TWRA Planning
As residents of Tadworth and Walton, we are fortunate to live in an area surrounded by beautiful countryside most of which is protected as green belt and areas of high landscape value. But you will also know that our villages are constantly under pressure to accommodate new houses, extend existing ones and create space for lifestyle changes.
Designated by the Council as a consultee, each month the Residents’ Association examines about 30 planning applications in Tadworth and Walton. The majority of applications are acceptable. The TWRA recognises the pressures for new housing and increased living space. We understand that householder needs evolve and only raise concerns when such developments have a detrimental impact on neighbouring properties, affect trees or other landscape features, are a potential flood risk or harm the nature of the Conservation Areas and the Residential Areas of Special Character.
It is unusual therefore for the TWRA to object to more than two or three applications per month usually because they result in overdevelopment, are of poor or inappropriate design, are environmentally damaging particularly if trees are involved, or pose a flood risk. Very often the Council agrees with our comments either by refusing the application or, if granting permission, introducing conditions which often reflect the points we have made. We do not however offer professional planning advice to applicants but are happy to reflect residents’ concerns when making comments to the Council. We welcome residents’ views on applications and rely on public feedback to provide information on unauthorised development which we forward to the Council’s planning enforcement officers.
We are also asked for our opinion on planning policy such as reviews of the Walton and Tadworth conservation areas. An example includes the extension to the Tadworth area between Cross and Dorking Roads. Designation as a conservation area should ensure that only sensitive development is permitted and also give protection to important trees. Together with the Council for the Preservation of Rural England (CPRE), we submitted evidence to expand the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in our ward to include our local commons and the Centenary Woodland at Langley Vale. If added, these areas would receive further protection.
We are very conscious that as local residents we are fortunate to live in such a beautiful part of Surrey but also recognise that some changes are inevitable and sometimes desirable. But pressures arising from societal changes such as home working, increased car ownership and the attractions of access to countryside mean that we need to be constantly vigilant to ensure our environment and its historical associations remain protected.
TWRA Committee Members
Gillian Hein - Tadworth
Richard Harris - Walton-on-the-Hill
As residents of Tadworth and Walton, we are fortunate to live in an area surrounded by beautiful countryside most of which is protected as green belt and areas of high landscape value. But you will also know that our villages are constantly under pressure to accommodate new houses, extend existing ones and create space for lifestyle changes.
Designated by the Council as a consultee, each month the Residents’ Association examines about 30 planning applications in Tadworth and Walton. The majority of applications are acceptable. The TWRA recognises the pressures for new housing and increased living space. We understand that householder needs evolve and only raise concerns when such developments have a detrimental impact on neighbouring properties, affect trees or other landscape features, are a potential flood risk or harm the nature of the Conservation Areas and the Residential Areas of Special Character.
It is unusual therefore for the TWRA to object to more than two or three applications per month usually because they result in overdevelopment, are of poor or inappropriate design, are environmentally damaging particularly if trees are involved, or pose a flood risk. Very often the Council agrees with our comments either by refusing the application or, if granting permission, introducing conditions which often reflect the points we have made. We do not however offer professional planning advice to applicants but are happy to reflect residents’ concerns when making comments to the Council. We welcome residents’ views on applications and rely on public feedback to provide information on unauthorised development which we forward to the Council’s planning enforcement officers.
We are also asked for our opinion on planning policy such as reviews of the Walton and Tadworth conservation areas. An example includes the extension to the Tadworth area between Cross and Dorking Roads. Designation as a conservation area should ensure that only sensitive development is permitted and also give protection to important trees. Together with the Council for the Preservation of Rural England (CPRE), we submitted evidence to expand the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in our ward to include our local commons and the Centenary Woodland at Langley Vale. If added, these areas would receive further protection.
We are very conscious that as local residents we are fortunate to live in such a beautiful part of Surrey but also recognise that some changes are inevitable and sometimes desirable. But pressures arising from societal changes such as home working, increased car ownership and the attractions of access to countryside mean that we need to be constantly vigilant to ensure our environment and its historical associations remain protected.
TWRA Committee Members
Gillian Hein - Tadworth
Richard Harris - Walton-on-the-Hill