Petition to Number 10 Downing Street
June 24th, 2007
The Westborough and Broadacres District Residents Association (WBDRA) has set up a petition to Number 10 Downing Street asking that the proposed development of 45 houses to be built on the 39 plots at the top of our site, be stopped.
It seems incredible that this development has not been removed from the Local Development Framework when the number of people waiting for allotments in Guildford is approaching two hundred and the benefits of allotmenting in promoting health and good community relations is proven.
Here’s the web address for the petition:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/allotmentsgfd
Allotments are subject to GBC recreation policy http://www.guildford.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/3B7EF53E-32AF-4D75-83E0-12377550B029/0/WS_CH13.pdf.
Guildford has poor provision of recreational facilities, especially so in North Guildford where the high population density requires more local facilities. This is by the council’s own admission – their statistics, their standards and government standards. Westborough has a shortfall of 15.47ha; Stoughton 17.5 ha; Stoke 13.08ha. A hectare is 100m x 100m and is approx the size of a full size football pitch. However a football pitch requires space around the edges a pavilion etc., and so only a junior pitch can fit on 1.66ha at Cardwell’s Keep, and 4 pitches of different sizes on 5ha at Stoughton Rec. So Westborough has a deficit of the equivalent of 10 football pitches.
The council has a policy to resist the loss of open space.
Policy R5
PROTECTION OF OPEN SPACE
Proposals for development on open space will only be allowed if there is no material harm to the character and visual amenity; and
- The proposed development is ancillary to the open use of the site; or
- The proposed development enhances the recreational value of the site; or
- Where equivalent provision is made nearby; or
- Where there will continue to be adequate open space in the locality; or
- In the case of school playing fields, the proposed new development meets a legitimate educational need that is appropriately met on the site.
Building 45 houses on the top third of this statutory allotment site directly contravenes Points 1 and 2.
On point 3, it depends entirely how officers define ‘nearby’. If this already exists, or can be made available, then it should be made available NOW to redress the stated shortfall.
Officers cannot argue for point 4, because they have already demonstrated there is a massive shortfall of all types of open space in North Guildford.
If officers argue the allotments are underused, then it should consider investing in changing the recreational use rather than allow housing development. Even if the recreational use is changed, there would still remain the same shortfall of open space.
In summary, the council should not allow development of the Aldershot Allotments unless it can find nearby equivalent provision for existing users. As we already have a massive shortfall in North Guildford, any land available should be turned into recreational open space to redress the existing massive shortfall.
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