Chapel Lane Debacle (and all future large scale Bagshot developments)
The massive response by Bagshot villagers opposing the Chapel Lane housing development should rouse further immediate and co-ordinated action by concerned villagers to ensure that any and all future development proposals of this scale in Bagshot should be stillborn.
The decisions on the Chapel Lane development will be made by Surrey Heath Council and not by you and me, regardless of the crushing strength and number of Objection submissions. Yet we put and keep these decision-makers in power and suffer ever-increasing Council Taxes for a never-improving service, allowing the council to make planning decisions that are almost always contrary to the interests of the village (School Lane Field excepted).
Among the villagers, many of whom are known to me, are lawyers, accountants, journalists, conservation activists, bankers, business men and women, youth leaders and other professionals with deep concern for the village’s future. Many of these individuals struggle daily with the traffic congestion on the A30 and through the High Street and Guildford Road.
It may be too late to prevent the Council from making the wrong decision regarding Chapel Lane, but it surely cannot be beyond the collective strength and determination of you – the residents – to attack the intransigence and profligacy of your elected councillors. Please consider:-
- Buy the land! The land owners have every right to secure the best price they can. The only known bidder currently is the developer. But what about you and me? I.e. a few thousand of we residents who would be forever guilty if we let the council and the developers roll over us. We must let them know we won’t stomach this any longer.
- To achieve 1) will require a great amount of money, even if the land owners were to give the village people a helping hand. The rational way to acquire £1 million pounds (this may or may not be the asking price) is to do a deal with the council to divert a portion of our council tax – en masse – to buy the land. For example, 1,000 households x 50% council tax for 6 months ≈ £1 million. Economists and expert individuals in our midst could act on our behalf to negotiate a solution using OUR MONEY that finds its way to city hall every month. I believe our future and that of our families, now requires extreme measures! We must urgently explore every possibility.
- Residents with knowledge, time, resources, passion and energy should gather and use all available communication methods to mobilise the whole village in a co-ordinated effort. There is no time to lose. Everyone needs to get busy. We all know what inertia will achieve…….
I will try to post this today, Monday 14th March, on village websites and send directly to individuals known to take an active interest.
Malcolm Clague
14 High Street
Bagshot
GU19 5AE
Bagshot Village 