| Date |
Event and outcome, if known |
| - |
More information will be added here |
| 12 Oct 2020 |
Three of the Campaign's representatives met Charterhouse
School's Chair of Governors, the Headmaster and Finance
Director. A number of key points were discussed during the meeting:
1. The development plans
for the school have not significantly changed and Charterhouse
retains its objective to become fully coeducational with ~1,000
pupils.
2. Having considered its overall financial situation
the school believes it can proceed with its current development
plans without selling Broom & Lees. However, it could not guarantee
that it would not re-visit the possibility of such a sale at some
later date.
3. The school expressed its determination to improve its engagement
with the local community in future. |
| Aug 2019 |
SB&LC requested an early meeting with the
new Chair of Governors. This was initially declined whilst she
familiarised herself fully with the school and its development
plans.
No meeting took place in 2019 and
Covid restrictions intervened early in 2020. |
| 28 Jun 2019 |
Charterhouse announced the appointment of a
new Chair of Governors.
Details
of the governing body are on the school's website. |
26 Jun 2019
to
25 Sep 2019 |
Outcome of the
Waverley BC Joint Planning Committee Meeting
Wednesday, 26th June, 2019, Council Chamber, Council Offices,
The Burys
APPLICATION FOR PLANNING PERMISSION - WA/2019/0067 - Land
south of Daviesites, Charterhouse, Queens Drive, Godalming.
 Information
about the application
Printed
Minutes of the 26 June 2019 meeting
» Minutes of this meeting were not available for some time,
as the meetings scheduled for 24 Jul 2019 and 21 Aug 2019 were
both cancelled. They were eventually agreed at the JPL's
meeting of 25 Sep 2019.
Waverley BC's Decision is:
RESOLVED to GRANT planning permission, subject to consultation
with the Secretary of State, and conditions 1 - 21 and Informatives
1 – 6 as set out in the agenda report.
Decision
letter sent to the applicant, 8 Aug 2019
Secretary
of State will not call in this application (reply to WBC 18 Jul
2019) |
| 14 Jun 2019 |
Extraordinary Policy and Management Committee
Meeting of Godalming Town Council, 19 June 2019, Council Chamber,
Municipal Buildings, 7p.m.
The Town Council objected to planning application WA/2019/0067
on the grounds of encroachment of the Greenbelt where exceptional
special circumstances have not been met.
Minutes
of this meeting (no longer available) |
| 17 Apr 2019 |
Planning Application WA/2019/0067
Waverley
website - Officers recommend matter deferred to enable
an appropriate assessment (re Planning Meeting of 17 April 2019).
Letter
from Natural England to Waverley (relating to the above). |
| 10 Apr 2019 |
Planning Application WA/2019/0067
Waverley
website - Planning recommendation for the above. |
| 3 Jan 2019 |
Planning Application WA/2019/0067 - Valid
from 03/01/2019
Land South of Daviesites, Queens Drive, Godalming, Surrey.
Erection of 2 buildings comprising over 4,000 sq. m. of floor
space up to 4 storeys in height to provide student accommodation
with associated landscaping and associated works together with
a car park of 77 spaces.
Applicant: The Governing Body Of Charterhouse School.
Agent: Savills
Type: Full Major Application
Comments Due By 22 Feb 2019
Target date 04 Apr 2019.
Note: in the documents the Agents state that this is part of
the "Charterhouse Master Plan" (2017) setting out the
aspirations to build, originally, four new boarding houses, that
was revealed at the public exhibition of July 2018. These plans
have been revised, so the application is slightly more modest
than originally envisaged.
1. Planning
Application WA/2019/0067 - go directly to the application
to read the documents, including objection letters.
Suggested reading:
2. Heritage
Statements - Appendix A-Heritage Assessment (Savills) 25 January
2019 |
| 21 Dec 2018 |
A number of residents received a letter, dated
18 December and distributed by SP Broadway, from David Armitage
Director of Finance and Strategy at Charterhouse. The heading is
'Broom and Lees Fields Consultation'.
It was written to all those who provided written comment at or
following the School's public exhibition held on 5th July 2018.
In summary, the letter explains that since that time the School
has been reviewing the comments received and discussing its proposals
with various organisations and has also met with some residents.
The School now "better understands the concerns of the local
community" and is "keen to examine these further".
Rather than "rush into a planning application" the
School has "decided to review its proposals and re-consider
the matter in the early part of 2019".
Recipients are promised that should there be any further developments
David Armitage will be in contact again. |
| 30 Nov 2018 |
A Governors' meeting was held at Charterhouse
School and we were advised that the Broom and Lees issue would
be discussed. As yet we do not know of any decision but none is
likely before early 2019. |
| 24 Nov 2018 |
Residents' Demonstration (2).
Members of the Save Broom and Lees Campaign were outside the school
once more, reiterating the point about saving the land that lies
within the Green Belt from development. Unfortunately, it turned
out to be another wet day but in true SB & L spirit everyone
enjoyed it. Once more, thank you to everyone who made it. As
before, it was notable that many passing motorists both waved
and sounded their horns to show their support. |
| 27 Oct 2018 |
A letter, with 373 signatories, was sent to all
members of the school's governing body. They were urged to take
note of both the levels of opposition and Opinion provided by a
Q.C. that any application would be unsuccessful.
They were asked to halt any further action regarding Broom and
Lees. |
| 27 Oct 2018 |
[GTC] From Godalming Town Councillor Steve Cosser.
"As part of the ongoing work being done by your local Conservative
councillors in support of local residents opposed to the proposal
by Charterhouse School to build houses on Broom and Lees we have
been researching the local planning context and, as part of this,
a meeting has recently been held with planning staff at Waverley
to clarify various issues.
We thought it might be helpful to report the conclusions reached
as a result of this activity.
These can be summarised :-
1. If a planning application is submitted for housing on this site
the green belt status of the land will clearly be the main planning
issue to be addressed. Given that this site has not been released
from the green belt as part of the recent Waverley plan approval
seems most unlikely.
2. The case put forward by Charterhouse for special treatment is
weak and it is hard to imagine it could be viewed as outweighing
the harm done by putting a large scale housing development on this
site.
3. The proposal put forward at the public exhibition is of much
too high a density for a site of this size and the density and
layout is completely out of keeping with surrounding development.
4.The loss of playing fields is likely to be opposed by Sport England
and is also contrary to Waverley’ s own policies on sports field
provision.
5. Godalming is meeting its requirement for additional housing
and there is no need for any substantial new developments of this
kind.
It seems clear to me that whilst this site remains in the green
belt the chances of Charterhouse being successful with an application
in support of their current proposal are somewhere between slim
and zero.
There are however no certainties in life and it is of course important
that we all remain vigilant and that the excellent campaigning
work we have seen to date continues.
I remain happy to discuss any of this with local residents.
Cllr. Steve Cosser" |
| 25 Oct 2018 |
Latest news from the Campaign
One of our Borough Ward Councillors has reported a very useful
meeting with the Head of Planning to better understand Waverley’s
current thinking about the proposed development at Broom and
Lees.
In summary, Waverley is taking a very robust approach to the proposed
application and continues to resist attacks on the Green Belt.
B&L was not put forward for release during the recent consultations
and the council has rejected much smaller householder applications
on local Green Belt in the past.
The suggested ‘benefits’ of the development are not seen to be
in the public interest and the site would represent over-development
and poor design and out of keeping with its surroundings. Moreover,
Godalming is meeting its requirement for housing and therefore
no new proposals are required.
Editor’s note:
The size and scale of this development means that would almost
certainly go to the Secretary of State and public enquiry, resulting
in high costs and damaging reputational risk within the local community
in which the school is embedded.
While Waverley’s stance is extremely pleasing – and warrants the
community’s wholehearted support – it remains essential that the
present campaign maintains its momentum. |
| 24 Oct 2018 |
Article in the The Times, 24 Oct
2018, page 2.
"Lack of paths on new estates forces people into their cars",
by Graeme Paton, Transport Correspondent.
The journalist draws attention to housing estates, especially
those away from town centres, that are being built without
footpaths or green spaces. His comments are based on "analysis
of residential development in England". The article points
out that lack of pavements increases car use as cars are being
used for every journey and is based on a study by the campaign
group Transport
for New Homes (who were quoted in The Times article
of 24 Oct).
Within our community the July 2018 exhibition plans for Broom
and Lees show a site without any clearly distinguished internal
site pavements. A plan for twenty one homes on a
Binscombe field within the Green Belt was going through
planning at Waverley BC (WA/2018/1525)
that has internal pavements, but nothing roadside to connect
the site with the community. That application went to Appeal
and was Dismissed. |
| 28 Sep 208 |
Article and large photograph on the front page
of the Surrey Advertiser, 28 Sep 2018.
The school was urged to reconsider its proposals to sell off its
playing field in prime Green Belt at a roadside protest by residents.
We have images on the Pictures page. |
| 28 Sep 2018 |
Article in the Surrey Advertiser, 28 Sep 2018
- Extract
Cut to housing projection.
"Waverley needs around 3,000 houses fewer than previously
thought, according to official figures released last Thursday.
The Office of National Statistics has cut its projections for
the number of households in the borough from 56,871 in 2032
to 53,849.
These figures would reduce by around 25% the number of new
houses needed in the borough between 2018 and 232, the period
covered by the Local Plan that was adopted in February 2018.
...
... a council spokesman said "Waverley .... can confirm the
housing requirement set out in the current ... Local Plan was
agreed by a planning inspector ... This took into account the
latest household projections at the time and therefore the
new household projections published last week do not affect
the current local plan". |
| 22 Sep 2018 |
Residents' Demonstration (1).
A small, good humoured
and well received demonstration was staged by members of the Save
Broom and Lees Campaign outside the school. It needed to be good
humoured as the placard bearers had to cope with heavy rain.
Thank you to everyone who made it. It was notable that many passing
motorists both waved and sounded their horns to show their support. |
| 21 Sep 2018 |
Letter to the Surrey Advertiser, 21 Sep 2018 -
Extract
from David Gill, Acting Chairman, Surrey Playing Fields.
[The thrust of the letter was about Spelthorne but Mr. Gill, who
previously worked from Waverley BC, makes some significant comments]
"Whereas the Surrey Playing Fields (just like the local
authority) are strong advocates or the promotion of active and
healthy lifestyles, we do have huge concerns about the loss here
(i.e. Spelthorne) and around the county of valuable playing fields
and open green spaces.
Surely we all have a responsibility to safeguard them not just
for today but for future generations." ...
"Remember, once gone, it is gone for ever". |
| 7 Sep 2018 |
An excellent interview was given by Maxine Taylor, a member of
the Save Broom and Lees Steering Committee, on BBC Surrey's
Drive Time in which she robustly argued the case for the protection
and retention of Green Belt within the Borough and pointed
out that Waverley has already rejected the site as unsuitable
for development. Listeners were also reminded that Waverley
is fully able to meet its future housing needs without further
compromising protected Green Belt space and so the development
of Broom and Lees is totally unnecessary. |
| 6 Sep 2018 |
Eagle Radio (Reported on this matter:)
Charterhouse school to sell off playing fields. |
| 30 Aug 2018 |
A QC was instructed by a member of the Steering
Committee to provide advice on our Save Broom
and Lees Campaign and discussions are continuing. |
| 17 Aug 2018 |
Letter to the Surrey Advertiser, 17 Aug 2018 -
Extract
from Steve Williams, Charterhouse Ward resident.
..."In terms of this proposed sale of land for inappropriate housing
development, it seems the school is set to override the clear objections
of the community and submit a planning application in the autumn.
This would be a clear example of the school riding roughshod over
the views of local residents in its own relentless pursuit of profit."
... |
| 13-14 Aug 2018 |
Residents noted that Broom and Lees was surveyed
by Warner Surveys. |
| 10 Aug 2018 |
Letter to the Surrey Advertiser, 10 Aug 2018 -
Extract
from Susan Ryland, Green Party (Guildford and Waverley) and Guildford
BC Councillor
"We should remember that green belt is vital to controlling
air quality, maintaining wildlife corridors, and preventing urban
sprawl' (with all its concomitant impact).
.. the use of 'exceptional circumstances' for building houses on
green belt has, in my view, been cynically exploited.
The Charterhouse proposal is simply a fundraiser for the school
with no concern for, or interest in, genuinely affordable housing
for local community needs.
As a piece of diplomacy by the school, it has failed miserably,
demonstrating that it cares little for the impact it has on its
neighbours. Charterhouse should not, therefore, in my view, submit
a planning application in the Autumn". |
| 3 Aug 2018 |
Letter from David Armitage, Director of Finance
and Strategy (Charterhouse School), dated 3 August re Feedback
from the public exhibition, summarising the main points raised
by residents in their responses.
The feedback is being reviewed and this process is likely to take
until the end of September.
Prior to any formal planning application, a further exhibition
and consultation will be held (date will be notified to
residents). |
| 1 Aug 2018 |
[GTC] Three of our ward councillors and one councillor
who lives in the ward (Cllrs Cosser, Reynolds, Gordon-Smith and
Bolton) met the bursar of Charterhouse and their agent, at Charterhouse's
request.
The councillors confirmed the substantial local opposition and
residents grave concerns over development in the Green Belt. |
| Late July 2018 |
[GTC] Steve Cosser, a Conservative Town Councillor
for the Charterhouse Ward, has given us permission to use the following
extract of one of his postings:
..."in meetings I and other Conservative councillors have had
with the school and their agents we have made clear the overwhelming
local opposition to this proposal.
Some of us those I have spoken to have asked me what my own view
is on the proposal as their local representative. I have made clear
that I do not support their current proposal. We have already largely
met our housing targets for the Godalming area and there is no
need or justification for taking further green belt land for housing".
... |
| 30 July 2018 |
[WBC] SO/2018/0008
Comment to Waverley BC from the Godalming Trust's Planning sub-committee
following their recent review of applications.
Read their comment
|
| 24 July 2018 |
[WBC] SO/2018/0008
Decision Notice. Sent to Savills re their request
of 3 July.
Broom and Lees Playing Field Hurtmore Road Godalming.
The proposed development would not be EIA development.
Read the notice in full. |
| 23 July 2018 |
[WBC] SO/2018/0008
Waverley's response to Savills request of 3 July.
It is ... recommended that the proposed scheme does not constitute
EIA development (Environmental Impact Assessment). The site exceeds
the relevant threshold.
Read
the response in full (it includes a large number of neighbourhood
comments up to 23 July). |
| 17 July 2018 |
End of the period that Charterhouse allowed for
responses to their exhibition on 5 July. |
| 13 July 2018 |
Surrey
Live (Report)
Private school in Godalming plans to sell playing field to housebuilder for 132 homes |
| 12 July 2018 |
High Court Challenge and Partial Judgment re
Waverley's Local Plan (from Waverley CC website)
"A High Court judge heard the challenges against
Waverley’s Local Plan and the decision to grant planning permission
for Dunsfold Aerodrome. Mr Justice Lewis dismissed claims that
Waverley and the Local Plan Inspector failed to consider environmental
constraints (in the context of calculating Waverley’s objectively
assessed need) and confirmed that both the council and the Inspector
correctly applied the two-stage approach as set out in the National
Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)".
"However, the council will still need to go to a full hearing on
a technical ground relating to Woking’s unmet need allocation;
the key issue being how the Inspector calculated the final figure.
The hearing is not based on the principle of attributing Woking’s
unmet need to Waverley but the lawfulness of the Inspector’s reasoning
on the issue. The council will participate in a full hearing on
this technical ground later this year".
Report
no longer available.
|
| 5 July 2018 |
Public exhibition regarding proposals
for new homes on Broom and Lees field, held in the Ben Travers
Theatre, Charterhouse.
Those who visited the exhibition commented adversely on both planning
and non-planning issues including:
the Green Belt;
the lack of real information about the school's plans;
the unrealistic figures provided regarding vehicle use by householders
who are expected to own at most one car if they live there, make
only one journey by car from their home in the morning, being told
they will have to bicycle to the station, etc;
the road, rail, education and health service provision;
the narrowness of the approaches to the site from central Godalming
and the A3 via both Hurtmore and Priorsfield Road;
the fact that although
Charterhouse claims to be the town's biggest employer, most people
living in the town work elsewhere;
the school has very few pupils from
Godalming;
the effects on residents in the Mark Way area, on Hurtmore and
Priorsfield Road, on Frith Hill and down Charterhouse Road;
the short notice of the invitation, which many regard as the bare
minimum, because many people are away - perhaps a case of burying
bad news? |
| 3 July 2018 |
[WBC] SO/2018/0008
Broom and Lees Playing Field Hurtmore Road Godalming.
Request to Waverley Borough Council (by Savills) for Screening Opinion
for the proposed residential development of 132 dwellings, i.e. EIA
Development (Environmental Impact Assessment). |
| 23 June 2018 |
Letter from David Armitage, Director of Finance
and Strategy (Charterhouse School), dated 23 June and sent to 1052
residential and business addresses advising of a public exhibition
on 5 July to discuss proposals for new homes on Broom and Lees
field. |
| 11 June 2018 |
The Godalming and Farncombe Neighbourhood Plan
group has prepared a comprehensive Neighbourhood Plan
Visit
the Town Council's Neighbourhood Plan, 2017 - 2032 (no longer available)
site to read and/or download the documents of Draft 3.3 (Feb 2018). |
| February 2018 |
Waverley BC's Local Plan, Part One, adopted.
It shows that Broom and Lees is not only protected as part of the
Green Belt (policy RE2) but is also part of an Area of Great Landscape
Value (policy RE3). |
| January 2018 |
Newly appointed headmaster and Governing Body
take over the running of Charterhouse School. |
2016
*New* |
[WBC] With reference to the FOI request (see Downloads 26
Oct 2018) that led to the information published.
Two documents exist that were sent to Waverley by Savills on Charterhouse
School's behalf when submissions were requested during the formation
of the Local plan in 2016.
Significantly, much of the text is word
for word.
1. Savills on behalf of Charterhouse - Green Belt. It was suggested
that the Green Belt boundaries should be amended, to remove Charterhouse
and its surrounding land, plus Broom and Lees from the Green Belt.
2. Savills on behalf of Charterhouse - future development. They
did not consider the Local Plan to be sound. It did not meet the
development requirements of the school. Savills/Charterhouse requested
for the following statement to be included in the Local Plan:
"Charterhouse is one of the largest employers in the District.
The School is internationally renowned and has a positive social
and economic effect on Godalming and the wider area. The School
is likely to need to develop and possibly expand over the plan
period and the Council will work positively with the School to
plan for its development and potential expansion".
It was not.
[We observe that this was repeated at the 2018 exhibition and in
the FOI documents of 2018.]
It is worth noting that neither of the proposals submitted
in 2016 was included in the Local Plan. However, the information
does highlight Savills/Charterhouse's persistence in arguing the
same points and tells us that this process has been on their radar
for over 2½ years
- no one should be fooled into thinking it will suddenly go
away.
To read or download the two .pdf files, Google Waverley Charterhouse
Savills and they appear on screen as Savills on behalf of Charterhouse. |
| 6 May 1992 |
[WBC] WA/1992/0435
Granted. Erection of a wooden storage shed.
Charterhouse Broom And Lees Playing Field, Hurtmore Road.
[This was the only other planning application affecting
Broom and Lees, apart from 2 tree applications, since 1976] |
| 12 Oct 1976 |
[WBC] WA/1976/0341
Refusal, shown in a decision notice from Surrey County Council
and County Planning Authority available on Waverley BC web site, for:
Public open space 7 acres (2.83 Ha) approx. 25 Detached houses
with accompanying gardens/private open space access and parking
and landscaping 10 acres approximately (outline).
1. The site forms part of the Unallocated land within the Town
Map Area which, by virtue of Amendment No. 43 approved by the Secretary
of State for the Environment on 7 February 1974, Paragraph 6, is
subject to the general principles of the Metropolitan Green Belt
pending the preparation of a structure or informal interim local
plan, and the development proposed in application WA76/341 conflicts
with that policy as defined in Paragraph 3 of the Amendment Written
Statement.
2. The area of land shown for this development in this application
is defined for public open space purposes on the Non-Statutory
Godalming Town Map. The Local Planning Authority considers that
this provision should not be prejudiced by the development of this
area of land.
3. The proposed development would erode part of the green wedge
of open land which extends inwards to the town from the open country
around Godalming. This open area of land, in the opinion of the
Local Planning Authority, makes a significant contribution to the
attractive semi-rural character of this part of Godalming and its
development would, therefore, be detrimental to this special character
which it is the policy of the Local Planning Authority to protect.
4. In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority the need for
the proposed development has not been established such as to outweigh
the compelling planning objections to the development as set out
above. |
11 Oct 1972
*New* |
[WBC] DO217/72
Application by Bovis New Homes Southern Ltd. for 31 detached houses
and garages, with estate roads on approx 8.7 acres [=3.5 hectares]
forming the western part of the field known as Broom and Lees (about
half of B&L).
Refused.
The key reasons for Refusal were:
1. "... it is intended to
preserve the character of land not otherwise shown for development
within the Town Map area" ... re Par 4, para. 7, Written
statement referring to the Surrey Development Plan (1971). This
development "does
not fall within those categories."
2. "This development erodes part of green wedge of
open land which extends inwards to the town from the open country.
This green wedge together with the adjoining areas of residential
development is an area of open spaces and mature trees of special
character".
3. The application conflicts with planning policy to protect
those green wedges and would be detrimental to local area.
Note that "the green wedge" is known as the Green Belt
today. |
| |
