2023 Aug Knowle lane appeal Renotification_4705833
The planning application was rejected and the document in this post explains the planning officers’ work.
You can write to Waverley explaining what you think. Appeals cost us the tax payers a huge amount of money. Like Amletts Lane this application may well win on appeal because the Government favours building more homes. Waverley does not have a Water Neutrality policy in place which requires developers to design in returning as much water to the system as it removes for new houses to use.
Here is an example of the reasons people think the land should be maintained as natural as possible.
We respect the issues around people who own farm land but it is so sad that all these fields,
trees and hedgerows are being taken away. It is not good for anyone or wildlife. As a
community we must find a way to live in harmony with nature. New housing over the past
20 years has steadfastly failed to provide green energy, or for wildlife now. Planting trees to
replace those lost does not count. Loss of nature and habitats is causing problems for all.
The access road would be onto Knowle lane at a narrow corner. To create a safe road for
hundreds more people to live along the road needs to be made safe all along it. People do try
to walk and cycle along it and it is very difficult, narrow, dark, twisty, potholed. The high
banks make seeing impossible yet people drive fast towards Cranleigh. The ‘splay’ drawing is
inaccurate – not fit for purpose.
In addition, whilst the way onto Cranleigh High Street remains the same please no more cars!
Cars and delivery lorries park on our narrow High Street and on Knowle Lane, both legally and
illegally, causing traffic jams for various lengths of time from a few minutes to 20 – not long enough for
SCC to worry but upsetting for commuters and school drop offs.
Cranleigh has an advantage over Waverley’s other ‘towns’ – it has one attractive Village High
Street and we are hoping that will recover soon and be improved. The High Street businesses
have suffered disruption due to new services coming plus burst pipes problems for years.
We have yet to have the infrastructure up graded – Thames Water’s scheme for new water
supplies – won’t be ready until at least 2025 for example – massive disruption. Thames Water
also has a responsibility to remove waste including during storms and they do not have the
money or power to fix this any time soon. There are combined sewage outflows monitors but not at the points where sewage is discharged! Our tiny waterways are a very important part of the larger network of vital rivers and they are not healthy.
The planning application shows housing surrounding current dwellings and concreting over a
hill which currently acts as a sponge for heavy rains. The dwellings will overlook, cause
shading, and noise.
Whilst we love meeting new people and enjoy seeing children growing
up in Cranleigh, please honour the ‘no more dwellings along Knowle Lane’ comment made by the Inspector at
the Berkeley homes appeal.
As commented on previous occasions Cranleigh has been completely overdeveloped over the last few years. When I moved here 10 years ago it was a nice village and we are now surrounded by new developments to the detriment of the beautiful countryside around us. We do not have the infrastructure for more development and traffic, schools, doctors, etc etc will all suffer. Please do not allow this to happen
I totally agree with all the points the above article written from Cranleigh Society makes. It would be a great shame if this development were to go ahead.
A terrible Application in all ways, Outside the Settlement Boundary on a narrow winding road with limited visibility and unsuitable for Pedestrians (due to lack of Pavements) or cyclists. Even the Inspector thought that there was now ENOUGH development on Knowle Lane.
It is too close to Grade II Listed Properties and will ruin what is considered Good Arable land. With little being offered to protect the existing Wildlife and fauna in the area.
This indiscriminate concreting over the Countryside has to stop. Cranleigh has already seen far too much development and the Infrastructure is not in place – nor is it going to be any time soon. Michael Gove quite clearly says this sort of Development will Stop – Let us hold Him to Account and Mr Hunt!
Sue Kariuki on 26.08.23
Site totally unsuitable. Knowle Lane already has for too much traffic exiting on to Cranleigh High Street. It is a narrow, winding, pot-holed lane. When Berkeley Homes appeal took place the inspector commented “No more dewllings along Knowle Lane please”. The site itself onto Knowle Lane is also totally unsuitable, onto a dangerous corner with very poor visibility.
General comments: The water suplly to Cranleigh is under severe pressure with many failures recently. Road infrastructure in an out of Cranleigh is hopelessly inadequate. The whole tone of building in Cranleigh in the last decade has been utterly inappropriate. Too many expensive houses being built which are out of the reach of young families and young people brought up in Canleigh being priced out of the market. In the 1960’s when major building developments were completed, at least there was a variety of housing – Park Mead (affordable), Hitherwood (top of the range) and Summerlands (in between). Of course, it was in the 1960’s when the railway was closed – a prime example of lack of co-ordinated planning and common sense.