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Surrey
Heath Borough Council Surrey Police Woking Area
Primary Care Trust Surrey County
Council |
NEWS
RELEASE |
Surrey
Heath Says No To More Development
On Wednesday 12th October 2005 at Full Council, Surrey Heath Borough Councillors
debated how much housing should be built in Surrey Heath between now and
2026. The Council discussed the proposals outlined in the document “The
South East Plan – the Future of Housing in Surrey” produced
by Surrey County Council.
Councillors recognised the need for new homes in Surrey Heath but were
concerned at the impact this could have on the Borough’s environment
- particularly the harm that more housing could cause to the large areas
of heathland in the Borough which is recognised by the European Union
as being internationally important.
At the same meeting Councillors debated the suggestion that the Farnborough/Aldershot/Camberley area should be designated as a Regional Transport Hub. Regional Transport Hubs are intended to be a focus for economic and housing development based around areas with good public transport. Councillors were again concerned over the impact of more growth on the local environment. They were also concerned that there were no transport reasons for declaring a Transport Hub in Farnborough/Aldershot/Camberley.
Councillor Pat Pearce, Portfolio Holder for Environment and the Economy, said, “The South East Regional Assembly has ignored our concern that building more housing will harm the environment. To now suggest that Camberley should be a Regional Transport Hub when all we have are poor train services on branch lines between Ascot and Guildford, Reading and Guildford and few frequent bus services outside of Camberley, is ridiculous. This is just another ploy to try and have more houses built in Surrey Heath and the Blackwater Valley.”
For further information about
the South East Plan please visit the Surrey Heath website www.surreyheath.gov.uk
– Look under ‘Planning’ and then ‘Local Development
Framework’ and then ‘The South East Plan’. Alternatively
please visit the SEERA website www.southeast-ra.gov.uk.
For further information or photographs contact:
Amanda Gow, Press & Communications Officer 01276 707312
Jenni Wheller, Communications Assistant 01276 707415
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