HOOK HEATH NEIGHBOURHOOD FORUM UPDATE 52
8 March 2023

Welcome to the regular Update (a little late this time). We've been asked to remind residents that local elections are on 4 May and if you don't have a postal vote you will need photo ID to be able to vote. Details from Woking Borough Council election team (tel 01483 755855).

Woking Town Centre Masterplan

We are not sure what'
s happening about the Masterplan; there was a suggestion in the newspaper that it could be subject to legal challenges.

In the meantime, the Crown Court quashed a failed appeal into an application to build a 28-storey-high block of flats at Crown Place after both Woking Council and a planning inspector had turned the application down. It was passed by a different inspector at a second appeal. This by itself will presumably require changes in the draft Masterplan.

Development on Egley Road

We are now waiting for this major planning application for 86 dwellings and a 62-bed care home to be determined. The developer continues to make minor modifications and it seems inevitable that some development will eventually be approved. On the other hand, the Sutton Green Golf Course proposal, which includes provision of a 66-bed care home and up to 200 retirement dwellings, has gone quiet.

NPPF revisions

The Government have published a proposal for changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which provides the guidance for documents such as the Woking Core Strategy. There are a number of significant changes of which the most important for Woking is probably greater protection for the green belt. If the changes are approved, then green belt boundaries are not required to be reviewed and altered if this would be the only means of meeting the objectively assessed need for housing over the plan period. There is also a statement that LPAs only need to meet objectively assessed needs 'so far as possible'
 and no requirement to satisfy unmet need from neighbouring authorities.

The changes to the NPPF are likely to have an adverse impact on housing supply in areas which have little land available outside the green belt. Perhaps the hope is that developers will move their focus to areas where it is easier to obtain planning permission, which would be consistent with the 'levelling-up'
 message. At the moment this is irrelevant as demand for new houses is lower than the rate at which they could be built with major developers announcing cuts in their build programmes.

Community Infrastructure Levy

With the completion of the first CIL-funded project which included seven new benches, a new HHRA noticeboard and renovation of the Hook Heath signs (and reimbursement of our expenditure by WBC), we are moving on to the next one. Thanks to all those residents who responded to the list in the last Update; our current plan is to focus on improvements to:

1 The path across the golf course which gets muddy and impassable when wet.

2 The path round the golf club car park where there are exposed tree roots.

In addition, there was a request to make it easier to walk along the rough part of Pond Road where it is not made up.

We also plan to see if there were some way of safely crossing Wych Hill/Hook Heath Avenue with either a pedestrian crossing or an island.

We have contacted SCC (who are responsible for rights of way and roads) and are waiting for them to get back to us.

We are also continuing to look at the provision of a publicly accessible defibrillator somewhere in Hook Heath.

Local Planning Applications in the Hook Heath Neighbourhood Area

Five applications reported in the last Update have been approved by the Council.

PLAN/2022/0456 Roof extensions forming gable to the front and 2 x gables to the rear with dormer between to facilitate the conversion of roof space to habitable accommodation, 1 x front roof light and alterations to fenestration to facilitate the conversion of the existing garage to habitable accommodation and detached double garage to the front of the site at Cedarwood, Hook Heath Road.

PLAN/2022/0793 Erection of a two-storey side extension and single storey rear extensions and new vehicular crossover following demolition of an existing detached garage - amendment to PLAN/2019/0756 with revised rear elevation and single storey extension at Turaco House, Hook Heath Avenue.

PLAN/2022/0983 Erection of a two storey, part first floor, part single storey rear extension and first floor side extension. Proposed partial conversion of garage into a habitable room and 1 x side rooflight at Blantyre, Hook Heath Avenue.

PLAN/2022/0984 Erection of a single storey side and rear extension at Roebucks, Holly Bank Road.

PLAN/2022/1024 Proposed part single/part two storey side extension and single storey front extension at Updown House, Hook Heath Road. Three applications reported in the last Update remain undecided.

PLAN/2021/1041 Proposed subdivision of the existing plot and erection of a detached two storey building at Haere Mai, Mile Path. Although still on the system this has effectively been allowed to lapse as the house has apparently been sold and a new application has been submitted and approved.

PLAN/2022/0657 Erection of single storey extensions to the front, side and rear elevations and roof extension to increase ridge height including insertion of front dormer windows and rear and front rooflights to facilitate additional accommodation within the roofspace at Eastwood, Hook Heath Road.

Another application which argues that the proposed development is less harmful to the green belt than the already approved expansions together with permitted development.

PLAN/2022/0707 Proposed widening of existing pedestrian entrance gates and piers to provide vehicular access and erection of new entrance gates (retrospective) at Little Dene, Mount Road. See also PLAN/2022/1056 below. Two planning applications have been refused since the last Update

PLAN/2022/0609 Erection of three sets of gates and supporting pillars and timber post and rail fence across the frontage (retrospective) at Mounts Ryde, Golf Club Road.

Mounts Ryde has been extensively enlarged and as part of that the owner installed gates and a fence without planning permission. This was an attempt to obtain that permission.

The planning officer decided that the construction work could have caused damage to trees covered by a TPO and rejected the application on that basis. On the other hand, there was no case for insisting on removal as the damage had already been done.

Woking Golf Club have stated that the owners built the fence and gates on Golf Club land which the applicants have claimed as their own. As in the past, the Council have refused to get involved in a boundary dispute, but the Golf Club could consider taking legal steps to seek removal if they so wish.

PLAN/2022/0982 Erection of a two-storey side extension and front and rear dormer at White Hall, Hook Heath Road.

The proposed extension was too large for the green belt.

Three planning applications have been submitted and approved since the last Update.

PLAN/2022/1033

Erection of single storey rear extension following demolition of existing conservatory at Camelot, Golf Club Road.

PLAN/2022/1050 Erection of a part two storey, part single storey side and rear extension following demolition of existing garage, roof extensions including raising of the ridge height and external alterations at Kinsale, Hook Heath Avenue. PLAN/2023/0018 Erection of a detached oak framed garage with first floor office space following demolition of existing car port at Fordwater, Pond Road. One planning application has been submitted and rejected since the last Update.

PLAN/2022/1023 Erection of one new two storey dwelling, provision of a new vehicular access and associated works and landscaping at Hook Hill Farm, Hook Hill Lane. Rejected because the proposed building would be built on the green belt boundary, and also the size and orientation of the new building would result in a cramped and contrived form of development. There are ten new planning applications which are currently undecided.

PLAN/2022/0680 Erection of a single storey side extension at Gainford, Hook Heath Road

PLAN/2022/1056 Erection of a garden room, engineering operations and associated landscaping to remodel garden including a driveway, stairs, retaining walls and surface water drainage and amendments to garden room permitted under PLAN/2020/0682 (retrospective application) at Little Dene, Mount Road. This is a retrospective application to address an enforcement notice (ENF/2022/00112), involving landscaping works undertaken to alter ground levels, surface water run-off from the new driveway, floor level change to the approved summer room, and the erection of a garden room in place of an existing shed.

PLAN/2022/1125 Erection of a two-storey side extension with sun deck and balcony, to include basement below and external attached shed following demolition of existing garage. Also changes to fenestration at West Hurstgate, Hook Heath Road.

PLAN/2022/1168 The erection of an apartment building containing 7x flats following demolition of existing dwelling, with associated landscaping, parking and bin and cycle stores at Quevrue, Holly Bank Road. Fifty-eight letters of objection have been sent to WBC (including those from the Residents'
 Association and Neighbourhood Forum), more than for any other application since the Neighbourhood Plan was adopted.

PLAN/2022/1173 Erection of a single storey front extension to form open porch, single storey side extension and rear conservatory extension following demolition of the existing conservatory at Redwing, Mile Path.

PLAN/2022/1186 Erection of entrance gates between existing gate piers, and erection of cycle store in front garden at Harlyn, Blackbridge Road.

PLAN/2023/0044 Erection of a single storey attached garage, first floor extension with new raised roof, two single storey rear extensions, 14 new roof lights and changes to fenestration. Following demolition of the detached garage, two conservatories, three out-buildings and an oil tank storage area at The Chase, Hook Heath Road.

PLAN/2023/0091 Proposed minor modifications to roof and fenestration to existing single storey rear extension at Sandown House, Cedar Road.

PLAN/2023/0098 To install a steel column approximately 6.10m in height (from ground level) on Network Rail land to accommodate radio antennae for Superfast Wi-Fi and associated bracket at approximately 4.50m on said column on land rear of Brekka, Hook Heath Avenue.

PLAN/2023/0099 To install a steel column approximately 6.10m in height (from ground level) on Network Rail land to accommodate radio antennae for Superfast Wi-Fi and associated bracket at approximately 4.50m on said column on land approximately 100m west of the footbridge over the railway to St Johns. Certificates of Proposed Lawful Development.

PLAN/2022/1054 Erection of a detached garage at Haere Mai, Mile Path.

PLAN/2023/1026 Erection of a detached garage at Haere Mai, Mile Path. The first application was for a five-car garage which was turned down as being too large; the second is for a three-car garage and is undecided.

Many thanks for your interest and support Sincerely, Mike Cooke, Chairman

On behalf of the Hook Heath Neighbourhood Forum Management Committee

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