Back to the start again!
Please see below the statement from Surrey County Council (SCC) concerning their decision not to proceed with the building of a new Youth Centre & Community Centre at Lower Road Recreation ground.
“Surrey County Council confirms its commitment to providing a building to support and benefit the community in Bookham.
There have been recent changes in planning legislation linked to biodiversity net gain and the National Planning Policy Framework update (December 2024) in relation to Green Belt Policy.
This means that the proposed plans for the Lower Road recreation ground cannot proceed as originally planned, and we have now reviewed our options.
We are committed to exploring all possible avenues, including replacing the original building at 164 Lower Road, Bookham. Council officers and members will actively engage with the Bookham Residents Association, the BYCA trustees and the Leatherhead Youth Project in the delivery of this community asset.”
Comment by Bookham Youth & Community Association
SCC tells us that the reasons for the refusal for planning consent from 2021 (expired mid 2024) apart from the NPPF changes in December 2024 are that Mole Valley District Council increased it’s Biodiversity Net Gain requirement from 10% to 20% and MVDC agreed to the Local Plan on what would be released of the Green Belt. This release did not include the footprint of the proposed centre at the recreation ground.
We have made our disappointment clear at the way in which this whole matter has been dealt with by SCC as this could all have been completed a long time ago and before any of these changes happened. 13 years of going round in circles. We have explained to SCC leadership that we need certainty as to SCC’s commitment to build a new centre on the old site at 164 Lower Road site, so as to not run the risk of the “can being kicked down the road” again with SCC’s fine words not being honoured by a new unitary authority.
In order that we can trust SCC’s the stated commitment, we have asked for a clear heads of terms type document setting out what is to be delivered, with deliverables and milestones as well as confirming and committing to the terms on which BYCA will take over the lease when it is completed. This is to be binding on a new unitary authority.
We look forward to positive engagement with SCC in the near future and will provide further updates on progress.
David Cox, Chair BYCA
The BRA continues to support the BYCA in trying to get SCC to honour its commitment to build a new Youth Centre in Bookham. We have heard plenty of excuses, but despite repeated promises over many years SCC continues to let residents down by failing to deliver the new centre.
