What is Cranleigh Civic Society?
Have you ever wondered – is there a group of people passionate about their home village, not political, able to get attention from the councils, MPs and infrastructure providers? People willing to find out facts and figures and challenge? People who really want to preserve nature and habitats, and see housing and businesses in the best places only?
There is! They are called Civic Societies and they flourish across England. Cranleigh Civic Society was started in 2014, by a group of people who originally signed up to help develop Cranleigh’s Neighbourhood Plan (NP). It became apparent that the NP could not stop or substantially reduce around 1800 dwellings being built in and around Cranleigh. Research suggested Civic Societies could help and influence the authorities in planning matters. Cranleigh Civic Society was formed, a web site with links to Facebook and Twitter created, memberships invited and meetings held. Sadly the society only managed to inform public and councillors and delay planning permission being granted many times. This is because the Governments truly believe Britain must build to thrive, and local opinions must be over-ridden at Judicial Reviews (JR). A judicial review comes about after planning application is turned down, and the developer appeals. The process costs our planning authority – Waverley BC – huge amounts of the community’s money to fight, bearing the costs if it loses.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out the Government’s economic, environmental and social planning policies for England. The policies set out in this framework apply to the preparation of local and neighbourhood plans and to decisions on planning applications. The NPPF covers a wide range of topics including: housing, business, economic development, transport and the natural environment. To read the latest version click here
The Government is changing the NPPF to make it more streamlined and quicker for everyone. To read the consultation of December 2022 please click here and respond if you can.
Who we are – Cranleigh Society –
click to read 2022 7th Dec AGM Minutes v2
We are Trevor & Sue, Diane, Lorraine and James, Bob & Coral, Howard, Chris, Joanna. We are all retired from various professions and most have lived in Cranleigh for decades. We all have other hobbies and interests such as volunteering, golf, badminton, u3a groups, pantomimes, walking, ecology, and visiting Cranleigh Arts Centre events. We meet in the Three Horseshoes pub in Cranleigh on the fourth Wednesday in each month and welcome new people along to chat, and maybe join in. We charge a small membership fee just to pay for the insurances and website. We have a few hundred subscribers and around 150 members.
Who is it for?
Anyone of any age is extremely welcome to subscribe, become a member, and join the team of workers! Please email membership@cranleighsociety.org
What we do
Since it started the main work of the group is looking into planning applications and how they will affect Cranleigh. We have learned about planning application laws and processes and put in our opinions both as individuals and sometimes as a group. We are passionate about conserving what is great about the environment we live in, both natural and built.
Sometimes we are so vexed about a topic that we ask for a meeting to get answers and raise concerns, with whichever authority is involved, such as Parish, Borough or County Council or Thames Water or the Environment Agency.
We share the facts and figures on this website as best we can.
A little history
The London Society was established in 1907
The London Society is a British membership organisation established to encourage public interest and participation in urban planning and transport matters in London as well as to study and celebrate the capital’s unique history and character. It is among the oldest civic societies in the United Kingdom.
York Civic Trust founded at the Mansion House in 1946
by four men — John Bowes Morrell, Oliver Sheldon, Eric Milner-White and Noel Terry — who saw the potential dangers that could beset an historic city immediately after the war, when there was a prevailing ‘spirit of renewal’. These founder members had experience in various fields including the Church and commerce, but above all they had a passion for York. They intended that the Trust should have a wider remit than preservation alone, and hoped it would assist in schemes to improve the amenities in the city. From that time onwards, we have sought to “Promote Heritage — Shape Tomorrow”. The post war period was a time when serious planning about the city’s future was underway, as you can see from this article ‘A Plan for the City of York (1948)’. A fundamental aim of the Trust was to work with the City Council to help and offer ideas and assistance.
The Civic Trust was founded in 1957
by Duncan Sandys, a British politician, and the former son-in-law of Sir Winston Churchill. It campaigned to make better places for people to live. It ran until 2009 before going into administration due to a shortage of funding.
Civic Trust Programmes:
The Civic Trust’s programmes were passed onto various other organisations, and the main ones can be seen in the list below:
Civic Trust Awards was founded in 1959 and is still going strong today. It’s one of the oldest built environment award schemes in Europe.
Heritage Open Days is coordinated nationally by the The National Trust.
Civic Voice is a national charity that has taken over the cause for the civic movement of England. It aims to make places more attractive, enjoyable, distinctive, and promotes civic pride. It is the umbrella organisation for hundreds of Civic Societies and other member organisations.
Community Spaces is now managed by Groundwork UK.
The Green Flag Award scheme is still owned by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, but is now managed by Keep Britain Tidy.
BizFizz is now owned and managed by the New Economics Foundation.
The Purple Flag Award is now owned and managed by the Association of Town Centre Managers.
I feel I should make it known that one of our neighbors has been approached by developers to sell to make access into the field behind. Just to explain, we live in Seltops Close. I believe an attempt to get into the field to build has been made before. I understand that similar approaches have been made to residents in Cranleigh Mead, and Newpark Road and also planning to come in via Wanborough road.
They talk of 300 to 400 houses. From our point of view, it is not desirable, not so much building but the increase in traffic in the area
and the change from a Close or Cul de Sac to a thoroughfare. It is not what we came here for. Have others got any comments? The Parish Council know nothing about it yet it seems?
We live in Seltops Close. Unfortunately, one of our neighbours has been approached by developers, intending to buy to gain access to the field behind. This ground runs right down to Horsham Road taking in Park Farm. Mention was made of 300 to 400 houses. Now, whilst we are not keen on more houses (drainage is one problem) we are very concerned about the amount of traffic which will be generated in the area. We came here to live in a quiet cul de sac and if they build it will become a thoroughfare. Cranleigh Parish Council has no knowledge of this yet.