: “Your job is safe Bill!”

After approximately 30 minutes when it became clear that no councillor was likely to appear the crowd started to leave, some returning to the railway station and about 30 marching to the top of Guildford High Street where they were addressed briefly by march organiser Jules Cranwell form Horsley from the steps of Holy Trinity Church.

* Cllr Stephen Mansbridge (Con South Ash & Tongham) is the council leader at GBC and Cllr Monika Juneja (Con, Burpham) the lead councillor for planning.

Responses to 200 March on Millmead to Protest About Threat to the Green Belt

Helen Jefferies Reply

November 29, 2013 at 5:12 pm

So how can our councillors claim to be listening if they can’t be bothered to take the opportunity to engage with their electorate. Roll on the election. Plenty of time to prepare.
Martina Watson Reply

November 29, 2013 at 6:15 pm

It was good to see the large turnout. We had feared fewer people would join, due to the fact that no, or hardly any, parish councils had seen fit to inform their residents of the proposed danger involving a) the removal of their village from the green belt and b) the plans for large housing developments, which would be devastating for all the villages concerned.

I heard many bitter comments during the march on the disappointing replies that most councillors had sent to them after residents sent in their comments and objections about the green belt erosion and housing developments.

In fact, my husband and I had received very similar comments from councillors Wicks, Powell and French that showed just how little they cared about our concerns. They seem to think that just because there is demand for housing in our county it must be met. Following that reasoning, they won’t rest until there is hardly any green belt left.

If they don’t want to consider brownfield sites, of which there are many that could be used to build homes, then the only conclusion to draw is that there is no more room in our county. It’s full!

Councillors need to stand up to government. But it very much seems that the councils are afraid of government retaliating if they don’t fulfil their housing quotas. So councillors “forget” that they are supposed to represent us, the residents; not side with the government.

And government needs to incentivise more businesses to move up to the North. People move where the jobs are and the north has plenty to offer, including lots of space to build homes. Trying to squeeze ever more people into this county and reducing our green spaces is not the solution.
Frank Phillipson. Reply

November 30, 2013 at 3:18 am

Where do they get some of the current job titles from?
“Head of Democratic Services”!!!
Sean Jenkinson Reply

November 30, 2013 at 7:51 am

Maybe it’s time the government realised as a country we can no longer keep taking people in from other country’s at the rate we are now, we are running out of homes so we need to build on green belt, soon we will need to build more schools so where do we build them?

We really need to address the underlying problem which is there are just too many people in this country and not enough resources or land.
If we start building on green belt when will it stop? When we no longer have land to farm so can no longer feed ourselves.
Ramsey Nagaty Reply

November 30, 2013 at 1:39 pm

Whilst we were marching the university were launching their further proposals for an even greater area to be developed than the H1 and H2 shown on the consultation documents, stretching to Flexford. No doubt to pressure the GBC to accept at least H1 and H2.

Either would appear to include building on AONB [Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty] and roads cutting through additional areas of AONB, AGLV [Area of Great Landscape Value] and green belt.
Georgina Cranwell Reply

December 1, 2013 at 2:03 am

Almost sixteen years ago I left England to live in America, and one of my greatest pleasures when returning home to visit England, is taking photographs and soaking up incredible views of the beautiful English countryside that has somehow managed to survive the never-ending urban sprawl.

Please don’t destroy these green belt areas that are literally precious jewels nestled away in the quaint old English countryside. After all, it’s what makes England unique. Appreciate not only this land that is loaned to you, but also listen to the local people who speak with passion and vision and are trying to preserve the land for future generations.

Remember, once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.
Jim Allen Reply

December 2, 2013 at 1:08 pm

The devils in the detail. A flawed green belt assessment and a missing SHMAA document… If only the job had been done properly.
Susan Parker Reply

December 2, 2013 at 5:18 pm

On Friday I went on a march in Guildford. For most of the marchers (including me), it was the first march we had ever been on. Estimates of the number there varied, but some press commentators thought there were more than 500 people. Anyway, it was a large gathering.

We were marching because we care about the green belt. Not just in my back yard, or even mine and yours too, but the green belt in Surrey. It is under attack, by the consultation document and by government policy. This is the Metropolitan green belt, set up for ever, for everyone.

The key purposes of the green belt, as a matter of law, are to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built up areas, to prevent neighbouring towns from merging into one another, to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment, to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and to assist in urban regeneration by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land. (National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 80, quoting previous law).

I’m not sure that the comments made in response to the march actually show that the strength of public feeling about this has yet been taken on board… The full comment has been published as a letter Why I Marched on Friday and What The Council Should Do Now. Please click here to view.

Susan Parker is a chairman of a residents’ association near Shere, and part of the Save Shere, Gomshall and Abinger campaign.
Stuart Barnes Reply

December 6, 2013 at 10:46 am

Regrettably I was away on the day of the march otherwise I would have taken part. Unfortunately it seems that the only way to stop the destruction of what is left of our beautiful countryside is to stop uncontrolled immigration and that can only happen after we get out of the hated EU.

However, the main reason for my comments are to ask people if they will join in objecting to the proposed plans to build on the site of Langton Priory. The Priory is an historic building in a magnificent and very prominent and easily visible site by the river and the proposals are quite out of keeping within a conservation area. The planning application reference number is: 13/P/01987. Please object.

I think we all need to try to retain as much as possible of our history and heritage.