Surrey's green belt battle
The battle for Priest Hill is about to begin as environmentalists and neighbours oppose a development bid for planning permission to build 90 homes on a Green Belt site in Ewell, near Epsom.
Surrey county councillor and Epsom and Ewell councillor Nigel Petrie pointed out that the Government are intending to restructure Green Belt planning laws, enabling them to take large sections of these protected open spaces between cities and rural areas for homes.
"If any part of this goes for development the rest will go... other acres in our borough, smallholding land adjoining Priest Hill and fronting Reigate Road and land on the other side, could also be developed."
Nigel Petrie, Surrey County Council
Councillor Petrie continued: "Priest Hill, the largest field in the Domesday Book, is one of the most significant areas in the Green Belt round London.
"Traffic arising from the proposed development cannot be adequately accommodated within the surrounding highway infrastructure."
Combined Counties Ltd is so determined to win public approval for its proposals that it staged an exhibition at Bourne Hall.
Public feedback was mixed but those who supported the proposals had the view that some building on the site was inevitable.
The 90 houses are intended to be close to Ewell East railway station, but opponents point to land on the other side of Banstead Road bordering the east of the site.
Should housing be allowed on Priest Hill, developers might then have a better chance of building on the land opposite.
Source: IC Surrey
Date: Tuesday 10th January, 2006
