Letter: What Is Going On At St Catherine’s Hill?

Published on: 22 May, 2020
Updated on: 24 Oct, 2020

Netting deployed on St Catherine’s Hill for protection of reseeded slopes.

From Phillip Griffith

I snapped this photo, showing the work being done on St Catherine’s Hill last week. Should we be worried about the environmental damage to the hill?

In the photograph, the works extend to the public side of the railway fence, now removed.

It’ll be years before the hill returns to how it was, if ever. Is it known what they are doing, or what was agreed? Clearly, they’re covering the sand on the rail side to stop slides, but this seems drastic. The draped material looks like Astroturf and can be seen for miles.

I realise this part of the railway is an important part of the national infrastructure, but equally the local environment must be protected.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: “The cutting is being protected by netting to protect the area and allow the grass to regrow.

“We have worked with Guildford Borough Council to agree the correct grass seed mix, as well as discussing the general restoration of the area. The area will be reseeded, and the netting will eventually be removed.”

See further stories on the railway work at St Catherine’s Hill here.