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Welcome to Merrow Residents' Association web pages.
The Merrow Residents Association
has been in existence for 35 years and continues to provide a
focus for Merrow on environmental, planning, historical and local
issues and has a membership of about 600 people. It is served
by a voluntary committee that acts in an apolitical manner to
ensure that Merrow retains its present unspoilt and attractive
appearance.
If you wish to know more about us and what we do please
contact the chairman@merrowresidents.org
Diary Note .
Autumn Meeting.
27th October 2008 8pm St Johns' Centre
The Merrow Residents’ Association says
"DON’T WRECK GUILDFORD"
This leaflet was produced by the Guildford Society and East Guildford Residents’
Association (EGRA), of which the MRA is a member, on behalf of those who value
our town and want a dynamic Guildford with more housing for local needs, but who
want to stop harmful expansion and over-development aimed at absorbing insatiable
inward migration, largely from London overspill.
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TIME FOR EVERYONE TO SPEAK OUT!
The Government has launched a final consultation on the Plan for the South East Region
which will determine Guildford’s development for the next 20 years.
We only have until October 24 to make our views known and change the Plans:
GUILDFORD TO BE TURNED INTO A SUPER “REGIONAL HUB”
AND A “CENTRE FOR SIGNIFICANT CHANGE”
TARGETED FOR DRAMATIC HOUSING AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
LINKED TO WOKING
(“STRATEGIC GAP” SEPARATING GUILDFORD AND WOKING TO BE SCRAPPED)
A STAGGERING 8,000-10,000 NEW HOMES IN OUR TOWN
6,000+ NEW HIGH DENSITY HOMES CRAMMED INTO THE TOWN
HARMING THE CHARACTER AND GREENNESS OF OUR COMMUNITIES
+
A VAST ESTATE OF 2,000+ HOMES (PLUS PROVISION FOR 2,110 MORE)
IN OUR MERROW AND BURPHAM GREEN BELT
+
MAJOR INTENSIFICATION AND REDEVELOPMENT OF OUR TOWN CENTRE
Last summer, Inspectors increased Guildford’s housing targets by 31% over the draft SE Plan.
In this consultation, the Government proposes that these targets be regarded as a minimum.
They want Guildford to undergo even more radical redevelopment even though they admit we
suffer “infrastructure problems” and “congested and unreliable journeys”.
Housing will be largely to accommodate inward migration from London.
This is not about sensitive provision of affordable housing to meet local needs.
The Government’s own assessment concludes the revised SE Plan will lead to:
Increased road congestion and rail overcrowding
Affordability continuing to deteriorate.
Development likely in areas of flood risk
Likely negative effect on biodiversity and open spaces
Exacerbation of existing problems – road congestion, water provision etc.
This could reduce the quality of life and make the region less attractive for business.
WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW?
To try and prevent Guildford being irrevocably damaged, respond to the consultation ASAP - and well before the deadline of 24 October 2008. You can either:
Complete the form below, cut off along the line and send to: GOSE, at the address below.
Or
If you want to respond in more detail Click here for a partially completed South East Plan Comments form with four possible suggestions. Print it off, complete page 1 with your personal details, and with one of the other pages, post it to the address given.
(For easier printing from MS Word Format; click here for an Original Comments Form, or here for partly completed Comments Forms.)
Key points you may wish to make are:
● It would be unsustainable and damaging to build 8,000-10,000+ extra homes in Guildford, to turn Guildford into a super “regional hub” and “centre for significant change” (radically expanding the town and encouraging major high density redevelopment) and to scrap protection of the “strategic gap” that has kept Guildford and Woking separate.
● Guildford is well-suited to being a dynamic market town, an educational and administrative centre and a railway hub but it is ill-suited to accommodating overspill from London on the scale proposed. It is constrained by its location in a gap in the Downs and by constricted roads. Flood plains run through the town and spread to the north and south. Internationally rare heathland to the NW and the Surrey Hills to the east and west must be protected. The town is encircled by valued Green Belt.
Remember, if you do not reply you are supporting:
● over 10,000 extra dwellings in Guildford, largely to meet the needs of London overspill
● development of green space between Guildford and Woking with housing estates!
.................................................cut here.......................................................................
To: Regional Spatial Strategy Team, GOSE, Bridge House, 1 Walnut Tree Close, Guildford, GU1 4GA
From: Name...........................................Address.....................................
............................................................................Postcode......................
Please treat this as my response to the Proposed Changes to the Draft S.E. Plan.
Chap 4 (6): Regional Hubs - Oppose inclusion of major, high density economic and housing growth in the purpose of all hubs. Either delete Guildford from the list of regional hubs (unsustainable due to constraints of a town located in gap in Surrey Hills) or provide flexibility in role of Regional Hubs. The scale of housing proposed for a Guildford major regional hub could only be achieved by extending the town significantly (min. 2,000 dwelling extension plus allowance for 2110 more). This Green Belt development would be so close to the proposed the expansion of Woking that the towns would increasingly be treated as a merged entity.
Chap 7 (4): Housing Target - Oppose requirement for a minimum of 8,440 additional homes in Guildford Borough (of which 7,940 would be in the town) and to plan for 2,110 further homes (para. 4(14)). This amounts to a plan for a minimum of 10,550 new homes in Guildford town including 4,110 dwellings in the Green Belt. Development on this scale, largely to tackle London overspill, would harm urban quality in Guildford and exacerbate congestion. Revise Guildford target to a sustainable level.
Signature................................................Date...........................................
(To print this form: Simply Highlight the area required using your mouse Left Button and Drag from Top Left to Bottom Right.
Hold the "Ctrl" key down and press and release the "C" key - then release the "Ctrl" key.
You will now have copied your highlighted area into a "clipboard".
Open your favourite word processing program and start a new document. Click the left mouse button on the page, and then hold your "Ctrl" key down again whilst you press and release the " V " key. You will now have pasted your "highlighted" area into your word document.)
Please join MRA-Announce to receive latest news and updates on matters affecting Merrow Residents.
Merrow Life Spring 2008 correction
Volunteers required
Royal Surrey County Hospital
Volunteers are desperatley needed. If you have a couple of hours a week, why not join the friendly team of vounteers at the Royal Surrey County Hospital. Interesting opportunities to help in many departments.
Enquiries: 01483 464847
Click here for the latest addition of “The Merrow pages” web magazine.
Produced courtesy of “The Merrow Pages”
Images of Old Merrow
Click here for a trip down Memory Lane.
Surrey Vinvolved
Philip Evans is working on a new volunteering project in Guildford and Waverley called Surrey Vinvolved. You may know him by his previous name Millennium Volunteers.
The project exists to create volunteering opportunities for young people in Surrey and then promote those opportunities amongst people aged 16-25 years old.
Philip's passion is to connect the skills and interests of young people with the needs of society in Surrey, and he would love to know from you if there are volunteering opportunities or needs in your ward that he could follow up on. He is particularly interested to know about organisations in your area that would benefit from hosting volunteers.
In the recently released document, Manifesto for Change, the government stated that we can achieve a level of reciprocal enrichment with volunteering. The volunteer and those hosting the volunteer can therefore both benefit from this kind of venture.
If you are interested please contact Philip Evans,Youth Volunteer Advisor, on Guildford 303874. The website is www.surreyvinvolved.org
Philip Evans | Youth Volunteer Advisor | Surrey vinvolved Midwey House, Wharf Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 4RP | 01483 303874 | Philip.evans@ymcaredhill.com | www.surreyvinvolved.org
ST. JOHN’S WEDNESDAY COFFEE CLUB
Volunteers needed to drive club members to St John’s Centre. It just requires a couple of hours of your time once a month. A cheerful smile and comprehensive car insurance are the main qualifications! For further information please telephone Rosanne Bond on 579462
Maybe you would prefer to make coffee for our members on a 5 weekly basis. Please contact Doreen Yaxley on 561151 for more details.
Your help would be appreciated greatly by our club members.
Free bus travel from 9am
Residents aged 60 or over and eligible disabled people who live in Guildford Borough will now be able to travel for free on local buses from 9am from 1 April.
From 1 April 2008 the way free bus travel operates for elderly and disabled residents will change, as the Government's new bus permit scheme comes into effect.
To be eligible for a Guildford Borough Council bus permit applicants must live in the Borough of Guildford and must be aged 60 or over or an eligible disabled person. People living outside the borough must apply to the borough or district council in which they live.
Government funding is supposed to support free bus travel anywhere in the country for eligible residents from 9.30am, but in Guildford Borough Council's case the funding arrangements are such that the council tax payer has to make a significant contribution to achieve this.
Guildford Borough Council and other Surrey districts have decided to fund an enhanced scheme starting from 9am.
From 1 April travel for disabled residents will be free at any time without restriction, and for elderly residents during the week from 9.00am until 11pm and anytime at weekends. Currently the scheme is only for free travel within Surrey.
For more information visit www.guildford.gov.uk/BusPermits or call 01483 444823 / 4.
Occam Singers gave a concert in aid of Medical Aid for Romania, at Holy Trinity Church on 10th May.
The programme included music Scarlatti's settingof the Dixit Dominus,
and the St Cecilia Mass. The New London Sinfomia played Albinoni's
Adagio for Strings.
Watch this space for their next performance.
Further details and booking arrangements can be found at http://www.occamsingers.co.uk/public/concerts.htm
A new sign for Merrow Village
During the summer, MRA refurbished the Merrow Village Signpost on the green opposite the Village Hall and we hope you will agree that it’s looking good! As well as being in a more prominent position, the signpost has been replaced and secured on a plinth. The added hanging baskets make our village identity a welcoming sight for all to see.
We are most grateful to local business, CANCOM – Apple Computers and iPods, Services and Training - of Merrow Business Park, which has sponsored the Village Sign by paying for its public liability insurance.
Max Wright, the CEO of CANCOM said that he was delighted to be able to support the community and hopes to have a mutually beneficial relationship with MRA.
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St Thomas of Canterbury Primary School
Sale of Playing Field
St Thomas of Canterbury Primary School has now received permission from the Secretary of State for Education and Science to sell approximately half of their Greencroft playing field, which lies at the back of Horseshoe Lane West. MRA wrote a letter of objection as it considers it shortsighted to raise money to improve sporting facilities by selling existing outdoor space. It would be preferable to retain the land and find better ways to expand its use within the school and the local community, as once sold for development the land is lost forever. Since that time the MRA has met the Governors and the Headmaster to discuss the proposal. Another meeting is planned when respective diaries permit. We understand that the Governors have decided to sell the land for development by tender. It is clear that local residents are not only concerned at this possible development but also at the increased traffic that it would engender. In addition there are real concerns in Horseshoe Lane West at traffic congestion during school hours and that cars are being parked all over the place and on the pavements which only exacerbates an existing problem. Discussions on the issue are ongoing but there appear to be no easy solutions.
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North Downs Landscape
Restoration
and Enhancement Project
CONSERVATION WORK
Merrow Volunteers Work Update
Click for more photographs of Removal of Ash trees on Merrow Downs
to encourage floral undergrowth.
Click for more photographs of Hazel tree planting on Merrow Downs with the help of Duke of Edinburgh students.
The volunteers have been very busy carrying out conservation work in the Merrow area. In January we started a new project working in an area of woodland on the edge of Guildford Golf course. The woodland consists mostly of coppiced hazel and supports the rare dormouse. We set about clearing some small ash trees that were starting to shade out the ground flora and Guildford Golf Club kindly helped us out by clearing some of the larger trees.
In February we were working in Merrow Woods removing deer protection which the volunteers had put up around hazel they had coppiced a few years ago. Merrow Woods is a superb bit of woodland with bluebells and hazel coppice being a feature. Over the years holly has become over dominant, shading out other plants. So, undeterred by the prickly nature of holly we set about cutting some of it down. When we started all you could see was thick, dense, holly but after we had finished the woodland was transformed, you can now see the impressive old hazel coppice and a carpet of bluebells, it proved to be a very satisfying days work.
Spring is well on its way now and the task this month was back on Merrow Down planting young hazel trees where the ash had been cleared. Hopefully in years to come these will grow up to continue to provide the perfect habitat not only for the dormouse but other wildlife too.
WALKING FOR HEALTH
Can
you lead the way? Would you be willing to take a small group of
walkers on a regular week day morning in the Merrow area?Open
to all members of the community. These hour long walks are designed
to promote health and social interaction. Volunteers will receive
appropriate training in leading walks and first aid. The commitment
can be as little or as much as you can give.
Interested?
If so call Jo on 01483 534706 or email jo@acsurrey.org.uk
Supported by:
Age
Concern Surrey and the Healthy Living Project.
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Guildford in Bloom
Merrow shopkeepers and the Allotment Society have again been generous in their support. Despite weather conditions, the hanging baskets were a colourful and very welcome addition along the parade of Merrow shop fronts. Thank you to Savills Dry Cleaners, Merrow Dental Practice, William Hill, Capelli, Debra, BP Garage, Alliance Chemist, Casa Bella, Lloyds TSB, Gascoigne & Pees and the former La Boulangerie.
The Italia Conti Dance School and estate agents Meldrum Salter Edgley joined with the MRA in sponsoring the large flower tubs on the Epsom Road fronting the Horse and Groom to provide a beautiful show of plants throughout the year which have been enjoyed by all.
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Linskey is the local Police Community Support Officer for Merrow
. Her role is to provide reassurance and reduce crime and the fear
of crime by providing high visibility patrols. She
says “I am here to work with you, and help with any issues
or concerns you have within your community. You will often see me
walking around Merrow so please feel free to approach me to say
hello or to discuss any issues you have, or please contact me on
10587@surrey.pnn.police.uk
”.
HAVE YOUR SAY
MERROW NEIGHBOURHOOD OPEN FORUM
2008 MEETINGS
VENUES – St John’s Church Hall or Methodist Church, Bushy Hill Drive
TIME – 7.30pm – 8.30 pm
DATES –
22 October – Methodist Church
Come to a meeting and tells us any concerns you may have; vote on the issues; and let us know the priorities.
You
can sign up to receive an email newsletter of details of recent
crimes in Merrow, public meetings to discuss local police priorities,
Neighbourhood Watch matters and other news items by emailing merrownews@yahoogroups.com
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Merrow
Park and Ride
As time goes on local residents are asking why the road works in the Epsom Road costing around £1 million were ever started. A year later all further work is still frozen while an archaeological dig is carried out on the proposed golf course. During the past few months 104 trenches have been dug and we are informed that a few interesting artefacts have been found! However, negotiations with the developer are still not concluded even though they are apparently paying for the archaeological study. Only when this work is finished and all agreements with GBC are in place can further construction proceed. It would seem unrealistic to expect any work to start before the New Year.
There is talk of a further Park and Ride Site being considered in the Worplesdon area and we understand further details may be released in the next month or so.
It is reported that Clayment Ltd,
the golf course developer involved in the Merrow Park and Ride
scheme, has made a preplanning approach to GBC to reduce the course
from 18 holes to 9 holes with 3 practice holes. The developer
is helping to fund the park and ride scheme, and officers at GBC
have said that alterations to the golf course layout cannot change
the funding agreements which have already been reached. Merrow
councillor Sheridan Westlake has voiced concerns that any changes
in plans may expose the area to applications for infill housing.
MRA has previously expressed grave disquiet to GBC relating to
any reductions in the size and scope of the proposed golf course.
We will be monitoring these developments very closely and looking
for guarantees that green belt status will be retained for the
whole site.
Work started on the new golf course in February 2008.
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MERROW DRAMATIC SOCIETY
Presents
LET’S MURDER MARSHA
By Monk Ferris
AT
THE ELECTRIC THEATRE, GUILDFORD
Box Office: 01483 444789
Wed 29th Oct - Sat 1st Nov 7.45pm
£10 (£9 for bookings made before the 8th Oct)
(£8 concessions for students, Seniors and Friends)
Click here for M. D. S. News.
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Badminton Club
is a very
active club playing badminton on Tuesdays and Thursdays every week
from September to April at St Peter's Catholic Comprehensive School
in Horseshoe Lane East. Play commences at 7.45 pm until 10.30 pm
on two courts in this fairly new sports hall at the school. The
two other courts are taken up by the Clandon Badminton Club. The
club enters mixed, men's and ladies' teams in the Guildford &
District Badminton League divisions, competing with other clubs
in the area. Summer badminton is played from the middle of May to
the middle of August.
Contact:
Nick Rayment (secretary) on: 01483 533895 n_rayment@yahoo.com |
MRA
Phone Mast Statement Click
here.
information for those residents who wish to object
to applications by phone mast companies such as O2, Orange, Hutchison
and Vodafone, for planning permission to erect masts in Merrow.
Cllr. Sheridan Westlake has pointed to a very interesting section in PPG8 (national planning guidance on masts) on permitted development rights. Please click here.
More
About Guildford an
excellent historical site, scroll down to find an article
that first appeared in the Surrey Advertiser on the history
of the Merrow POW camp.
EAST
GUILDFORD RESIDENTS' ASSOCIATION
MRA appreciates the support received through its membership of
EGRA. It has been invaluable on a number of occasion being able
to work with other neighbouring RAs.
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EGRA
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Merrow Neighbourhood Watch
Find Your nearest Neighbourhood Watch In Merrow
At
present there are 19 Neighbourhood Watch schemes operating in Merrow.
If you would like to join one of the schemes or start a new Neighbourhood
Watch Click
Here |
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Can you tick all the following?
1) Good listener [ ]
2) Parenting Experience [ ]
3) A few hours to spare [ ]
Fancy a change in the New Year?
Thinking about doing something different?
Come and join our friendly team of helpline volunteers
offering confidential telephone support to parents
and other family members in Surrey?
Based either at home or our office in Dorking,
flexible times and full training given.
To find out more about us
please ring Tracy on 01306 743233
Website: www.familyline.org.uk
Registered Charity No 1037462 
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