Bookhams Residents' Association
Working for Bookham since 1926
Your Residents' Association
The Bookhams Residents’ Association (BRA) is a voluntary membership organisation that is open to all residents and is independent of all political parties.
The purpose of the BRA is to provide a consultative link between residents with councillors, public authorities and utility services.
The BRA also co-ordinates voluntary services such as litter picking, Tree Wardens, High Street Christmas lights and hanging baskets.
If you would like to join the team and help to keep Bookham a village for all to enjoy please get in touch.
Note: The BRA is not directly involved with the cultural and entertainment life of the village. These are provided by our colleagues at the Bookham Community Association at the Old Barn Hall.
Preston Farm planning application
Site officially known as: Land north of Lower Road and west of Little Bookham Street.
9th May 2024
The representation stage of this planning application has now closed. MVDC have advised that the Applicant (Thakenham Homes) has submitted additional information.
The BRA Planning Team has examined this additional information in close detail and has found nothing that has led us to amend the views and statements set out in our initial Letter of Representation dated 20th March 2024, where we strongly objected to the proposed development.
The BRA Planning team have yet again produced a robust, detailed and validated response which you can view here:
Preston Farm is neither required to meet housing targets under ED71A nor is wanted by the residents of Bookham.
Over 200 residents have submitted Letters of Representation to MVDC with top themes being:
Traffic
Removal of Preston Farm from the Green Belt
Flooding and surface water
Over-development of housing along the Lower Road
Lack of adequate infrastructure such as doctors, dentists, social services.
BRA Concerns over HMG Inspector's Local Plan Report
3rd October 2024
The Government Inspector has completed her report on the Future Mole Valley Local plan and on October 15th MVDC will meet to decide on whether it will adopt the Plan incorporating the 92 major modifications recommended by the Inspector. There are items that we raised with the Inspector that do not appear to have been fully taken into account, in part due some of them having been challenged by MVDC to our disappointment. We are requesting that Local Bookham Counsellors who will be attending the Council Meeting take account of the matters that we remain concerned about when speaking to the motion to adopt the Plan and in how they vote.
The key points within the Inspector’s recommendations include:
A change to the plan period (from 2037 to 2039)
A requirement to review the plan after three years
Changes to the climate change policies to reflect changes in national and county policy,
Changes to the heritage policy,
A revised site boundary for the Land North West of Preston Farm allocation
Whilst we anticipate that the Council will likely adopt the Plan as recommended, the government are preparing a revised National Planning Policy Framework that may have impacts on what is in the Local plan and will be a factor that will influence the Plan update in three years’ time.
Publication of HMG Inspector's report in to the Mole Valley Local Plan 2020 - 2039
20th September 2024
The Planning Inspector examining the Mole Valley Local Plan 2020-2039 has published her report (in accordance with the Section 20(8) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (2004, as amended) and Regulation 25 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012).
The Mole Valley Local Plan sets out the vision and objectives for the district between 2022 and 2039. It covers the geographical area of Mole Valley district, provides the strategy for development for the next 15 years, contains policies to guide the determination of planning applications and allocates sites for development.
The Inspector’s Report concludes that, subject to the Main Modifications, the Mole Valley Local Plan is sound and legally compliant and forms an appropriate basis for planning within the district.
New Bookham Youth & Community Centre: Will it be finally built? Some good news!
Update: September 2024
The BYCA and BRA have been working together and with MVDC and SCC to get the new, and long overdue, Youth Centre built in Bookham. We promised to provide updates to keep Residents in touch with developments, and we now have three pieces of encouraging news.
First - SCC, which is funding the building of the Centre, has completed the design stage of the project with input from the BYCA, the Bookham Youth Project (BYP) and the BRA.
Second - Back in May 2021 MVDC granted Outline Planning approval to SCC to build the new Centre on a corner of the Lower Rd recreation ground. Sadly, various delays meant that approval expired. However SCC’s Officers tell us that they will be seeking planning permission for the new Youth Centre this Autumn.
Third - The new single floor Centre will still be situated on the Lower Rd Recreation Ground. MVDC, which owns the land, has worked with SCC to agree terms of a lease. The BYCA will manage the new Centre, on a sub-lease from SCC at a peppercorn rent. We are hoping that the new centre will be completed by the end of 2025 or early 2026.
And there is yet more good news… new Community Youth worker appointed
“LYP are delighted to welcome Lucy Hicks our new Community Youth Worker for Bookham. She will be providing youth services for all young people in Bookham.
Days since planning permission was originally granted on 21st May 2021
Latest Local Authority & Transport news
Do you have an event?
If you have a Bookham community event you wish to publicise, please complete the form below and we'll add it to the online Events Calendar. We cannot guarantee we can publicise all events or any last minute changes but we'll do our best!
If this is an event that you would like to post on our BRA Village Noticeboards, click here for more details
Quick Link Service Requests and Reporting
Not sure who to report a street cleaning request or overhanging branches or a pothole to or seen something suspicious on your video door bell?
Our Councils have multiple responsibilities and it is often a challenge to find out which Council and Council department or organisation is responsible for what. To help residents make a service request or report, just on click on the relevant button below which will take you directly to the relevant council department and reporting forms. Also included in the portal are the National Trust, Surrey Police Suspicious Activity, Surrey Wildlife Trust and emergency flooding.
The portal is for circumstances where a no crime has been reported, but the suspicious behaviour could potentially be related to a burglary, theft of a vehicle, or catalytic converter, for example.
Location grid reference: TQ 130 557
Nearest post code: KT23 3LT
Emergency Flooding - who to contact:
River flooding: Environment Agency (24 hour Floodline): 0345 988 118
Road Flooding: Surrey CC Highways: 0300 200 1003
Sewer Flooding. Thames Water: 0800 316 9800
Assistance to buy essential items (criteria apply): Citizen’s Advice Bureau: 08444 111 444
Power Cuts During Storms
Do you, or someone you know, need extra support during power cuts?
The power company has confirmed that they will provide free welfare services to customers who need extra support. To register for Priority Services support please call 105 or 0800 028 4581.
