LOSRA

This year's national Playday has a 'beach fun' theme and is being held on Wednesday 4th August between 12pm - 4pm in Memorial Gardens, Staines, TW18 4RH.

Playday is a great opportunity for children of all ages to get involved in free activities that encourage them to learn through play. The Council will be hosting a variety of beach themed activities including making sandcastles, donkey rides, arts & crafts, Punch & Judy, 16 interactive dance mats, bouncy castle, face painting and lots more besides.

Please note that children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

For more information, please contact Leisure Services on 01784 446433 or email: leisure@spelthorne.gov.uk

Sunbury Cricket Club are looking forward to their annual cricket week which falls this year during the week commencing Monday 2nd August. Sunbury will be utilising both wickets during the week to entertain 8 visiting teams including an all day match against the MCC on Tuesday 3rd August and a Twenty/20 Festival on the Friday. The latter will be followed by a BBQ starting at 6:30 pm for players, members and their guests as well as any local residents who would wish to apply for annual membership (£10 per household) on the night.

Full details of the Week’s fixtures are at http://www.sunburycricket.co.uk/#cweek

At Full Council on 22nd July, the Leader of the Council, Cllr. John Packman, made the following announcement: “After many years of negotiation with the County Council I now have great pleasure in announcing that the purchase of the land known as the old TP26 relief road has now been completed.

Plans for a cycle path through the land can now be progressed which will provide an increased use of the space that can be enjoyed by the residents of Sunbury for many years to come.”

This announcement is great news and finally brings to a close, a protracted negotiation which has hampered the progress of plans for Hawke Park.

Membership for Sunbury Amateur Regatta includes entrance ticket, entry into the Membership Enclosure on the bank of the river with a private bar; and supporting the Regatta to ensure that it can continue to be held next year. Excellent value at £17 for 2 people. Racing starts around 9am with Bars opening at 11am entertainment on the lawn including a Belly Dance demonstration, Tug of War, Fire Brigade RTA demo, Refreshments, Pimms tent, Local Charity Stalls, Crafts and a Bouncy Castle. Traditional Skiffing and Row for your local. Please support this great Annual Tradition, that has been happening in YOUR village for 133 years ! The Regatta is put on by a small committee of volunteers, if you are interested in helping before or on the day please do not hesitate to contact us. Telephone 020 3287 9978 (ansaphone).

The Application form is attached or can be downloaded from the website - www.sunburyregatta.com

As part of the SSAA Festival, an evening of 'Comedy Shorts' will be staged on Friday 23rd July at The Riverside Arts Centre. This event will feature over 20 hard working and talented local performers, from The Manor Players and Shepperton Players, most of whom are long-time Lower Sunbury residents, including Ken Busby, Patricia Williamson and Eric Champion. There are also lots of younger local favourites.

The five comedy plays feature some of this area's favourite performers, including four of the most experienced in the Borough, plus three debutants who would really appreciate your encouragement. Material will suit an age range from 16 to 88! Some of the material is a wee bit risque, but nothing offensive. All of the comedy plays have been written by Lower Sunbury resident Geoff Buckingham, who has won a number of awards in the past year.

By coming to this Event you will be supporting our local arts and helping several worthy causes. Tickets are just £8 each and may be obtained by contacting Christine Norgate at the Booking Office on 01932 782788. The evening starts at 7.30pm with live music from local singer Janna Bond. Please book early!

The Planning Inspectorate has upheld the Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for the erection of a detached four bed dwelling to the rear of 28 Harfield Road. The Inspector agreed with the Council that the new house would be at odds with the character of the surrounding area, and would damage the sylvan character of the area. In addition, the scheme would be damaging to the amenities of the Green Belt to the rear and harm the living conditions of neighbouring properties.

The Council also wrote to the Planning Inspectorate in light of new government guidance about garden land, stating that the development was no longer acceptable in principle. The Inspector agreed and concluded that “The change in policy means that the site as garden land is not longer regarded as being a priority for development.”

Neighbours who led the campaign against this inappropriate development are grateful to all those residents who wrote in with their objections.

It is now two years since the first application to develop 72, The Avenue; and this Website has been periodically updated with the progress of successive misconceived development proposals for this site. We are delighted to announce that the fourth and hopefully final application has now been refused on appeal. It remains to be seen whether neighbours and residents can now put this distressing saga behind them.

The Planning Inspector was pretty emphatic in her judgement: "....In my opinion the two large houses would be visually intrusive on this open corner plot. The two storey house (plot 2) would have a considerable bulk and mass on this prominent corner which I consider would overwhelm the open aspect of the (Hawke) Park.

"Policy requires proposals for new developments to demonstrate that they will, among other things, create buildings and places that respect and make a positive contribution to the street scene and the character of the area....I consider that the proposal would not accord with this policy.

"The removal of private residential gardens from the definition of previously developed land (brownfield) seeks to prevent over-development of neighbourhoods and "garden grabbing". It therefore seems to me that the proposal in this case, that is, to demolish one house and erect two large detached houses, is an example of the type of scheme that (the law) now seeks to prevent.

"For the reasons given above, I conclude that the proposal would have a harmful effect on the character and appearance of the street scene and that it would not accord with (Planning Policy)."

Many thanks go to all those who took the time and trouble to make their objections known to both this and previous applications.