Residents Appeal To Ombudsman Following Permission To Redevelop Historic House

Published on: 11 Aug, 2014
Updated on: 12 Aug, 2014

Langton Priory – permission has been given to convert it into six flats and construct six new flats within its grounds.

Neighbouring residents of an historic property in Guildford are appealing to the Local Government Ombudsman following the grant of planning permission for the redevelopment of a Victorian house and the construction of six extra flats.

Langton Priory was one of the earliest large Victorian houses to be built in the St Catherine’s area of south west Guildford soon after the railway arrived in the town. It occupies an unusual hill/island site between the Portsmouth railway line and the River Wey which can only be reached by a narrow, weight limited bridge over the railway.

The existing garden of Langton Priory on which six new flats are to be built.

Originally a family home, the property was bought by the government before or during the First World War and at one time was a prison of war for German officers. After the Second World War it was used as government offices, in the 1970s by the Department of Health and Social Security (DHSS).

Demetria O’Sullivan who lives in a neighbouring property said: “Like a number of recent planning decisions, due process does not appear to have been followed by the council in this case.

“In my view, objections from the local community were not properly considered as part of the decision making process, the delegated decision report does not make reference to consideration of loss of privacy and the council did not notify local residents of their decision when it was reached.

Th hill top site overlooks the River Wey and the new flats are likely to be visible from the river at least during the winter when trees will provide less screening.

“The council seems to have a policy of pursuing development regardless of the views of local residents. Repeated emails to local ward councillors went, at first, unanswered. It was only a chance meeting with them at a local church fête, that has allowed us to open a channel of communication with the planning department.

“It is hard to believe that this is supposed to be a conservation area; the council’s approach to development is tantamount to vandalism. We are currently in contact with the Local Government Ombudsman to explore what can be done to overturn this flawed decision.

An inscription written by a German prisoner of war at Langton Priory in 1917.

The planning application was approved by GBC’s planning department without reference to the Planning Committee because only six letters of objection were received.

On of the main concerns of the neighbours is the impact of extra traffic levels over the single carriageway bridge, especially during the construction phase when heavier builders vehicles, some carrying construction materials, will need to cross.

The narrow bridge leading to the site over which construction vehicles will need to pass.

It is understood that Network Rail have been notified of the plans and are now in discussions with the developer about access rights to the bridge and the enforcement of a weight limit. But GBC is not party to those discussions, and has said that the constraint caused by the bridge was not a criterion on which the planning decision was made.

Chris Mansfield who is acting as temporary head of planning, following Carol Humphrey’s sudden departure last month, met with Ms O’Sullivan and ward councillor Caroline Reeves (Lib Dem, Friary and St Nicolas) and undertook to respond to the objections raised. He advised that if the objectors remained dissatisfied they would be able to escalate the matter to GBC’s managing director Sue Sturgeon in addition to the ombudsman.