News From Millmead – Latest Council Round-up

Published on: 24 Jan, 2018
Updated on: 24 Jan, 2018

Changes to parking in Guildford

A new parking plan, considered by the council’s Executive on Tuesday, January 23, make changes, including introducing new safety controls, free parking for four hours at some of the parks and open spaces, but with a a 10p increase in a number of short stay car parks in the town centre – from £1.20 to £1.30 an hour.

Guildford Borough Council’s deputy leader and lead councillor for infrastructure and governance, Matt Furniss, in an overview, said: “We encourage a ‘drive to, not through’ principle. We are also encouraging access to Guildford’s centre in more sustainable ways and our long-stay car parks slightly further away from the town centre and park and ride car parks help reduce congestion.

“We’re constantly looking at ways to improve parking and safety. Our parking business plan shows that shoppers parking in the central car parks are staying for longer, with a 5% increase between 2015-16 and 2016-17.

“Our new parking business plan contains recommendations and proposals for improved parking management in the borough, this includes tackling issues in specific locations, such as around our parks, providing tailored solutions.”

The recommendations include: to tackle the problem of vehicles left for long periods of time in the car parks blocking access for others. Clubs and societies will be issued with passes. The parks include Sutherland Memorial Park, Stoke Park and Chantry Wood.

Improvements to parking including a new right turn out of Millbrook car park. Work is due to begin shortly.

To encourage people, particularly workers, to use the long-stay car parks or park and ride.

The council says that the 10p increase in a number of short stay car parks in the town centre will bring them in to line with the charges for the rest of the central public car parks in Guildford.

Another recent development is a new parking app that the council helped develop.

The councils says that the app is “designed to make finding a parking space faster, easier and more efficient. It helps reduce congestion caused by cars unable to find space. You can enter your destination and the app calculates the best route, predicts where parking space will be available, time of arrival, and shows the best route by car and on foot. You can choose information for a range of parking options including park and ride, the closest parking spaces, or the cheapest”.

West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan – Consultation dates announced

A six-week consultation on the West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan 2016-2033 began on Tuesday, January 23.

It follows the council’s designation of the West Horsley Neighbourhood Area on September 8, 2014. West Horsley Parish Council has engaged with members of the local community and other stakeholders to produce the Neighbourhood Plan.

The consultation will run until March 6.

To see the neighbourhood plan, and to tell the council your views, visit the consultation website at: getinvolved.guildford.gov.uk

Paper copies of the plan are also available to view at the main reception of Guildford Borough Council’s offices at Millmead and at the libraries in both Horsley and Guildford.

A neighbourhood plan is a document containing planning policies for a single neighbourhood area. If the plan is adopted, it will become part of the Development Plan for the borough and will help decide planning applications within the West Horsley Neighbourhood Area (West Horsley ward and parish), along with the council’s existing Local Plan and other considerations.

You can also email the planning team on planningpolicy@guildford.gov.uk or call 01483 444605.

Tell the council about your community events to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War

The council is calling on community and faith groups, parish councils and local venues to share details of events planned to commemorate this event in 2018.

Two members of The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment Re-enactment Society in action at the Stoughton in the Great War event in September 2014.

High up on its list will surely be Stoughton at the end of the Great War, a free community event on the green at Cardwells Keep, Stoughton, formerly Stoughon Barracks and once the home of the local Queen’s Regiment.

Following on from the successful Stoughton at the end of the Great War event, that took place in September 2014, at which hundreds of people attended, this one will be held on Saturday, September 15. It is being organised by Cllr Pauline Searle, Local historian and writer David Rose and Sheila Willis. To stage the event it has received funding from a number of sources including the council’s Project Aspire initiative.

The deputy Leader of Guildford Borough Council, Matt Furniss, said: “We are working with local partners to plan a special commemoration event in November – more details will follow later this year.”

Details off events should be emailed to: philippa.coldham@guildford.gov.uk.

The council will update its website with event details as it receives them.