Letter: Environmental Damage at Junction 10 Should Be Compensated As First Agreed

Published on: 20 Aug, 2022
Updated on: 20 Aug, 2022

The Private Eye article referred to published July 29.

From: Peta Malthouse

In response to: National Highways Announce A3 Closure as Part of M25 Wisley Junction 10 Upgrade

Has anyone picked up that there was a report in Private Eye about this? Apparently, the proposed purchase of alternative land at Junction 10 has been all but dropped.

Following consultation, Highways England agreed to purchase 40 hectares (acres) in order to allow the rare wildlife on the Thames Basin Heath and Ockham Common to be assisted to migrate.

Surrey Wildlife Trust gave reluctant approval to this. One assumes the improvements will also help to facilitate the additional development of Wisley Airfield.

After years of consultation, the proposal was sent to SoS Grant Shapps. He approved the road works, to start in September but not the purchase of the 40 hectares. So much for consultation.

I was a consultee on this project and responded to the Local Plan proposals for Normandy Parish Council (I am also a member of the RHS and CPRE).

I have written to my MP Jonathan Lord asking him to explain to him how important it is to replace the land which will be stolen from the SNCI [Site of Nature Conservation Interest] and TBH [Thames Basin Heaths] designated areas and to ask him to reconsider his position. I believe Mr Lord is looking into it.

The RHS [Royal Horticultural Society] and CPRE [The Countryside Charity] will be shocked by the decision.

The people of Guildford are getting very hot under the collar. I have suggested they write to their MP Angela Richardson as most of them actually vote Tory!

Editor’s response: This news was actually broken on June 27 in The Guildford Dragon NEWS (Project Team ‘Disappointed’ With SoS Decision To Slash M25 J10 Environmental Mitigation) and subsequently by reader Chris Campbell, Member of the Surrey Amphibian and Reptile Group in his letter: Grant Shapps Has Driven a Coach and Horses Through the M25 Junction 10 Environment.

We asked National Highways to respond but nothing was received.

Responses to Letter: Environmental Damage at Junction 10 Should Be Compensated As First Agreed

Andrew Calladine Reply

August 24, 2022 at 2:07 pm

Yes, I saw that in Private Eye as well, disgraceful that this has been not highlighted in the hope that people won’t notice it.
Chris Campbell Reply

September 4, 2022 at 11:00 am

Glad to see that Peta Malthouse has been as outraged as me and taken this to Private Eye and to her MP. I do hope she lets me know what of any response she gets.

In my letter to The Dragon (Grant Shapps Has Driven a Coach and Horses Through the M25 Junction 10 Environment) I asked: “How can it be that the National Highways (NH) website still shows the original 40 hectares of “Replacement Land” recommended by NH and other parties being provided?

Is this not misrepresentation of the highest order? It certainly looks like either blatant greenwashing or incompetence to give incorrect information to the public NH serves.

My letter shows a screenshot taken on June 29, the National Highways M25 J10 website still saying 40 hectares of replacement land some time after the Development Consent Order.