MERROW RESIDENTS' ASSOCIATION  your community voice

Thornchace School Public Consultation
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Dear Merrow Resident,

Following the previous information leaflet sent to you earlier this month which summarised the results of our recent public exhibition we are now writing to explain a number of the actions that we have taken as a result of this process to improve our development proposals following your comments.

We have considered and addressed where we reasonably can all of the comments made as part of the consultation process - we outline below some of the key areas where a number of local residents expressed similar principle concerns and how we have sought to address those. A Statement of Community Involvement will be submitted with the planning application which details all comments received from local residents and how they have been addressed.

Residents Request.

A number of requests were made to show a more detailed landscaping plan.

Berkeley Homes Action

Our Landscape Architect has prepared the attached landscaping plan which will accompany our planning application. Should we be successful in achieving a planning permission this plan will form part of the approved drawings and would be implemented in accordance with this. The plan demonstrates the additional planting that will be provided as part of this development should the scheme be approved. Planting has been primarily focused towards the important site boundaries and the open space areas.

Residents Request.

We received a number of requests for a street scene illustrating how the new entrance detail would look within the Grove Road street scene.

Berkeley Homes Action

Our architect has produced the attached illustration to show our proposals for this. Again it is intended that this will form part of our planning application such that the detail can be agreed now.

Residents Request.

A further point raised was the height of the proposed new buildings.

Berkeley Homes Action

We can confirm that the ridge heights of the proposed houses from finished floor level range from 8.864m to 9.724m. This is comparable to the existing height of the main Thornchace School building.

Residents Request.

The final question raised was over the management of the open space at the southern end of the site.

Berkeley Homes Action

It is our intention to maintain the ownership of this area initially. When the development is occupied a management company will then be established to cover the ongoing maintenance and management of this land together with the road and all other areas of the site not conveyed to purchasers. The management company will be governed by the future occupiers of the development site.

Clearly this area of land continues to retain its designation within the Guildford Local Plan as an area to be retained as open space and on this basis cannot be redeveloped.

We are intending to make our planning submission by the end of April, if you have any additional questions or points of clarification then please feel free to contact us.

Otherwise you will be notified during May by Guildford Borough Council that our application has been made and that it is available to view at their offices or on line. At this time you will have the opportunity to make comments of concern, objection or support of the application directly to the Council.

Thank you once again for your assistance in helping us to take on board your views.