Hinchley Wood Forum

WHAT'S HAPPENED TO THE WOOD CARVING THAT USED TO BE AT THE FIRE STATION?

2009-06-23T09:54:00.003+01:00

It's been removed by order of managers at Surrey Fire and Rescue. Read Peter Almond's report of what happened and see his picture of the carving on the Hinchley Wood website www.hinchleywood.org.uk.

Peter has suggested a number of ideas for what to do:

1. Press Surrey Fire Chief Russell Pearson to put it back – perhaps with some kind of plaque to dedicated firemen. If not on fire station property then perhaps just outside at the front.

2. As it is an artistic and unique marker post for Esher, can Elmbridge be persuaded to take it and perhaps place it next to the pond opposite the old 18th Century marker at the Café Rouge on Portsmouth Road, where Esher proper starts?

3. Kid’s competition for a school?

4. An open competition for the best idea of where to place it.

If you would like to comment please do so here.

Vandalism/ anti-social behaviour

2009-04-27T08:57:00.003+01:00

A resident has reported: "My car is parked in the front garden of our house in Manor Road North and in the last 4 months the rear lights have been broken 3 times during the night. Has this happened to anyone else. I've reported it to the police as it seems to be a new outbreak of anti-social behaviour. Please do the same if it's happened to you." Please use this topic to comment on this or report similar problems.

Heathside/ A309 Junction

2009-03-24T11:19:00.005Z

Following on from earlier debate on traffic problems and safety concerns at this junction (see http://hinchleywood.blogspot.com/2007/11/heathside-a309-junction-traffic-and.html), a resident has circulated the following to affected residents: "Dear neighbour – Sorry for taking up your time but I’ve reached the end of my tether with people using the entrance to our estate as an extension to the Scilly Isles roundabout.
Twice this last weekend I have been forced to wait with half of my car still on the “slow” lane of the dual carriageway as someone in front of me tries – and fails - to execute a U-turn around the island and bollard. If there was just me in the car perhaps it wouldn’t matter so much – but with at least one of my young children in there each time, I‘m moved to start bringing this to the attention of those that could change things – such as the council or ultimately the motorists themselves.
Before engaging the former I would like just to see if any of you feel strongly about this. My intention would be only to quote numbers of respondents – the more we have the greater the chance of achieving something."
Over 70 replies were received, indicating the strength of feeling. Suggestions included:
* Extend the No-U-Turn restriction to cover the entrance – not just the slip road
* Exempt emergency services from any restrictions (fair enough)
* Is there scope for a roundabout opposite the fire station
* Traffic lights at the junction, which in turn could incorporate a pedestrian crossing
* Extending the tail on the island to prevent u-turns
* DIY no u turn signs (prizes for the best entry!!).
Do other residents have comments? If so, please post them here so that they can be taken into account in considering what further action to take.

Condition of roads and pavements

2009-03-17T08:46:00.000Z

The state of the roads in Surrey continues to be a cause for concern. Please post your comments and suggestions for action here.

Street Scene

2009-03-09T13:30:00.002Z

Is your neighbourhood street scene a credit to your home/or a source of danger? Would
a task force working for a couple of hours help to transform your local environment by
collecting litter or cutting back the epicormic growth from kerbside trees? Please use the comment facility on this post to describe the nature of the action required. Don't forget to include a reference to the location.

Nursery Project

2009-03-09T11:42:00.005Z

HWRA has been advised by the Head of the senior school of a proposal to set up a nursery with up to 150 places in a two storey building to be erected on part of the school's playground, adjacent to St. Christopher's Church. The accommodation would also include conference facilities(available for local community use)as well as additional classrooms and space for the school. Given that the junior school
is obliged to introduce wrap round facilities, is under pressure to move to 3 form entry and that the senior school( which, doubtless, will be expected to accommodate these children in due course)has already sacrificed recreational space for buildings:
. is there demand for additional nursery places?
. is such a facility the best use of the school's limited resources?
. would sacrificing recreational space be detrimental for the children in the long term?
. would the provision of nursery places generate an unacceptable degree of additional traffic movements in and around Claygate Lane?

To help HWRA determine and subsequently represent the majority interest, please record your views by commenting on this post.

Waste collection and recycling survey

2008-11-25T09:01:00.006Z

Given the government’s high taxes on the use of landfill and proposed future increases, Elmbridge Borough Council continues its deliberations over how best to persuade residents to minimise production of waste (particularly that destined for landfill), and extend the adoption of recycling and composting services. As the waste collection, recycling and street cleaning contract is due to be renegotiated during 2010, the Council has set up a working party to look at ways to increase the efficiency of these services. HWRA Cllr Janet Turner sits on this committee and in advance of being required to vote on proposals early in the New Year, is keen to discover residents’ views on whether the potential savings implied by “option 2” (below) make it an acceptable alternative.

Option 1
the introduction of weekly food waste collection from September 2009. (Recent research identified approximately 40% of the contents of a green bin as food waste).
Weekly collection of non recyclable waste (landfill)
Fortnightly collection of dry recyclable materials (Paper/ glass etc)
Fortnightly collection of Garden waste (subscription service)

Option 2 – as option 1, but with fortnightly collection of non recyclable waste (landfill)

The food waste collection service has been trialled nationally (with the initial 3,000 households in Elmbridge increased to 6,500) and involves the use of a closable container. Reports indicate a favourable response from a high proportion of those involved in the trial. However a solution may still required for items such as disposable nappies.

Planning application for change of use Hinchley Wood greengrocers to winebar

2008-04-17T10:47:00.008+01:00

Planning Application 2008/0359 for a change of use of the Hinchley Wood greengrocers to a wine bar has been rejected. This is on the grounds that it will lead to an increase in noise and disturbance and also that it would increase the proportion of non-shop use in H.W. centre above the threshold for viability and vitality as a shopping area.
In recent e-mails residents have expressed differing views about this:
"Well that’s a damn shame if you ask me ! " D.B.
"I fully agree .. I think it was a splendid idea; Hinchley Wood has been lacking any such facility for far too long .................. The consensus on the Planning Application website seems to be “pro” the application and I doubt the “noise and disturbance” from “customer and car related” activity would be that great, as the premises are not that large." S.W.
" I can't make out if it was supposed to be a wine bar OR a coffee bar. I'd be happy with a coffee bar as it would close at a reasonable time, however a wine bar is a different matter - late night noise, disburance etc. Plus where would these people park? It's bad enough as it is, especially if you're trying to drive around the memorial gardens." J.B.
" I agree with D.B.– what a shame! It would also bring people to the area and help the other shops." D.R.
If anyone else has comments they can be posted here.

Heathside/ A309 junction - traffic and planning issues

2007-11-15T12:59:00.000Z

A planning application has been submitted for 3 houses on land between Heathside and the fire station with access from Heathside (between the A309 and No 2 Heathside) (ref 2007/ 2570 http://www.elmbridge.gov.uk/documents/detail.htm?pk_document=10804 ). Given the tortuous and, on occasions, congested approach to the A309 from this estate, and in the light of a proposal on the blog (see comments below) for traffic lights to facilitate right hand turns onto and off the London bound carriageway, your Chairman and Councillors would welcome comments on these issues.

Planning application for 5 Hinchley Way

2007-04-27T13:02:00.000+01:00

An application has been submitted to redevelop the former school in Hinchley Way as ten semi-detached houses see http://www.elmbridge.gov.uk/documents/default.asp?mode=1&pk_document=9854&var_az=w .

Residents Mr & Mrs Bahl of Hinchley Way have written to the council to object, as follows:

"Dear HEAD OF TOWN PLANNING,
We write to you regarding Application Reference: 2007/0987. We strongly object to this development, which clearly breaches a significant number of Elmbridge Borough Council's own policies and planning guidelines including HSG16, HSG18, HSG19,HSG20, ENV1, ENV2, ENV3, ENV7, ENV12, ENV21.
1. The very large size and massing of the development is not in keepingwith the scale of surrounding buildings.
2. The development is excessively large for the size of plot and isresulting in significant over development of the site. There are 20 houses on Hinchley Way, this development adds 50%to the street's capacitiy, all on one site.
3. There would be unreasonable loss of privacy to surrounding properties and the level of privacy will not be commensurate with the prevailing circumstances of the surrounding area.
4. The gardens in the proposed development are out of scale with thehouses in the development, and also when compared with properties on Hinchley Way and surrounding roads.
5. The development does not mimic surrounding properties, ALL of whichare detached. This will have a detrimental effect on the STREET SCENE.
6. The increased volume of cars along Hinchley Way (which is a narrow cul-de-sac) will have an adverse environmental impact on the neighbourhood. As each dwelling only has one car parking space in this development, inhabitants with more than one car will park outside the access road and on Hinchley Way,causing considerable congestion. An increasing amount of cars already park in Hinchely Way, close to the proposed access road during school times by parents picking up and dropping off children attending the schools on Claygate Lane. All of this congestion already impacts the flow of traffic on Claygate Lane, Hinchley Way and the roundabout on the Kingston By-Pass. The above-mentioned 50% increase in traffic parking and driving out of Hinchley Way is only going to exacerbate the problem further, and cause RISK TO THE SAFETY OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.
7. The property has historic significance in the history of Hinchley Wood, which should be protected and preserved.
8. The applicant's design Statement dated 23rd of January 2007, contains a number of misleading and inaccurate statements :-
a) "The majority of houses are detached, and are contained within a relatively narrow plot, which as a result of subsequent extensions and alterations, tends to limit the distancebetween the buildings along the highway" Firstly, ALL of the properties are detached on HINCHLEY WAY, CLAYGATE LANE, CHESTERFIELD DRIVE, CUMBERLAND DRIVE, AVONDALE AVENUE.Secondly, some properties have extended, and all were APPROVED by Elmbridge Borough Council who have ensured that they meet Planning Guidelines, ensuring there is NO TERRACING EFFECT, and the distancebetween the houses is not compromised.
b) "...in recent years suffered with reduction with birth rate...."For the 17+ years we have been living on the street, the owner of theschool has been maintaining a waiting list with a 3+ year backlog. Eventhough the birth rate is falling, the fierce demand for schooling around the area has outstripped supply especially for private places like this one. Some parents were even willing to travel from Cobham and Oxshott.
c) "....Consequently the owners of the property, have found the existing use to be unsustainable and have effectively put the school on the market to be retained, however they received no offers..."Firstly, there was no visual evidence of marketing, no SALES BOARD, no local advertising. We personally know of a number of organisations that would have been willing to purchase this school. The residents of Hinchley Way were at no stage kept informed of the plans for the school.
d) "...each property will have the provision of a general waste and a recycling wheely bin that the individual owners will be expected to wheel a short distance from their store on their site, to the designated collection points..."Firstly, the DUST CART will be too large to go down the access road, and as a result 20 bins will be left on Hinchley Way on collection day. This will have a detrimental environmental impact on the street and cause an OBSTRUCTION and DANGER to pedestrians (especially the elderly, mothers with young children, and school children).
e) "..During hours of darkness, the new access road will be lit by the existing street lights on Hinchley Way.."Firstly, there are NO STREET LIGHTS ON HINCHLEY WAY, the street is lit by lighting on the Kingston By-Pass. This lighting will not adequately light the narrow access road, thereby causing a RISK TO SAFETY for pedestrians and cars.
Whilst we are not opposed to some form of development on this site, any development MUST BE IN KEEPING WITH THE TYPE AND SIZE OF EXISTINGPROPERTIES. Hence two "arts and craft" styled detached houses, would be IN KEEPING WITH THE STREET SCENE AND NEIGHBOURHOOD, and have a positive impact on the environment."

Additional comments can be posted here, but if you wish to support the objection, please also write directly to Elmbridge Borough Council. See the Hinchley Wood website http://www.hinchleywood.org.uk/da/42983#planning for further details. Objections can also be filed electronically at http://www.elmbridge.gov.uk/services/planprop/submitcommentsonline.htm .

Garden waste collection

2007-04-04T10:56:00.000+01:00

A resident has reported problems with the garden waste collection:

"I put out for collection today two bags of garden waste, neither bag was completely full and I could quite comfortably carry them. The operatives acting on behalf of Elmbridge Council however, refused to empty the bags. I was lucky in that I heard a note being pushed through the letterbox explaining why the bags had not been taken, hence I was able to ask the operatives to clarify why the bags were not being collected. The answer being they were too heavy. Obviously I queried this, as I was baffled as to how I, a woman 5ft 3in in stature could carry the bags and the man collecting the bags, who was almost 6ft and a lot bigger build than me, couldn’t! He told me there was now a weight limit of 25kg for collection and that they now had new vans and it was more difficult to lift the bags that bit higher. I queried the weight limit as I have not seen it in any literature been made available by the council and neither does it appear online. The only reference they make is that the bag should not be over filled and you must be able to carry them.

I subsequently weighed both my bags of garden waste, one was 20kg and the other 18kg, comfortably below the weight limit. I imagine the new vans have been modified to take the brown recycle bins the Council are trying to encourage us to buy now for garden waste. I have no problem in using the new bins but I do not feel that we should have to pay an additional £30 on top of the levy they already impose to collect this waste in order that they can achieve their (government) targets for recycling.

Elmbridge are also enforcing the ‘no garden waste’ in the domestic bins and will fine anyone who does put garden waste in the wrong bin unyet they seem to be making it inordinately difficult to "do the right thing"."

Has anyone else had similar problems? - any other comments on this topic also welcome.

LOCAL ELECTIONS THURSDAY 3RD MAY 2007

2007-04-03T11:32:00.001+01:00

Councillor Janet Turner stood again as your Residents Association candidate for election to Elmbridge Borough Council. You can read about why Janet Turner and the Residents Association are the right choice for Hinchley Wood on http://www.hinchleywood.org.uk.

If you would like to put a question to Janet about her plans and policies, you are welcome to do so by adding a comment to this post, and we will answer it as soon as possible.

Street Naming: New Development to rear of 72 Manor Road North

2007-02-03T11:42:00.000Z

Elmbridge Council are consulting about the street name for this new development. The developers have put forward three names:
1. Meadowside Close
2. Rosewood Close
3. Portland Close
The Council will approve one of these names if no response to the consultation is received by 13th February. Please post your comments on the blog, or email them to janet.turner@hinchleywood.org.uk.

Local bus services

2007-01-24T11:13:00.000Z

A resident has raised the following issue with our Chairman:
'We are being urged to use public transport more. I find the K3 service excellent and use it a lot, particularly for journeys to Kingston and Kingston Hospital where car parking is at a premium. As an over 60 I would use buses more if they were available for journeys I was likely to make in north Surrey. Is it at all possible that the 152 bus route could be reinstated between Hampton Court via Hinchley Wood to New Malden and so onward, as now, to Wimbledon and Mitcham? This route was available when I first lived in Hinchley Wood and the bus lay-bys are still in place. It would be useful to get to Hampton Court railway station to link up with the R68 bus to Kew via Twickenham and Richmond. If this is considered a useful link route I understand that lobbying our County Councillor is a suggested approach'
What do other people think? It would be interesting to know whether there was likely to be sufficient demand for the reinstatement of this service to make it worth taking the matter up with the relevant authorities.

Ask the neighbours

2007-01-22T16:04:00.000Z

If you've got a question that you think someone locally might be able to answer, you can post it here and pick the collective brains of Hinchley Wood - whether it's a factual question or you're looking for a recommendation of a tradesman or service.

Posting comments on the blog

2007-01-10T12:50:00.000Z

Please be aware that comments received will normally be published in full unless they contain offensive or defamatory material. If you wish to submit comments or information which you do not want to be made public, please do so by e-mail to webmaster@hinchleywood.org.uk, or use the contact form on the Hinchley Wood website.

Inconsiderate Parking

2006-12-29T13:28:00.000Z

Comment received from 'anonymous': Parking on the pavements - people seem to be increasingly doing this - it is a hazard for pedestrians particularly with big 4x4's and chews up the grass verge. Can we do anything about it?

Graffiti at Hinchley Wood station

2006-12-11T09:53:00.000Z

'SIW' has posted a comment about graffiti at the station: "it is an ongoing problem and re-appears on a regular basis - what can be done about it and some of the youths who loiter round the station of an early evening doubtless know something about it." Does anyone else have comments, or ideas for how to deal with this long-standing problem?

Street repairs and traffic

2006-12-04T11:38:00.000Z

As noted in the last newsletter (4/2006) there is mounting concern about the poor state of our roads and pavements, the inadequate reponse of Surrey County Council, and the botched work of their contractors Carillion. See the comment from MH about the state of affairs in Hillrise and Severn Drive (posted under 'Topics for Debate'). The part of Manor Drive leading from the shops to Meadow Close is an obstacle course of sagging concrete and loose tarmac. Our councillors are on the case and the Chairman recently wrote to SCC to complain about botched work in Hillcrest Gardens (copy can be accessed from 'news and events' page on website). What more can we do to persuade SCC to give us a decent service? Please let us have as many reports of problems as possible, to add weight to the case that can be put to SCC.
Concerns are also being expressed about traffic, speeding and jumping the lights - see post from 'longtimer'.

Topics for debate

2006-10-18T09:37:00.000+01:00

What local topics should we be covering in this blog? Street repairs, refuse collection, graffiti, traffic, parking, dog fouling etc. etc.? This is the place to air your views, invite debate, and stimulate action. Just let me know and I'll start a new thread.

Hinchley Wood website

2006-10-18T09:32:00.000+01:00

The website of Hinchley Wood Residents Association is currently under development. We plan to include local news, information and relevant links. What kind of features and content would you like to see on the site, and what would attract you to visit it? How can we ensure that it is as useful as possible to residents and others interested in our community?

A309 Government offices site - Proposed redevelopment

2006-10-12T20:36:00.000+01:00

A brown field site on the edge of Green Belt land has been vacated by the current occupiers and there is pressure from builders to develop the area as housing. How will such a development affect the area in which you live? Will the local infrastructure cope with this additional demand? What conditions should residents seek to impose on the granting of permission and what benefits should be negotiated for the area?

Bi-weekly refuse collection

2006-10-12T20:17:00.000+01:00

The council are proposing to collect general refuse only every other week. What do you think?

Welcome

2006-10-10T09:12:00.000+01:00

Welcome to the Hinchley Wood on line forum. This is where you can post comments on anything and everything relevant to our local community.