ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <title>Merrow Residents Association home</title> <meta name="keywords" content= "Merrow, Merrow Village, Merrow Residents Asssociation, Merrow Planning Applications, Merrow Socities, Merrow voice, Merrow community, Merrow social, Merrow environmental, Merrow and Guildford, Merrow Downs, Merrow Woods, Merrow history"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <style> .nav A { text-decoration: none; color:#FFFFFF; } </style> </head> <body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <table width="669" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#FFFF"> <!--DWLayoutTable--> <tr> <td width="138" height="76" valign="top" bgcolor="#009900"><img src="images/sign2.gif" width="130" height="74" align="left"></td> <td width="582" valign="top" bgcolor="#009900">&nbsp;&nbsp;<font size="+4" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font color="#FFFFFF" size="+2" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong><font size="+3">MERROW&nbsp;RESIDENTS'ASSOCIATION</font>&nbsp; </strong></font><font color="#FFFFFF" size="+3"><font color="#333333" size="6" face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><em>&nbsp;your community voice</em></font><em><font color="#333333" size="6" face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> for over 35 years</font></em></font></font></td> </tr> </tr> <tr> <td height="203" valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFCC"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="3" bgcolor="#FFFFCC" class="nav"> <!--DWLayoutTable--> <tr> <td height="22" align="center" bgcolor="#009900"><font color="#FFFFFF" size="2" face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong><a href="index.htm">Home</a></strong></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="22" align="center" bgcolor="#009900"><font color="#FFFFFF" size="2" face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong><a href="about.htm">About Us</a></strong></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="22" align="center" bgcolor="#009900"><font color="#FFFFFF" 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color="#FFFFFF" size="2" face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong><a href="warmemorial.htm">War Memorial </a></strong></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="22" align="center" bgcolor="#009900"><font color="#FFFFFF" size="2" face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong><a href="mailto:chairman@merrowresidents.org">Contact MRA </a></strong></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="75" valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFCC"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="3" cellpadding="0"> <!--DWLayoutTable--> <tr> <td width="132"><a href="about.htm"><img src="images/joinus2.gif" width="132" height="69" border="0"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="1232" valign="top"><!--DWLayoutEmptyCell-->&nbsp;</td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> </table> <td rowspan="3" valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFCC"><table width="100%" height="1075" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2"> <!--DWLayoutTable--> <tr> <td width="578" height="1204" align="center" valign="top"> <br> <table width="95%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td height="1052"><font size="3" face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong> <font size="2" face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <BR><CENTER><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="">The Merrow Residents Association says<BR> "DON T WRECK GUILDFORD"</CENTER></FONT></strong><br> <CENTER>This leaflet was produced by the Guildford Society and East Guildford Residents <BR> Association (EGRA), of which the MRA is a member, on behalf of those who value<BR> our town and want a dynamic Guildford with more housing for local needs, but who<BR> want to stop harmful expansion and over-development aimed at absorbing insatiable<BR> inward migration, largely from London overspill.<BR><BR> ..................................................<BR><BR> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="">TIME FOR EVERYONE TO SPEAK OUT!</CENTER></FONT><BR> <CENTER>The Government has launched a final consultation on the Plan for the South East Region<BR> which will determine Guildford s development for the next 20 years.<BR> We only have until October 24 to make our views known and change the Plans:</CENTER><BR><HR> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FF0000"><CENTER><U>GUILDFORD TO BE TURNED INTO A SUPER  REGIONAL HUB <BR> AND A  CENTRE FOR SIGNIFICANT CHANGE </U></FONT><BR> TARGETED FOR DRAMATIC HOUSING AND ECONOMIC GROWTH<BR> LINKED TO WOKING <BR> ( STRATEGIC GAP SEPARATING GUILDFORD AND WOKING TO BE SCRAPPED)<BR><BR> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FF0000">A STAGGERING 8,000-10,000 NEW HOMES IN OUR TOWN</FONT><BR><BR> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000">6,000+ NEW HIGH DENSITY HOMES CRAMMED INTO THE TOWN</FONT><BR> HARMING THE CHARACTER AND GREENNESS OF OUR COMMUNITIES<BR> +<BR> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000"><U>A VAST ESTATE OF 2,000+ HOMES (PLUS PROVISION FOR 2,110 MORE)</U><BR> <U>IN OUR MERROW AND BURPHAM GREEN BELT </U></FONT><BR> +<BR> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000">MAJOR INTENSIFICATION AND REDEVELOPMENT OF OUR TOWN CENTRE</FONT></CENTER><BR><BR><HR> <CENTER>Last summer, Inspectors increased Guildford s housing targets by 31% over the draft SE Plan.<BR> In this consultation, the Government proposes that these targets be regarded as a minimum.<BR>They want Guildford to undergo even more radical redevelopment even though they admit we<BR> suffer <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000"> infrastructure problems </FONT> and <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000"> congested and unreliable journeys </FONT>.<BR> Housing will be largely to accommodate inward migration from London.<BR> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000">This is not about sensitive provision of affordable housing to meet local needs.</FONT></CENTER><BR><BR> <CENTER><U><B><U>The Government s own assessment concludes the revised SE Plan will lead to:</U></B></U><BR> Increased <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000">road congestion </FONT>and <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000">rail overcrowding<BR> Affordability </FONT>continuing to <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000">deteriorate.</Font><BR> Development likely in areas of <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000">flood risk</FONT><BR> Likely <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000">negative effect on biodiversity and open spaces<BR> Exacerbation of existing problems </FONT> road congestion, water provision etc.<BR><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000">This could reduce the quality of life and make the region less attractive for business.</FONT></CENTER><BR> <HR> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR=""><CENTER>WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW?</FONT></CENTER><BR> <B>To try and prevent Guildford being irrevocably damaged, respond to the consultation ASAP - and well before the deadline of <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000">24 October 2008</FONT>. You can either:</B><BR><BR> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000">Complete the form below, cut off along the line and send to:</FONT> GOSE, at the address below.<BR>Or<BR> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000">If you want to respond in more detail</FONT> <A HREF="SEplanform.htm"> Click here </A> 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.<BR><BR> (For easier printing from MS Word Format; click <A HREF="297969_0_1[1].doc"> here for an Original </A> Comments Form, or <A HREF="SEPlanV2.doc">here for partly completed</A> Comments Forms.) <BR> <HR> <CENTER> <B>Key points you may wish to make are:</B></CENTER><BR> Ï% 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.<BR><BR> Ï% 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.<BR><BR><HR> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR=""><CENTER><I>Remember, if you do not reply you are supporting</I>:</CENTER></FONT><BR><BR> Ï% <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000">over 10,000 extra dwellings in Guildford, largely to meet the needs of London overspill</FONT><BR> Ï% <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000">development of green space between Guildford and Woking with housing estates!</FONT><BR><BR><BR><BR></CENTER> .................................................cut here.......................................................................<BR><BR><BR><BR> To: Regional Spatial Strategy Team, GOSE, Bridge House, 1 Walnut Tree Close, Guildford, GU1 4GA<BR><BR> <B>From: Name</B>...........................................<B>Address</B>.....................................<BR><BR> ............................................................................<B>Postcode</B>......................<BR><BR> <B>Please treat this as my response to the Proposed Changes to the Draft S.E. Plan.</B> <BR><BR> <B>Chap 4 (6): Regional Hubs - <U>Oppose</U></B> 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. <BR><BR> <B>Chap 7 (4): Housing Target - <U>Oppose</U></B> 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)). <U>This amounts to a plan for a minimum of 10,550 new homes in Guildford town including 4,110 dwellings in the Green Belt.</U> 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.<BR><BR> <B>Signature</B>................................................<B>Date</B>........................................... <BR><BR><BR> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3333FF">(To print this form: Simply Highlight the area required using your mouse Left Button and Drag from Top Left to Bottom Right.<BR><BR> Hold the "Ctrl" key down and press and release the "C" key - then release the "Ctrl" key. <BR>You will now have copied your highlighted area into a "clipboard". <BR><BR>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.)</FONT> </FORM> </body> </html>