Stand up for Haslemere’s precious AONB woodland and meadows!
Haslemere South Residents Association is open to all and is dedicated to building a positive community life and protecting the unique and precious landscapes, specifically the wildlife-rich wooded green meadows and the wide range of protected of species in the lands that form the border with Blackdown and the South Downs National Park to the South of Haslemere.
The Planning Application has been Submitted
See The Planning Page for advice of submitting your comments
Say your goodbyes to all but 4 of these beautiful trees to make way for profit in Developer's pocket from Somerset.
The Redwood (Southwest) Ltd development plan for Red Court is now a live Planning Application. To obtain the full document set please go to Waverley site or search Waverley WA/2020/1213). This is a major development in Haslemere’s protected green spaces which we do not believe can be completed in an acceptable way. The proposed development will have severe negative impacts on landscape, biodiversity, transport, heritage and infrastructure given the site’s location.
For really obvious reasons, the development site is designated as an Area of Great Landscape Value (AGLV) which Waverley’s policy requires be protected on the same basis as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) for planning purposes. In addition, the site sits outside the town’s Settlement Boundary and nearly 90% of Haslemere residents surveyed by Haslemere Vision did not want large developments like this outside the Settlement Boundary. This whole area must be protected or Haslemere will lose to urbanisation a large section of its green surrounding ring made up of AGLV, AONB and National Trust countryside.
In the same way that we benefit from prior generations’ protection of Haslemere’s countryside – Robert Hunter’s vision in founding the National Trust here – so we too should continue to protect it from being destroyed in pursuit of the financial ambitions of commercial developers, their agents and investors.
HSRA calls on all town and borough councillors to reject this planning application. The Neighbourhood Plan clearly envisages development with appropriate densities inside the Settlement Boundary or on brownfield sites in order to meet Haslemere’s housing needs.
Haslemere and Waverley Councils have pledged to take action on climate change and declared an emergency to protect our natural environment – approving the destruction of our open green spaces would be a violation of that pledge and an outrage in the minds of our children and grandchildren.
Wildlife
The proposed development site has been fallow for 20 years or so and has built up many nests and roosts for all the wildlife which crosses over from the South Downs into the fields. The top field suggested as the highest density of housing actually has the highest wildlife count because it is on the crest where all the animals feel safe and can freely move about.
Species currently present on site, extracted and confirmed from the Engain report (eg17812.002) are listed below. HSRA do not dispute any of these finding but do suggest there are actually additional animals in residence and some in higher volumes.[BJ1]
Local residents also Report
However many artificial attempts are made by a developer to keep some species present on a housing estate, the ecological value and biodiversity of this site will self-evidently be lost forever.
For really obvious reasons, the development site is designated as an Area of Great Landscape Value (AGLV) which Waverley’s policy requires be protected on the same basis as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) for planning purposes. In addition, the site sits outside the town’s Settlement Boundary and nearly 90% of Haslemere residents surveyed by Haslemere Vision did not want large developments like this outside the Settlement Boundary. This whole area must be protected or Haslemere will lose to urbanisation a large section of its green surrounding ring made up of AGLV, AONB and National Trust countryside.
In the same way that we benefit from prior generations’ protection of Haslemere’s countryside – Robert Hunter’s vision in founding the National Trust here – so we too should continue to protect it from being destroyed in pursuit of the financial ambitions of commercial developers, their agents and investors.
HSRA calls on all town and borough councillors to reject this planning application. The Neighbourhood Plan clearly envisages development with appropriate densities inside the Settlement Boundary or on brownfield sites in order to meet Haslemere’s housing needs.
Haslemere and Waverley Councils have pledged to take action on climate change and declared an emergency to protect our natural environment – approving the destruction of our open green spaces would be a violation of that pledge and an outrage in the minds of our children and grandchildren.
Wildlife
The proposed development site has been fallow for 20 years or so and has built up many nests and roosts for all the wildlife which crosses over from the South Downs into the fields. The top field suggested as the highest density of housing actually has the highest wildlife count because it is on the crest where all the animals feel safe and can freely move about.
Species currently present on site, extracted and confirmed from the Engain report (eg17812.002) are listed below. HSRA do not dispute any of these finding but do suggest there are actually additional animals in residence and some in higher volumes.[BJ1]
- Dormice (Protected)
- Badgers
- Slow worms (Multiple nests – Protected )
- Grass snakes
- All the common migratory and resident birds, too many to list
- Passerines family of birds including firecrests
- Bats, majority are Pipistrelles but serotines and noctules Brown long-eared bats are all present, the same as in Swan Barn.
- Woodpeckers; (green plus L & G spotted woodpeckers)
- Owls - Long eared, Barn & Tawny
Local residents also Report
- Hedgehogs
- 2 family harem of Pheasants
- Voles
- Shrews
- Toads
- Green snakes
- Sand Lizards
However many artificial attempts are made by a developer to keep some species present on a housing estate, the ecological value and biodiversity of this site will self-evidently be lost forever.
Haslemere and Hindhead, could soon be adopted into the South Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
The Surrey Hills AONB board proposes to extend the Surrey Hills area which will include the AGLV Red Court area
The Suffolk coasts and Heaths were recently granted AONB and our area will be considered imminently by the secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs (DEFRA).
>> See our AONB Page <<
The Surrey Hills AONB board proposes to extend the Surrey Hills area which will include the AGLV Red Court area
The Suffolk coasts and Heaths were recently granted AONB and our area will be considered imminently by the secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs (DEFRA).
>> See our AONB Page <<
Supporting the local community while protecting the green AONB around us which makes Haslemere the Town it is.
Serious threat to Haslemere’s unique countryside:
Developers plan a gateway of urbanisation to South Downs National Park!
Protecting the environment and wildlife – the so-called “extinction emergency” – is a critical priority for action at a global, national and local level. They are top of this generation’s agenda and our children’s. But Haslemere’s green spaces are being targeted on an unprecedented scale. The countryside that connects Haslemere to the Surrey Hills and South Downs National Park is under threat from development. After the swathe of Haslemere’s land at Sturt Farm was approved for urbanisation, yet another Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is at risk, south of the High Street; a massive housing estate off the Midhurst Road and Scotland Lane, with close to 200 houses, is soon to be proposed.
Serious threat to Haslemere’s unique countryside:
Developers plan a gateway of urbanisation to South Downs National Park!
Protecting the environment and wildlife – the so-called “extinction emergency” – is a critical priority for action at a global, national and local level. They are top of this generation’s agenda and our children’s. But Haslemere’s green spaces are being targeted on an unprecedented scale. The countryside that connects Haslemere to the Surrey Hills and South Downs National Park is under threat from development. After the swathe of Haslemere’s land at Sturt Farm was approved for urbanisation, yet another Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is at risk, south of the High Street; a massive housing estate off the Midhurst Road and Scotland Lane, with close to 200 houses, is soon to be proposed.
Why is it important?
There are some key reasons why this is so very important:
There are some key reasons why this is so very important:
protected and rare Slow worm
1. Jeopardising wildlife. The land in question is not only within Surrey Hills AONB, but is also protected under the Wealden Heath II SPA Zone. It is an irreplaceable natural community asset, home to vulnerable and endangered wildlife, a biodiversity habitat of wood and trees species. There are specific laws protecting this wildlife area which must be respected.
Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. Priority Species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework
Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. Priority Species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework
One of the fields under threat
2. Destroying landscape. We must not betray the vision for nature handed down from generation to generation of Haslemere residents and that we all enjoy. Haslemere’s forefather, Robert Hunter, had a vision to protect the surrounds of the town and founded the National Trust on our doorstep. Later, residents pooled their land and resources to extend the areas of National Trust land from Devil’s Punch Bowl, in the north, to Blackdown to the south, encircling the town with glorious protected areas of outstanding natural beauty. Do we want to allow that land to be ripped back from nature and given over to buildings and tarmac?
 Bottled Water collection 2018
3. Overloading infrastructure. If the development is allowed to proceed, not only will there be at least 180 houses, but on the national average, nearly 500 cars will be added to the small lanes and car parks of Haslemere; congestion and pollution will increase, not to mention risks to pedestrians. Separately, the demand on an already fragile water supply for the town and run-off flooding towards the Midhurst Road will be extreme.
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Scotland Lane flood on 14 Oct 19 with stalled delivery Van. Deepest seen to date.
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What is HSRA’s position?
Haslemere South Residents Association (HSRA) was established in 2018 to bring the community together to preserve the amenities of South Haslemere and support its community. Currently, our number one priority is to resist any development on the green spaces, most importantly the current proposals on the former Red Court estate. We seek to unite the local residents and ensure our voice is heard by Waverley Borough Council, and by our local Haslemere Town Councillors.
HSRA fully endorses endowments and provision for the community, such as for the scouts and schools, but we also believe that such arrangements should not come with strings attached, especially when they are the erosion of the essence of Haslemere and its surroundings. Recently the developer made their ‘gift’ to the Scouts and school contingent on support for their large housing estate, and will only be ‘given’ if and when planning permission to build 180 houses is granted.
The developer has also tried to use CPRE’s call for greater schoolchildren access to the countryside as a reason to lay concrete over 35 acres of that very countryside, conveniently ignoring the fact that CPRE has written to object to the development! In our view, there is absolutely nothing to stop any organisation giving open access to its land to the Scouts and schoolchildren, if it truly cares about their needs.
Where are our elected councillors in all this?
Waverley BC is in the middle of its local planning policy review. Last year it chose to exclude all AONB from development allocation but in a blatant contradiction of its own policy, allowed this single plot of land, termed DS-15 in their Local Plan, a candidate for AONB status, to be included. Our previous Town Council expressed support for this allocation in the draft local plan, but now this is under a new consultation we hope that the new Town Council members will listen to the community and oppose such a large single development and opt for urban or Brownfield sites only within the Settlement Boundary as depicted in the current 2020 Plan .
Our newly-reconstituted Councils now face significant public frustration and desire for change. The need to meet housing allocations across the borough must be achieved with a strategic perspective that does not resort to opportunistic nature-asset stripping. We do not believe Waverley should be complicit in allowing property developers to poach and profit from Haslemere’s prime AONB or AGLV when other more appropriate sites exist.
Who else cares about this?
Natural England, Campaign for Rural England (CPRE) and Surrey Hills have all recommended that this particular land, with its great landscape value and fundamental to Haslemere’s National Park setting, should be removed from Waverley’s Local Plan altogether. Their written submissions have so far been ignored by both the developer and Waverley BC.
It is not inevitable that AONB is built on nor is it inevitable that the green spaces around Haslemere, including Red Court, have to be surrendered to the bulldozer. It is precisely in order to protect these areas that national and local policies exist and that the public is properly given the opportunity to express its views.
Your countryside NEEDS YOU!!
Approval decisions are for Waverley BC and the Planning Inspectorate, but the Town Council and the public have a voice! Join HSRA and register your protest!
In order to challenge any large scale development on AONB outside the Settlement Boundary, we have established a collective fighting fund. The money raised pays for our own technical experts who can counter the experts of the developer and their team. The top priorities are legal, planning and landscape specialists. After that, environmental (biodiversity and wildlife), transport and heritage reports will be commissioned. Experts’ fees will range from £1,500 to £10,000 each and so we need donations from as many local residents as possible. We have already engaged a law firm and landscape consultant who have started preparing our arguments and we are phasing the use of funds according to the best moments to ensure our submissions have maximum impact:
What you can do?
Once our AONB is lost, it is gone forever. Stand up for Haslemere’s unique countryside!
Haslemere South Residents Association (HSRA) was established in 2018 to bring the community together to preserve the amenities of South Haslemere and support its community. Currently, our number one priority is to resist any development on the green spaces, most importantly the current proposals on the former Red Court estate. We seek to unite the local residents and ensure our voice is heard by Waverley Borough Council, and by our local Haslemere Town Councillors.
HSRA fully endorses endowments and provision for the community, such as for the scouts and schools, but we also believe that such arrangements should not come with strings attached, especially when they are the erosion of the essence of Haslemere and its surroundings. Recently the developer made their ‘gift’ to the Scouts and school contingent on support for their large housing estate, and will only be ‘given’ if and when planning permission to build 180 houses is granted.
The developer has also tried to use CPRE’s call for greater schoolchildren access to the countryside as a reason to lay concrete over 35 acres of that very countryside, conveniently ignoring the fact that CPRE has written to object to the development! In our view, there is absolutely nothing to stop any organisation giving open access to its land to the Scouts and schoolchildren, if it truly cares about their needs.
Where are our elected councillors in all this?
Waverley BC is in the middle of its local planning policy review. Last year it chose to exclude all AONB from development allocation but in a blatant contradiction of its own policy, allowed this single plot of land, termed DS-15 in their Local Plan, a candidate for AONB status, to be included. Our previous Town Council expressed support for this allocation in the draft local plan, but now this is under a new consultation we hope that the new Town Council members will listen to the community and oppose such a large single development and opt for urban or Brownfield sites only within the Settlement Boundary as depicted in the current 2020 Plan .
Our newly-reconstituted Councils now face significant public frustration and desire for change. The need to meet housing allocations across the borough must be achieved with a strategic perspective that does not resort to opportunistic nature-asset stripping. We do not believe Waverley should be complicit in allowing property developers to poach and profit from Haslemere’s prime AONB or AGLV when other more appropriate sites exist.
Who else cares about this?
Natural England, Campaign for Rural England (CPRE) and Surrey Hills have all recommended that this particular land, with its great landscape value and fundamental to Haslemere’s National Park setting, should be removed from Waverley’s Local Plan altogether. Their written submissions have so far been ignored by both the developer and Waverley BC.
It is not inevitable that AONB is built on nor is it inevitable that the green spaces around Haslemere, including Red Court, have to be surrendered to the bulldozer. It is precisely in order to protect these areas that national and local policies exist and that the public is properly given the opportunity to express its views.
Your countryside NEEDS YOU!!
Approval decisions are for Waverley BC and the Planning Inspectorate, but the Town Council and the public have a voice! Join HSRA and register your protest!
In order to challenge any large scale development on AONB outside the Settlement Boundary, we have established a collective fighting fund. The money raised pays for our own technical experts who can counter the experts of the developer and their team. The top priorities are legal, planning and landscape specialists. After that, environmental (biodiversity and wildlife), transport and heritage reports will be commissioned. Experts’ fees will range from £1,500 to £10,000 each and so we need donations from as many local residents as possible. We have already engaged a law firm and landscape consultant who have started preparing our arguments and we are phasing the use of funds according to the best moments to ensure our submissions have maximum impact:
- Immediate – to seek to withdraw the allocation of any AONB or AONB-candidate land for development in the next draft of Waverley’s Local Plan.
- Summer 2020 – written submissions and experts’ reports to be submitted during Waverley’s statutory 6 week consultation on the next draft Local Plan (assuming it includes at least some of the Red Court estate for development) and/or during consultation on any planning permission submitted by pre- or post- finalisation of the Local Plan.
- Autumn – potential public hearings before the independent planning inspector, including legal and other experts.
- Winter – potential appeals (either by the developer or by HSRA) depending on the planning inspector’s decision.
What you can do?
- Donate
- Join the conversation and make your feelings known
- Twitter: @haslemeresouth
- Facebook: @haslemeresouth
- Instagram: @scotlands_lane_oak
Once our AONB is lost, it is gone forever. Stand up for Haslemere’s unique countryside!