Letter: Our Rural Character Is Disappearing

Published on: 17 Nov, 2017
Updated on: 17 Nov, 2017

From Elaine Boyes

In response to:Grade II* Listing for Ash Manor House May Scupper Development Proposals

Ash Green is a lovely, rural community. However, the Local Plan has split the village into two and proposed development on all of the remaining green space including a Victorian orchard with rare species of apple and pear trees and Ash Manor, a beautiful area of history and wildlife.

These areas must be protected. Once they are built on it will be destroyed and lost forever. Our rural character and the countryside are rapidly disappearing. Please can the powers that be at least preserve some of it. What about using all the brownfield sites there are and derelict buildings?

Completely surrounding a historic farmstead and building on its associated fields is not “in sympathy with its existing environment”. I also disagree with the term “affordable housing”. New builds in nearby Tongham of 2-3 bedrooms are up for approx £500,000. How can young families or key workers afford that?

Responses to Letter: Our Rural Character Is Disappearing

Jules Cranwell Reply

November 17, 2017 at 9:44 pm

I suggest Elaine Boyes discusses the issue with her ward councillors who seem determined to concrete over much of the green belt and AONB throughout the borough.

Given Cllr Spooner is one of them, and the lead councillor for planning and the Local Plan, I suggest she starts there.
Mike Nicholson Reply

November 18, 2017 at 5:18 pm

Tragic. But the whole of Surrey is on its way to being concreted over.
Christopher Fairs Reply

November 27, 2017 at 10:43 pm

If the orchard is very old or contains rare varieties, I suggest applying for a Tree Protection Order (TPO) and contacting organisations such as The People’s Trust for Endangered Species for advice on this development.