There have been widespread protests against Surrey County Council's plans for massive new development at Oxted Sandpit in Barrow Green Road which will mean a huge number of extra lorries on the roads and 'HGV hell' for nearby residents.
The story attracted a lot of press interest - see Latest News Archive. To read the Sunday Telegraph's coverage click here
The residents' group has sent in a 14 page objection to Surrey County Council which details why their proposals break planning law. It says the County Council are 'irresponsible' and 'unreasonable' to put them forward knowing the existing problems caused by the huge numbers of HGVs already using the Chalkpit Quarry, less than a mile away from the Sandpit. It says it is 'incomprehensible' that these problems have not been properly taken into account and that the Council have chosen a course of action which makes them worse.
The full objection document can be read in Latest News Archive (22.02.10)
The County Council are targeting the Sandpit for extension in their 'Surrey Minerals Plan'. They also want to make it an aggregates recycling centre for construction and development waste. This waste would be brought in to the site by HGV where it would either be dumped as landfill, or recycled and driven away again - by HGV.
This is as well as the existing Chalkpit operation. That's not even referred to in the Plan despite all the protests, petitions and evidence of major road safety risks and major environmental damage that local people have presented to SCC over the past two years. No attempt is made to address the lorry issue or to consider the cumulative impact on the community and the environment of operating the two sites together.
As well as Oxted, the Minerals Plan targets sites in villages all along the A25. Residents in Nutfield, Bletchingley and Godstone have also been protesting about environmental destruction. They fear their villages and rural roads will be choked with heavy lorries. The sites are all in the Green Belt and some are in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
A planning application has already been submitted for Pendell Farm in Bletchingley and we wonder what is the point in producing a Minerals Plan if major applications are made and decided before the Plan has even been considered.
The Minerals Plan also names Mercers Farm, Nutfield Marsh as a preferred site. This is totally unsuited for access by large numbers of HGVs. It is in the Green Belt, is a Site of Nature Conservation Importance, and is important for great crested newts and over-wintering lapwings - their habitat would be destroyed if the proposal goes ahead.
Tandridge District Council and East Surrey MP Peter Ainsworth have strongly objected to the contents of the Minerals Plan.
