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.
Main Modifications to the Draft Local Plan
On 25th January of this year, the District Council voted at a Special General Meeting to unpause the Local Plan. The matter is in the hands of the Governments Planning Inspector who is reviewing the draft, to assess its soundness and to take into account the main modifications to the draft plan that had arisen. Under the planning guidelines there was an opportunity for the BRA Planning Committee to make representations on the proposed modifications.
We submitted this last month focussing primarily on the following matters that were linked to the Modifications:-
Housing Delivery – We believe that the housing target up to 2039 can and should be achieved through developing brownfield sites and continuing with infill at the current rate without developing Preston Farm.
Environment – We highlighted the need to maintain local wildlife and ensure that chalk streams in this area are preserved and protected.
Flooding. We emphasised concerns about any developments that would increase flooding risk, especially in light of recent weather.
Sewerage and the need to upgrade it in light of our concerns about Thames Water, who maintain it.
Traffic – we expressed our concerns over assessing the impact of developments on traffic.
New Bookham Youth & Community Centre: Will it be finally built?
May 10th 2024
Residents across the Bookhams have been asking the Bookham Youth & Community Association (BYCA) and Bookhams Residents’ Association (BRA) if the planned new Youth and Community Centre is ever going to be built?
A very reasonable question considering it is:
12 years since Surrey County Council (SCC) agreed to build a new Bookham Youth Centre
four years since the old Centre closed;
over 1,000 days since planning permission was originally granted on 12th May 2021.
We have finally received assurances that the project to build the new Centre is ‘on the move’. Both SCC and Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) have confirmed their full support to seeing the new Centre built. This communication is to share this positive news with residents.
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.
