News
UPDATE ON SCHOOL STREETS 22nd OCTOBER 2025
After some works were noticed to be taking place at both ends of Beavers Road a few weeks ago, a request was made to SCC to find out whether the project had been approved. A reply from SCC was received and a copy of that email follows:
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Thank you for your email regarding the School Street planned for Potters Gate School. As my colleague Duncan Knox mentioned, the council conducted a public consultation over the proposal for the period between 25th November 2024 to 7th February 2025 via our online platform Commonplace. During this period, we also held a public engagement event at the school, where we invited both residents and the local community to come and discuss the proposal. The engagement report detailing the results of the consultation including the formal decision from both the council and Cllr Macleod to proceed with the School Street was then posted online on the 2nd of May 2025. All the above, can be found using the following link:
Community Forum - Potters Gate School Street - Commonplace
If a resident/stakeholder took part in the Commonplace engagement they would have been asked if they wanted to receive an email when new updates were posted. The engagement report with the decision was emailed to 320 residents and stakeholders.
We are aiming for the School Street to go 'Live' on the 24th of November 2025, unfortunately, as much as I would like to be able to confirm this as the 'live' date, there are a number of operational factors with the cameras that require final testing before I can commit to a live date. An update was posted on Commonplace yesterday, advising that that all 3 ANPR cameras will be installed this week, with the goal of being operational from the 24th November.
Beavers Road and Potters Gate residents have been invited to come to the school on the evening of 21st October 2025 (7pm-8pm) to be shown by myself and other colleagues how to apply for an Exemption on the online system. We recognise that there may be residents who do not have access to the internet, and this will give these residents the opportunity for us to assist them with making the application on their behalf.
Once the School Street is live, another six-month public consultation period will open on Commonplace (at the same link as above) to enable residents, parents, and other stakeholders to 'Have their Say' over how the School Street is working for them. At the end of this six-month period consultation period, SCC officers and Cllr Macleod will review all comments to decide if any part of the School Street should be amended before becoming permanent. We wanted to use this process to provide flexibility and enable changes to be made following the feedback from the public and statutory consultees, for example, feedback may show that the timings of the AM and PM restrictions need to be made shorter or longer.
The school break up from half term on the 24th of October, returning 3rd November, by which I will a confirmation that our 'Go Live' date will be 24th November. If this is the case, between the 3rd – 21st November, the school will be sending out reminders to ALL parents/carers over the 'Go Live' date for the School Street and what this means to them and what they need to do.
Throughout this communication via the School and Commonplace online platform, I would like to stress that we will be directing parents/carers to use their 'Free'25 minute' parking at 3 car parks within walking distance to the school.
- The Hart Car Park
- Farnham Memorial Hall (Crosby Way)
- Waggon Yard Car Park ( Downing Street/Lower Church Lane)
Kind regards,
Road Safety & Schools Active Travel Engineer
Road Safety & Sustainable School Travel Team
Victoria Gate, Chobham Road, Woking GU21 6JD
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A meeting was held at Potters Gate School on Tuesday evening the 21st of October for residents to be instructed how to register for permits - it was well attended and it gave the residents a chance to question Donna Selby & Duncan Knox of SCC on practical matters.
UPDATED 25th JULY - ANOTHER EMAIL FROM ABBEY VIEW RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION - AVRA - SENT 23RD OF JULY TO WAVERLEY PLANNING COUNCILLORS - FULLY SUPPORTED BY NWRA AND OPLRA
Regarding the determination meeting reference WA/2023/01467 held at Waverley Council Chambers on 10th July 2024 to consider the outline planning application by Gleeson for access to and development of the Old Park Lane Site we wish to add the following comments for the record.
History and Result
Previously this application was allowed a full evening schedule to resolve it's outcome, allowing time for the policies to be fully reviewed and fully documented.
In retrospect this planning meeting was included with five other applicants on the night and the summing up left the public not understanding what final policies were included in the vote in favour of refusal.
The uncertainty was caused due to Cllr Alan Earwaker who seconded the refusal motion but then was refused permission to clarify the inclusion of Councillor David Beaman's 10 policies that the application was in breach of that were the reasons for refusal.
This was overridden as it was regarded as sub sequential to the vote of refusal but then a further reason for refusal regarding section106 was added after the vote for refusal.
Claire Upton-Brown clarified the main policies which had been identified as relevant to the proposed refusal vote, however due to the ensuing debates between Councillors it was agreed that at the next planning committee meeting these finer points would be clarified if they related to the main policy decision.
We therefore would appreciate being informed should any further updates be added resulting from the next meeting. Please can you confirm this will happen, as there is no reference to this in the minutes that have been issued.
Local Residents
Regardless of the late notice of the meeting and a change of date from the Waverley Web site
(which stated end of July) the residents of Abbey View, North West Farnham and Old Park Lane filled the public gallery in support of their objection to the access through Abbey View and to witness the refusal to this planning application by 11 votes in favour of refusal of the application and two against with no abstentions.
Clarification of Refusal
We list below those policies mentioned during the determination meeting by the various speakers and Councillors for your consideration, (taken from the transcript of the video of the meeting).
These were the policies and objections that our members understood would be incorporated into the minutes.
DM5.
FNP 1; FNP 10; FNP 12; FNP14, FNP 30;
NPPF 14; NPPF 56; NPPF 99; NPPF 135f; NPPF 173; NPPF 180.
I would also record that our public speaker Surrey County Councillor Catherine Powell mentioned many subjects of concern namely:- Drainage, SANG and infrastructure and we were surprised these were not mentioned when it came to listing the reasons and policies for refusal of the application. The issue of the inability to enforce the condition relating the maintenance of the orifices for the SUDs system, given that the proposed orifices are as small as 10mm and the developer has advised that orifices need to be at least 50mm in size to be maintainable to avoid flooding.
In our opinion all the above policies and reasons will be relevant if it comes to an appeal hearing and should therefore be listed in your minutes.
Trevor Free
For and on behalf of AVRA
John Willacy
For and on behalf of OPLRA
David King
For and on behalf of NWFRA
NWFRA EMAIL TO WAVERLEY COUNCILLORS 24th JULY
The NWFRA wish to make further comments to clarify certain points regarding Application WA/2023/01467
This application is for Outline application with all matters reserved except access for up to 83 dwellings (including 24 affordable) and public open space/country park including related play space community orchard wildlife pond internal access roads footways/footpaths and drainage basins/corridor.
This application was refused by the Planning Committee meeting held on 10TH July 2024
Access to the potential development site,off Crondall Lane and through the Abbey View estate was specifically addressed by Committee members Councillors Hesse and White and also by County Councillor Catherine Powell as a public speaker.
Therefore, please confirm that
1 - this application was for outline permission for access only to the potential site for development
2 - hence the Committee's decision to refuse this application relates only to the outline application for proposed access to the potential development site
3 - the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting should solely reflect the decision to refuse the outline application for access only and require appropriate amendment to record the application and the committee's decision
4- All other potential aspects (with exception of access only) of the project remain "reserved matters " which require a fresh and separate outline planning application - these aspects include (but are not limited to ) the principle, policy, practice, procedure and detail of development for "up to 83 dwellings (including 24 affordable) and public open space/country park including related play space community orchard wildlife pond internal access roads footways/footpaths and drainage basins/corridor"
5- the debate at the Planning Committee meeting, which included other potential aspects of the proposed development (other than access only ) cannot be construed as dealing with and/or deciding on the Planning Committee's decision to refuse the outline application and will not compromise/prejudice the Council's position in relation to any appeal against the Committee refusal and any future application(s) for "any reserved matters "
For and behalf of NWFRA
David King
Chairman NWFRA |
PREVIOUSLY 11TH JULY
WA/2023/01467 PLANNING APPLICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT ON LAND OFF OLD PARK LANE IS REJECTED BY WAVERLEY PLANNING COMMITTEE!
HERE IS A COPY OF AN EMAIL FROM TREVOR FREE OF AVRA
Dear Everyone,
For those who were unable to attend the Waverley council chambers last night we had success in that 11 of the 13 Councillors on the planning committee deemed it was harmful to Abbey View and the existing fields and voted in favour of the proposal to reject the outline planning application on the grounds of harm.
There was some confusion as to the final wording and this was to be agreed today at the council meeting before issue of the minutes to ensure all the relevant issues were recorded but in essence we achieved our objective to fight another day.
We were well supported by the Farnham Town Councillors George Hesse, David Beaman and
Graham White who put forward their cases on behalf of the town and our local community and also to
SCC Catherine Powell who represented and spoke eloquently and forcefully on our behalf.
Many thanks for their contributions, time and efforts in achieving a good response from the planning committee.
To all those who have helped, thank you, the fight is not over and we need to be aware they will appeal but today we can celebrate, this is the first step in our goal to not allow access through our development.
Kind Regards Trevor
For and on behalf of AVRA
We at NWFRA support AVRA in their battle against this planning application
Here is a copy of The Farnham Herald article published on the 27th of June - reproduced by kind permission of The Farnham Herald.
20MPH SPEED REDUCTIONS NOW IN FORCE - UPDATE 21ST JUNE
The new 20MPH speed restrictions came into force throughout the centre of Farnham and part way up Crondall Lane at the end of October - however without any policing, it doesn't seem to have made any difference to the speed that the majority of motorists do.
We made a request to Surrey County Council Highways for the electronic speed sign (VAS) be replaced by one showing "20" MPH - this has been approved by SCC and we expect the new VAS to be installed in about a month - SUCCESS!
PAVEMENT IN CRONDALL LANE
We had complained to SCCH that the state of the pavement in Crondall Lane, from opposite Beavers Road to the junction with West Street, left a lot to be desired. It was in a disgraceful state and needed urgent attention. It was completed about 3 months ago - SUCCESS!
MANHOLE COVERS IN CRONDALL LANE
According to an email received from SCC they look to be "fixed" again.
Two of the manhole covers had again sunk - yet again! These are situated just beyond the Dippenhall Business Park if travelling to Farnham and are in such a position in the middle of the road, that they are impossible to miss if there is oncoming traffic. These had also been reported to SCCH.
ROAD VERGE CUTTING
Here is a link to Surrey CC regarding this surreycc.gov.uk/grasscutting
If you have a complaint or concern about maintenance of highway verges or weed control in your area, please do not contact Waverley Borough Council, you can email highways@surreycc.gov.uk or phone Surrey County Council on 0300 200 1003. You can also report it on Surrey County Council's website at Surrey County Council - Tell us about a tree, hedge, grass or weed issue (surreycc.gov.uk)
HGV PROHIBITIONS IN FARNHAM NOW IN FORCE- Here is a link relating to what has been done.
However, without policing they are of limited value. There are plans afoot apparently to install CCTV camera(s) - we understand that a mobile unit will be deployed shortly (end June 2024) - but the fine is only £70 - a legal maximum - which if promptly paid reduces to £35 - hardly a major deterrent!