Letter: Infrastructure Decisions Give Me No Faith In Council’s Ability to Plan

Published on: 20 Jun, 2016
Updated on: 20 Jun, 2016

From Sandra Moore

In response to Mike Bruton’s letter: If You Object To The Local Plan It Is Important To Make Your Views Known.

This time the council are promising infrastructure will go hand-in-hand with development and that development will not happen without it. I would like to question the council’s record on two recent infrastructure decisions.

Firstly, there was the extremely late inclusion of slip roads onto and off the A3 at Burnt Common. To say this was an “extremely late inclusion” is an understatement. This occurred days before the full council met to approve the Reg 19 draft for consultation.

The timing of this decision does not instill any confidence in the council’s ability to plan effectively. I am not just pointing the finger at Guildford with regards the timing of this decision; everybody should know that Surrey County Council (SCC) and Highways England would need to have been involved and, once again, for a plan to rely on these three bodies working effectively together, this decision does not bode well.

Then there is the second recent bit of infrastructure approved in Send. A new primary school building in to replace the old dilapidated St Bedes.

This might all sound great to those readers who do not know about this application, but effectively the government identified the old school buildings as needing replacement and offered to fund the construction of a new one.

Now with this news you would have thought that the powers that be (SCC/ GBC/ School Governors) would be thinking about how the new school should be able to accommodate all the new children who are going to be living in the 500+ new homes that are planned for Send and Burnt Common. But there seem to be no thought given to this capacity issue whatsoever from anyone other than local residents (who’s views were ignored during the application).

The replacement school is going to be the same size as existing and, worse still, it is wedged into the corner of the site that will preclude any future expansion. Cllr Matt Furniss, lead councillor for infrastructure at GBC, seemed incredulous at the planning committee meeting that there was so much local opposition to this new school building, stating that surely it was a win/win for everybody.

What this lack of foresight, on this small scale, tells me is that there is no way the authorities are ever going to organise the railway stations, the road improvements, the schools and all other infrastructure that is going to facilitate this plan.

Responses to Letter: Infrastructure Decisions Give Me No Faith In Council’s Ability to Plan

Jules Cranwell Reply

June 20, 2016 at 7:00 pm

The council is working on the theory that the infrastructure fairy will wave a magic wand, and the roads, doctors’ sugeries, schools etc. will be built.

So you see, they really do have a grip on this, and we need not worry.
Luke Anthony Reply

June 20, 2016 at 9:15 pm

What about the council’s attempt to build a Slyfield link road?

This was a recent application and yet again everyone was up in arms.
- Jim Allen Reply
  
  June 21, 2016 at 7:12 am
  
  The link road was non essential (now just a fantasy wish in the Reg 19 Plan) in a zone 3b flood plain. Says it all really.
Bibhas Neogi Reply

June 21, 2016 at 1:15 pm

There is already an off-slip for Burnt Common but a new on-slip to the A3 from the A247 would be of great advantage. However, there is no mention of access to and off Gosden Hill development. It would overload already congested Clay Lane during peak hours if such a provision is made.

A new Interchange for Gosden Hill with taking the on-slip to join Burnt Coomon (as the off-slip would be in the way) route would be an advantage. The road is already two lanes wide.

Please see my website and the associated sketches for various suggestions for improving Guildford traffic.
Roland McKinney Reply

June 21, 2016 at 2:20 pm

If you look at Network Rail’s proposed future projects (see
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/long-term-planning-process/wessex-route-study/) you will find that the proposed new railway stations at Merrow and Park Barn rate only a mention in the section discussing consultation responses.

There is no discussion of these new stations on sections giving details of future projects or project planning – no funds for studies, nothing. And changes to Guildford’s platforms are projected to be in the budget period beginning 2025, as is the electrification of the North Downs Railway. What do you think the chances are of seeing these new stations in the time frame of the Local Plan?