Plans for Church Street Effingham Revealed

Published on: 2 Nov, 2018
Updated on: 4 Nov, 2018

Church Street field, surrounded by trees in the centre of the photograph, is up for development. Lower Road runs top to bottom with Church Street left to right.

By Chris Dick

Plans for a controversial housing development in Effingham were revealed to residents on Tuesday, October 30, at the Effingham Parish Council (EPC) meeting.

The packed meeting, in a cramped part of the King George V village hall, lasted two hours, 40 minutes The first half-hour was a question-and-answer session between the developer, Millgate Homes, and the 30-plus residents.

EPC Meeting Tuesday October 30

The planning application for 23 homes on the former St Lawrence School playing field in Church Street, in the centre of the village conservation area, has provoked much debate.

Representatives from Millgate Homes, led by Paul Dickinson, presented their plans then answered questions. Most of those related to the apparent lack of regard by Millgate Homes for the Effingham Neighbourhood Plan policies.

After the representatives left, Effingham Residents Association (EFFRA) and EPC agreed that the plans constituted an overdevelopment of the site and the design did not enhance the conservation area. The number of proposed dwellings exceeded the “up to nine” specified in the Neighbourhood Plan. Representatives of St Lawrence Church were concerned about the proximity to the burial grounds and the plan’s overbearing impact on the setting of the church.

Vivien White, a noted historian and chairman of EFFRA, believed the Millgate plans did not take sufficient account of the effect on the setting of the historic listed buildings around the proposed site. She told the Guildford Dragon: “EFFRA has always been opposed to the number of houses they are proposing on the site.

“We believe the development will adversely affect the setting of listed assets close by and the conservation area because of its density and its height above the historic village.

“The setting of The Lodge will be particularly badly damaged because the grand entrance was built to overlook this field which used to be part of its estate. It is clear from [Millgate’s] Heritage Statement that they know this is a problem.

“The Statement does not mention the importance of the field to the setting of The Lodge, although their Figure 27 on page 15 shows this clearly, and instead says it is insular and buffered within its own substantial grounds with substantial vegetation to the south, east and south-east.

“Unfortunately, the field is to the west where the houses will be in view of the entrance, with some barely 30 metres away. The Statement also mentions that The Lodge is in a private road and talks about its insularity. But as their heritage expert will know that a heritage asset in private hands and unable to be visited at present by the public is irrelevant to the need to protect its setting. This is well-established in planning law.”

Ms White added: “The proposed development actually appears to have less green space than the nursing home proposal that was turned down at appeal.”

Mike Denness, on behalf of Millgate, said: “The site is now allocated within the neighbourhood plan for residential development and we’ve been encouraged by the responses we have received from residents and stakeholders.

“We have listened carefully over many months and would like to thank members of the community who have taken the time to give us their valuable feedback on the proposals. Many of the details of the submitted scheme have been shaped by the comments and we look forward to continuing this dialogue through the planning process.”

Sketch plan to scale of proposed 23 new homes in Church Street field off Lower Road and Church Street.

Comments, for or against, should provide reference 18/P/01924 along with your name and address. Make comments via the GBC website and links or email: planningenquiries@guildford.gov.uk and either comment in the email or attach a letter or by post to: Guildford Borough Council, Planning Enquiries, Millmead House, Millmead, Guildford, Surrey GU2 4BB. Deadline for comments to GBC is Friday, November 9.