Cobham Heritage

"Planning for the Future" Consultation

The Ministry for Housing and Local Government have recently published two papers for consultation. The first, which is now closed, was all about housing numbers and its flawed algorithm; we objected strongly to this consultation and over 100 of you wrote in and we discussed this fully with our MP.

The second is a more eclectic bunch of proposals endeavouring to make planning more simplified and speedier. As is often the case the devil lies in the detail. Adrian Wise, one of our planning officers, has studied these proposals carefully and believes they would be highly disadvantageous to us. There are three main areas we take strong issue with:

Categorising land into three zones

All land is categorised into three zones and to codify designs so that planning decisions can be made with less local involvement - from residents or councillors (in many cases no local involvement). This is intended to increase the number of planning permissions being granted and thus houses being built. Even plans that are not passed automatically will be fast-tracked – less deliberation and consideration to get decisions more hastily. We are against these changes as we believe that they will risk not only the conservation of the character of our area but also its heritage assets. Consideration of style and character must take precedence over haste.

Contributions to local infrastructure levy

It is also proposed to exempt projects of fewer than 50 homes from contributions to local infrastructure, affordable home provision, etc. This would exempt the majority of development in Elmbridge from such contributions, the opposite of what is required. Elmbridge needs far more investment in infrastructure and far more affordable homes – now is not the time to starve them of the funds for each of these.

Enshrining the Algorithm into an Act of Parliament

Some aspects of this concentration are designed to enshrine the 'mutant algorithm', to set house building targets, into an act of Parliament. If this algorithm or similar were adopted (and we remain hopeful it will not be), making it law would make it even harder to change it in future. We remain adamantly opposed to this algorithm - the prospect of making it even harder to repeal should we not succeed, should be resisted.

You can read the full consultation here and you can read our response here. If you agree with our analysis please consider submitting a response via email to

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

as there is so much detail, if it is easier for you, please cut and paste from our response into your email.

Please note the closing date for responses is 11.45pm Thursday 29th October 2020.

Next Cobham Heritage Litter Pick - Sun 8th Nov 2020

IMG 3128 adj w300 Thank you so much to those of you who as a group collected so much litter in such a short period of time from around Cobham on Sunday 27 September 2020 (see photo) as well as those individuals who are litterpicking on such a regular basis.

The next Cobham Conservation and Heritage Trust litterpick will be at 2 p.m. on Sunday 8 November 2020, meeting at the corner of Downside Common and Downside Road (subject to the limitations below).

Government restrictions in place in relation to Covid continue to limit numbers to 6 people at the moment (including the organiser). If you would like to take part, please email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Others who would like to do their own private litterpick on their own or in pairs can also contact me to arrange loan of the equipment below. And please do get in touch - there is always scope for more volunteers and certainly more litter to pick!

High viz jackets, litter pickers and bin bags will be provided. However, participants are urged to take personal responsibility and bring their own gloves and discretionary face coverings as well as hand sanitiser and or course to maintain social distancing.

It remains an invaluable community service and I look forward to as many participants as possible.

Thank you and best wishes
Laurence Wells

Cobham Heritage Day Treasurer Vacancy

We are looking for a new treasurer for Cobham Heritage Day 2021.

If you would like to be part of this great community event and can spare a few hours as and when to manage our income and expenditure I would like to hear from you.

The Treasurer is on the Heritage Day Committee and we have monthly meetings from March to September.

Please apply to Elizabeth Kennedy This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Mobile: 07711 958960

Protect our Green Belt in Elmbridge & respond to the Planning Changes Consultation

You will have read in the press about the Government’s new 10 year housing strategy which is out for consultation. The new 10 year target for Elmbridge will be 7,733 dwellings – nearly 25% higher than the previous figure of 6,230 which we and others have already disputed as unrealistic, unjustifiable and unrequired. The previous figure could have meant destroying over 800 acres of Green Belt while the new proposals could destroy nearly 1,000 acres and much of this will be in the Cobham and Oxshott area. Our communities would simply not be able to sustain this level of development and the existing infrastructure can’t cope with what we have at the moment let alone what is now planned. The proposals would give builders and developers carte blanche. The algorithm used by the government takes the overall housing number the government wants for the country and skews it towards building in the more expensive areas like ours. Furthermore, all this can be enacted by simply publishing new regulations to local authorities with no voting nor debates.

House building is now being wholly divorced from housing need. The ONS households forecast for Elmbridge has been going down (for 2030 there are now forecast to be 2,523 compared with 3,643 only two years ago and 4,519 two years before that). So, the government’s new proposals will require more than three times the number of houses to be built in Elmbridge than the population trends indicate are needed.

The PR accompanying these proposed changes is deceptive. This says the Green Belt is being protected but the truth is that it will not be protected if there is pressure to reclassify it for housing. With that change to the Green Belt all its protection could be lost.

The Consultation document can be read here and Adrian Wise, one of our planning officers, has done a brilliant job analysing everything and has extracted all the questions asked in the Consultation, preparing answers which can be downloaded here. This detailed response document can be used as the basis for your response to the consultation.

The Trust will be responding to the Consultation and we hope that other local organisations and individuals will do so as well. Also, our planning team and I are meeting our MP, Dominic Raab, to explain our concerns in the strongest terms and to make clear to him the strength of local feeling.

To help change this policy we urgently need your support in two ways:

Please send an email to us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. expressing your strong concerns. We shall collate these emails and send them in advance of our meeting to Dominic Raab.
Please send a response to this consultation to Government. We encourage you to send the detailed response document provided as an attachment to your email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. as soon as possible. The closing date is 30th September 2020.

Thank you for your support as we simply cannot allow these proposals to go unchallenged. They would destroy our communities as we know them forever.

View/Download the Consultation Document

Download Detailed Response Document

Gerry Acher
Chairman

Potential 160+ House Development on Local Green Belt fields

We are concerned at the potential risk from planning applications to all Green Belt, and we are firmly opposing any Green Belt development in Elmbridge BC's Local Plan.

There is a possible risk of a 160+ house development on Green Belt fields on the borders of Stoke d'Abernon and Oxshott - immediately east of Blundel Lane north and south of Waverley Road.

A local residents group BluWav have set up an online petition against this development which so far has already attracted over 2,000 signatures. If you would like to show support and sign this it can be accessed at www.change.org/p/our-green-belt-is-under-threat

More details are available by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Duck Feed Available at the reopened Princess Alice Hospice Shop

here comes lunch With lock-down easing, we are delighted that the Princess Alice Hospice Trust shop (PAH) has reopened in Cobham and has restocked on healthy, nutritious duck feed for our feathered friends at Riverhill.

Be minded that, as recommended by the Canal & River Trust amongst others, a balanced diet as provided by the duck feed supplied by the Cobham Conservation and Heritage Trust and sold by the PAH, is better for the ducks and better for the Eco System of Riverhill. Also bear in mind that the packaging is compostable and recyclable and, like all other litter, should be taken home and recycled or composted responsibly.

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Welcome

The Cobham Conservation and Heritage Trust (CCHT) was relaunched in November 2005 from the Cobham Conservation Group. You can find out more about the Trust on the About Us page.

We hope you enjoy exploring our website and find the information interesting and stimulating and if you are not already a member that this will spur you on to join and support us. Click on the Membership menu for more details.

Become a Volunteer with Cobham Heritage

The Cobham Conservation and Heritage Trust is a local charity which relies on vounteers to help run the Trust, promote local history and conservation issues and organise fund raising events such as our annual Cobham Heritage Day. If you think you might like to join us, visit our Volunteer Vacancies page to find out which roles you might like to get involved with. We always try to make it fun.

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