News
View our Hinchley Wood Residents Association
Newsletters
here.
30th November 2023
COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS
Our pre-Christmas event in the Memorial Gardens was a great success and greatly enjoyed by young and old. Thank you to everyone who made it possible.
View the video on our YouTube channel:
12th November 2023
Remembrance Day
Despite the inclement weather, there was a very good turnout for the annual remembrance service in the Memorial Gardens. Picture courtesy of Derek Beaney.
21st August 2023
Surrey County Council boundaries review
The Local Government Boundary Commission are consulting on changes to electoral divisions for Surrey County Council, to take effect in 2025. Hinchley Wood is currently grouped with Claygate and Oxshott in a division represented by Mark Sugden (Conservative). Under the Commission’s proposals, we would be grouped with Long Ditton in a new Long Ditton and Hinchley Wood division. There would also be significant changes to divisions in surrounding areas. The proposals are open to consultation until 16th October. To view a map of the changes and/or submit comments, please visit
https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/surrey
Update 11th October 2023:
Read the HWRA response to the consultation
here
30th June 2023
Aldi supermarket planning application
As reported in previously Aldi supermarkets are seeking to redevelop the former Guy Salmon car dealership site on Portsmouth Road as a new retail unit for their
business (see elmbridge.gov.uk/planning/,application number 2021/3857).
Aldi have appealed against Elmbridge Council’s refusal of planning permission, and a public inquiry has been scheduled to take place from 20th to 23rd June
and 4th to 7th July at the Civic Centre in Esher. Concerned Thames Ditton residents are raising funds for legal representation at the inquiry and other
costs.
Please visit the
Thames Ditton and Weston Green website
for more information.
Update 15th August 2023:
Following a long and detailed Appeal Inquiry, the Planning Inspectorate have announced their Inspector's decision. This was to
DISMISS
the Appeal and uphold the Council’s decision to refuse permission. The Inspector agreed with two of the reasons for refusal, namely the effect on the Conservation Area and the setting of the Grade ll listed Angel pub and the adverse impact on two houses in Westville Road at the rear of the site.
25th June 2023
Secret Gardens of Hinchley Wood
Glorious sunshine greeted our very first Secret Gardens event in aid of the
Children's Trust
charity. Our 'Magnificent Seven' gardeners (pictured) put on a wonderful display in their varied gardens, much to the delight of the many people who attended the event, and £1003 was raised for the Children's Trust. We thank everyone who was involved and look forward to this becoming an annual event.
More pictures can be seen
here
.
5th May 2023
Elmbridge Borough Council election result
Janet Turner has been re-elected as one of our Residents councillors, as follows:
Hinchley Wood and Weston Green - results
|
Election Candidate
|
Party
|
Votes
|
%
|
Outcome
|
TURNER Janet Rita
|
Hinchley Wood Residents' Association
|
1603
|
61.9%
|
Elected
|
AMBEKAR Liz
|
Liberal Democrats
|
518
|
20.0%
|
Not elected
|
KIM Caroline Ewha
|
The Conservative Party Candidate
|
384
|
14.8%
|
Not elected
|
HEADLAND Rachelle Claire
|
Labour Party
|
84
|
3.2%
|
Not elected
|
Voting Summary
|
Details
|
Number
|
Seats
|
1
|
Total votes
|
2589
|
Electorate
|
6433
|
|
|
We thank residents for their continued support for Residents Association candidates in the elections to Elmbridge Borough Council.
24th April 2023
Village Green public inquiry and gratitude event
The public inquiry into the application for Village Green status for Stokes Field and One Tree Hill starts today and is scheduled to run until Friday 28 April. The sessions will be from
9am to 12noon & 1pm to 4pm approximately each day, and will take place at Long Ditton Village Hall (2 Ewell Road, Long Ditton KT6 5LE - opposite Long Ditton Recreation Ground). Residents are encouraged to attend and and show their support.
Update 1st May:
The inquiry has been adjourned until Friday 26th May at 1 p.m., to allow time for a site visit.
The Save HWLD action group also invite you to join them for a GreenBelters Gratitude Gathering and Gig on Friday 28 April from 19:30 to 1 am at Long Ditton Cricket Club, Stokes Field, Betts Way, Long Ditton KT6 5HT, UK.
For more information on the inquiry and event, please visit:
https://www.savehwldgreenbelt.co.uk/
17th April 2023
King Charles III Coronation
St. Christopher’s, Hinchley Wood invite you to join them for an Indoor Street Party to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III on Saturday, 6th May 2023 from 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
• Televised coverage of the Coronation
• Tea and coffee
• Pimms bar
• Tables and chairs for your feasting
• Warmth and shelter from royal weather
Everyone welcome - bring your friends and family, with platters of food to share, drinks, flags and hats - just like any street party.
Admission is free.
Read more at:
www.stchristopherschurch.org.uk/coronation-of-hrh-king-charles-iii
13th March 2023
Elmbridge Borough Council elections
At the HWRA AGM on 9th March, Janet Turner was nominated to stand as our candidate in the elections on 4th May.
Read our manifesto
here
, or read more on our election website at:
hinchleywoodandwestongreen.org.uk
15th February 2023
Village Green application (Long Ditton)
HWRA is aware that an application is being made to designate Green Belt land in the Borough as Village Green. HWRA has always been, and remains, a staunch defender of all the Elmbridge Green Belt, including the part comprised in the Village Green application (as evidenced by our submissions to the consultations on the Local Plan, which can be found
here
).
The sponsors of the application to designate One Tree Hill and Stokes Field Nature Reserve as a Village Green believe that this status would provide a valuable extra measure of protection against development (over and above that conferred by Green Belt status).
HWRA leaves it to residents to form their own judgement about whether the Village Green application (if successful) would add significantly to the existing level of protection, and if so whether they wish to support this campaign and/or contribute to the cost of pursuing it
To find out more, visit:
savehwldgreenbelt.co.uk
13th February 2023
Changes to publication of comments on planning applications
Elmbridge Borough Council is consulting about two changes to the Statement of Community Involvement in planning decisions. The first is to stop publishing representation letters for planning applications on the council’s website and the second is to stop placing hard copies of Local Plan documents in the borough libraries during a consultation.
Further details, including information about how to respond to the consultation can be found on the Council website:
consult.elmbridge.gov.uk
The Planning Committee Report (see link on that page), explains the reasoning behind the proposed changes.
The deadline for comments is Thursday 24th February.
10th February 2023
February newsletter
Our February newsletter will be arriving through letter boxes in the next few days, with news about: the Annual General Meeting and council elections, an open gardens event this summer, how subscription money was spent in 2022, the London ULEZ zone, a call for volunuteers to help with the Association's work, the cost of living, and the proposed Aldi outlet on Portsmouth Road.
Click here to view/download.
1st February 2023
Aldi supermarket planning application
Aldi are appealing against Elmbridge Council's decision to refuse permission for a new outlet on the former Guy Salmon car dealership site on Portsmouth Road near Gigg's Hill Green (see
news item below (18th January 2022)
.
Do you have an opinon on this proposed development? If so, you can have your say and help us formulate our response to the appeal by taking part in our survey.
Update 6th March 2023:
The survey has now closed. The results were:
- I would like to see an Aldi supermarket at this location 57.50% - 69 responses
- I believe such a development would be detrimental to our local area 40.00% - 48 responses
- I have no strong views either way 2.50% - 3 responses
TOTAL 120 responses
10th January 2023
Sustainable Elmbridge
Elmbridge Borough Council has put a sustainable Elmbridge at the very heart of its decision-making. There is a long way to go but they are committed to building and executing a work programme to fulfill their 2030 carbon neutral pledge.
Highlights include:
-
a ten-year action plan to reduce carbon emissions, supported by a Councillor-led Climate Change Advisory Panel
-
working to reduce emissions from transport
-
a shift to an electric council fleet by 2030
-
the installation of solar panels at the Xcel Leisure Complex in Walton-on-Thames and at the Centres for the Community in Walton, Cobham, Claygate and Molesey, as well as at the Village Hall in Hersham.
-
installing electric vehicle (EV) charging points in the main town centre car parks. Weybridge, Cobham, and Esher’s EV chargers have been installed, with Walton-on-Thames to follow in early 2023.
Read the full story on the Council's website
.
1st December 2022
Cost of living
Elmbridge Council is doing all it can to support residents who are struggling with the cost of living crisis, especially - but not exclusively - our most vulnerable residents and individuals and families on benefits.
To ensure everyone has access to the support they need, the Council has set up a dedicated section on their website (
elmbridge.gov.uk/cost-of-living-support
) where you can find help and advice with managing household bills, rising energy costs, mental health and wellbeing, charities offering support, risk of homelessness and where to find warm hubs. This advice is also available by telephone (01372 474474) for people who cannot use the internet for any reason.
All the information is available in hard copy in the council’s Centres for the Community, and in GP practices, local libraries and so on. There is a hashtag ‘Here to help’ on social media.
All of the Council’s seven Centres for the Community are open as Warm Hubs, where any resident can go and get warm, have a hot meal (optional) and take part in activities.
The Resident’s Association-led Cabinet has approved a £250,000 Cost of Living fund to further help residents, funded from a windfall of interest payments on the Council’s investments.
So if you, or anyone you know, needs some advice, please don’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask. Help is available, and it can be found through the local council.
26th November 2022
Christmas lights go up in the Memorial Gardens
Going above and beyond the call of duty, Councillor James Crawshaw and former councillor Nigel Haig-Brown (in baseball cap and at top of tree) have scaled the large conifer in the Memorial Gardens to install the new HWRA Christmas lights.
25th November 2022
London Low Emission Zone (ULEZ)
The Mayor of London has announced that as from 29th August 2023, the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will be extended to cover every London Borough, including our neighbouring boroughs of Kingston and Richmond.
The most polluting vehicles must pay a charge of £12.50 a day to enter the ULEZ . Generally speaking petrol cars first registered after 2005, and diesel cars first registered after September 2015 will meet the low emission standard and be exempt from the charge. If in doubt you can check whether your vehicle meets the standard at
tfl.gov.uk/modes
Elmbridge Borough Council's response to the proposal to extend the ULEZ can be seen at:
news.elmbridge.gov.uk
For more background, see:
www.bbc.co.uk/news
23rd November 2022
December Newsletter
Our December newsletter will be arriving through letter boxes in the next few days, with news about commemoration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee and the 90th anniversary of HWRA, the HWRA Autumn Open Meeting, Remembrance Day and changes to the Esher and Walton parliamentary constituency boundaries.
Read here
.
15th September 2022
September Newsletter
Our September newsletter will be arriving through letter boxes in the next few days, with news about the HWRA Autumn Meeting, James Crawshaw's impressions as a new councillor, forthcoming events, the refuse collection strike and river safety.
Read here
.
4th July 2022
Elmbridge Local Plan
The Residents-led council has adopted what is described as an original, visionary Local Plan which preserves all our Green Belt, reduces by over 25% the untenable housing target the Government tried to impose on us, provides for housing that is more affordable, and ensures future building will be to standards that lead us towards net zero carbon.
A consultation is now open for residents to have their say before the Plan goes to the Planning Inspector for examination. To ensure a positive outcome from this process, it is important for as many residents as possible to make their views known, particularly if they wish to support the defence of the Green Belt and resist the imposition of unrealistic housing targets. The consultation closes on 29th July.
To take part in the consultation, please visit:
consult.elmbridge.gov.uk
For more on the history of the Local Plan and related local government matters,
see Planning page
30th May 2022
May Newsletter
Our May newsletter will be arriving through letter boxes in the next few days, with news about the council elections, Scouts May Fair, grass verge cutting and the Enigma Orchestra's forthcoming concert.
Read here
.
7th May 2022
Elmbridge Council election result
We are pleased to report that at the election on 5th May, the Residents Association candidate, James Crawshaw, was elected as a councillor for Hinchley Wood and Weston Green ward, with 1669 votes. The Liberal Democrat Candidate came second with 588 votes, and the Conservative third with 347 votes.
James succeeds Nigel Haig-Brown as one of our three Residents councillors for the ward, alongside Janet Turner and Gill Coates.
We thank residents for their continuing support of HWRA candidates in the borough council elections.
Across the borough, the Conservatives lost 4 seats and the Liberal Democrats gained 4. The resulting composition of the council will therefore be 20 Residents & Independents, 15 Conservatives and 13 Liberal Democrats; and the Residents-led administration which was formed after the 2019 council elections will thus continue in office.
1st March 2022
Tree planting in Memorial Gardens
Two new trees have been planted to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee and HWRA’s 90th Anniversary - Elmbridge councillor candidate James Crawshaw (left) with HWRA co-chairs Peter Arthur and Saranne Bristow.
18th January 2022
Aldi supermarket planning application
A planning application has been submitted by Aldi supermarkets to redevelop the former Guy Salmon car dealership site on Portsmouth Road as a new retail unit for their business. Details of the application can be found here (or go to
elmbridge.gov.uk/planning/
and search application number 2021/3857).
HWRA has submitted an objection to the proposal in the following terms:
We are aware of and completely agree with the objection filed by The Thames Ditton & WestonGreen Residents' Association. There are however a few additional points to make which are relevant to the interests of the residents of HW.
HWRA strives to retain the village like status and appearance of HW. The residents are well served by the local shops, open green spaces and carefully planned residences. As an association we encourage all residents to use the local facilities to the extent possible. We are therefore concerned that the establishment of a new supermarket by Aldi, which is well known for selling goods at low prices and therefore attracting lots of shoppers, will negatively impact not only our local traders but also the traffic on our roads and the Portsmouth Road in particular. In our view the application fails to satisfy the sequential test referred to in NPPF para 90 and is also likely to have a significant adverse impact on one or more of the considerations in para 90. The application should therefore be refused as required by that para 90. In addition, the likely use of cars to reach the site will cause substantial traffic problems (both at the proposed site and beyond) and will not contribute to sustainability objectives or climate change mitigation.
It is interesting to note that when the Milk Marketing Board closed its office in Giggs Hill some 30 years ago, Tesco applied unsuccessfully for approval to develop a supermarket on that site. Following that failed application, small supermarkets in HW, Thames Ditton, Long Ditton and Weston Green were establishcd. Where residents' needs are not served by these supermarkets there are adequate and substantially larger supermarkets in Surbiton, Kingston, Tolworth, Molesey, Cobham and Esher. There is therefore no need for an additional supermarket in a location where the needs of residents are particularly well served.
The site in question is an ideal brownfield site for the development of new houses and apartments. A residential development would reduce the need to encroach on Green Belt or other greenfieldsites; the development of a new supermarket would not. In short, there is a much more compelling need for new housing rather than a new supermarket. In addition the application should be refused as it conflicts with planning policies and NPPF para 119 in particular.
...and in case you missed it...
2021 Elmbridge Borough Council election result
We are pleased to announce that Gill Coates, the Hinchley Wood and Weston Green Residents candidate in the Elmbridge Borough Council election on 6th May 2021, was duly elected with a comfortable majority.
The full result was:
COATES Gill, Hinchley Wood / Weston Green Residents' Associations, 1711, 59.2%, Elected
HERBERT Geoff, The Conservative Party Candidate, 575, 19.9%, Not elected
AMBEKAR Liz, Liberal Democrats, 502, 17.4%, Not elected
SAMUEL James William, Labour Party, 101, 3.5%, Not elected
The turnout was 45.1%.
Gill will join our experienced team of Hinchley Wood & Weston Green Residents’ Associations Councillors, alongside Councillors Nigel Haig-Brown and Janet Turner.
Following good results for Residents candidates in other parts of the borough, it is hoped that Residents will again be able to form an administration with Liberal Democrat support.
Renovation of Memorial Gardens
In 2020, with the benefit of a £5000 grant from Elmbridge council's Community Planting Fund and a £1000 contribution from HWRA, work was carried out to remove overgrown trees and shrubs and replace them with new, more attractive, planting. Sadly, the large willow tree in the gardens was found to be in a dangerous condition, having neared the end of its natural life, and had to be felled. We hope nevertheless that residents will agree that the gardens are much improved. You can download a PowerPoint presentation with before & after pictures
here
.
Doorstep pedlars
So-called 'Nottingham Knockers' are still causing a nuisance in the neighbourhood. These young men, often claiming to be ex-offenders on probation schemes go door-to-door peddling small household items such as tea towels. If turned away they can become abusive. They may also be involved in reconnoitring properties with a view to more serious crime such as burglary or exploitation of elderly vulnerable residents. Residents are advised not to make any purchases from these people, as this may encourage further activity in the area, and to report sightings to the police on 101. This will help the police to build up a picture of where and when these activities are taking place, and take action to put a stop to them.
Read more
(external site)
Allotment available
Looking for a new activity to take up after the lockdowns? An allotment has become available at the Hillcrest Gardens site. For details, contact Sue Haig-Brown at
hbsuep@gmail.com
|