Photo illustrates potential light pollution affecting Thames stretch of Lower Sunbury

Further to the article published on 27th March, correspondence has now been received from Spelthorne Council, the statutory consultees, inviting residents to make representations to the SBC case officer in respect of the Sports Stadium development on the riverside at Walton. It is stressed that, at no time, has this Association objected to this development. At the time of the outline application in 2012 the Association confined its comments to the environmental considerations which are likely to impact on residents living on the north bank, seeking mitigation of possible noise and light pollution. It is precisely those considerations which prompt us to write once more, now that the full application has been put before the Elmbridge Planning Authority.

Emailed comments should be directed to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. quoting reference number MC/15/00393/MIS. Closing date 22nd April.To view the Chairman's response, click here

A highly entertaining event at the Club falls Saturday 18th April, when Sunbury welcomes Middlesex County Cricke Club for a 20/20 season kick-off match against Sunbury 1st XI, starting at 12.30. Apart from Eoin Morgan, England's T20 & ODI captain who is playing in the IPL, Middlesex will field a full county squad and will be formidable opponents with the likes of Steven Finn, England quickie with 90 wickets in 23 Tests and 86 wickets in ODI's, Nick Compton and Sam Robson who have both played Test Cricket for England in recent years, James Franklin, New Zealand all rounder, Neil Dexter, David Malan, Tim Murtagh and former Sunbury player Andrew Balbirnie who made significant contributions for Ireland at the recent ODI World Cup

Sunbury will be strengthened by Middlesex quickie Toby Roland-Jones, and Paul Stirling, Ireland's impressive opening bat and off spinner who has scored 2469 runs and taken 41 wickets in an international career of 83 ODI and T20 internationals. Both being ex-Sunbury players, they should add a bit of bite to the proceedings. Sunbury will also benefit from the introduction of their Aussie overseas player for 2015 Chris Green, an aggressive bat and off spinner. In the Australian season just ended Chris broke into the NSW state side, while also playing in the Aussie Big Bash for Sydney Thunder - so he knows all about the T20 format.

Sunbury will of course be relying on their experienced ex pro's Maunders (Middlesex, Leicester and Essex) and Adam London (Middlesex) along with other established and up and coming talent. It’s free to all, so come and enjoy a great afternoon’s cricket. Also at the Club that day Sunbury Sports Bowls Club have an Open Day for anyone interested to come along and try their hand on the green sending down a few woods. It’s great fun, so come and have a fun sporting day at the Club.

The next Music Night is on Friday 17th April when the Club is delighted to welcome back The Others who played a storming gig on their debut at the Club last year. They started life at Hampton School in the early ‘60s, and while still at school got a record deal with Fontana in 1964, releasing a version of Bo Diddley’s “Oh Yeah”, and were vying for elbow room alongside bands like The Yardbirds, The Downliners Sect and The Pretty Things on the London club scene. Major success eluded them and The Others went their separate ways, but re-formed in 2012, playing stunning gigs, with a distinctive hard-edged style of R&B that showed why they made such waves back in the ‘60s.

Young Hampton schoolmates Brian May and Tim Staffel were inspired by THE OTHERS, and formed Smile before Brian moved on to form Queen – Brian once said that The Others’ Pete Hammerton was one of the best guitarists he’d ever seen. Alongside Pete, the line-up features original members Paul Stewart (vocals/harmonica), Rob Tolchard (bass) and Geoff Coxon (drums). Their act re-visits some of the classic material of the era in an uncompromising driving fashion, but brings a new dimension to the songs with their updated treatments. It will be a Sunbury Music Night in the classic mould and is a great way to kick off the new cricket season. There’s full info on the band at www.theothers.org.uk. It's a gig that's not to be missed.

The Health Centre in Green Street is constantly trying to improve services in patient care and has just published the results of its most recent patients' survey, which may be viewed here: http://www.sunburyhealthcentre.co.uk/ppg.htm

The following email has been received from the Tudor Estate Residents' Association at Hanworth Park. We publish it in full together with their appeal flier . Whilst not in the LOSRA area, this is a matter which affects all communities in the vicinity of the Dairy Crest building on the A316. Road safety is a primary concern.

Hi All
Please find attached a document about our fight to ensure that the advertising tower is not re-erected next to the A316. This advertising tower is completely inappropriate for the surroundings. 

The previous inspector in February 2013 said:

 “Main Issue 45 - The tower was so tall, and the illuminated advertising panel so large and striking, that the ensemble seemed to me to have unacceptably dominated its surroundings”

 “Other Material Considerations 47 - the setting of the grade II Primary Filter House, which was on the same side of the road as the appeal site, has had its setting significantly, and unacceptably, harmed because of the prominence of the tower and the rather brash intrusiveness of its illuminated advertising”

 “Ground F 5.3 - I have considered the Appellant’s assertion that partial demolition, to reduce the tower to the 2006 planning permission height of 19.7m, was a suitable alternative lesser option but have discounted this. Although such a reduction would lessen the impact of the works on the living conditions of neighbouring residents the tower ensemble would still have a brash, over-dominating, impact on its surroundings and would continue to be unacceptably damaging to the setting of nearby heritage assets”

What has changed ?

Surely an illuminated sign where the image changes every 10 seconds must be a distraction to drivers travelling at 50mph on the 3 lane flyover ?

Please feel free to send this on to friends and neighbours.  The more support we can raise to show the Planning Inspectorate what concerned members of the public feel about this the better and, we trust, the more likely that the tower will not be re-built.

Thank you for your support

Debbie Adye

Tudor Estate Residents Association, Hanworth Park

To view flier, click here and be sure to scroll down to see photographs of previous advertising tower.

With reference to our earlier article of 27th February, readers will remember that The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), (see: https://www.spelthorne.gov.uk/SCI)  sets out how and when the Council intends to involve people, businesses and organisations in the planning process.  The SCI includes how stakeholders will be involved in the review of the Local Plan, preparation of other planning documents and evidence base studies as well as the determination of planning applications.

The Council having prepared the draft SCI which updates the current version adopted in 2006 invited the local community to comment.

The response by the Hon. Chairman, LOSRA may be viewed by clicking here

Poll cards will be sent out at the end of this week to all those currently registered, informing electors of the forthcoming elections. For those electors voting at the polling station the poll card will explain when and how to vote and include a map showing the location of the polling station. Postal voters will be sent a poll card informing them they have a postal vote in place and instructions on returning the postal packs.

If you have recently moved and need to register at your new address, you will need to access the government website, www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. To register you will need to provide your name, address, previous address, date of birth and national insurance number. It only takes a few minutes and you must be registered by 20 April 2015. As additional information may be required by us to complete your registration, you should register as soon as possible.

If you will be unable to get to the polling station on 7 May, you may apply for a postal vote. Applications to vote by post must be received by 21 April 2015 but are not available to everyone. You should check with the electoral services department to ensure you are eligible to have a postal vote and will be around to receive the postal packs. Alternatively, you may wish to appoint a proxy and if this is the case, you should check again with us to ensure you are entitled to this arrangement.

Any queries concerning electoral registration and voting arrangements should be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or please telephone 01784 444218.

Our Association has just been notified by Spelthorne Council of the application by Elmbridge Council to press ahead with the deeply unpopuIar Excel Centre riverside development at Waterside Drive, Walton. Spelthorne Planning Office, as statutory consultees, has undertaken to alert residents in Parke Road and those at the most western end of Thames Street. Representations may be completed online with regard to two applications, (Refs: 2015/0949 & 2015/0868) may be viewed via the Elmbridge Council website: http://www.elmbridge.gov.uk/planning/

A local resident of Wheatley's Ait which, though on the Sunbury side of the river and by a strange anomaly actually within Elmbridge Borough, has made the following submission in respect of application 2015/0949:

'As an Elmbridge resident bordering the proposed development on the riverside, I have serious concerns regarding the amount of light and noise pollution that this complex in its proposed form will generate on a daily basis. Noise travels very easily across water and the proposal does not have adequate screening to minimise this. I would like the proposed chain fencing that borders the running track on the riverside to be replaced with acoustic screening. I would also like to see additional natural screening in the form of high evergreen trees and shrubs along the river border to also help minimise the effects of noise and light pollution on local residents'.

With regard to application 2015/0868, in which the developer argues against the need for a full Environmental Impact Assessment, the resident has submitted this representation:

'I do not agree with the applicant’s opinion that an Environmental Impact Assessment is not required. The proposed development does fall within a Schedule 2 Development. There will be a significant likelihood of environmental effects both during the building of the development and the use of the development. The planned development is over 28 times larger than the criteria of .5ha. It is also over a large landfill site with a high probability of contaminates being disturbed.

The proposed development is on the border of the River Thames and the border between Elmbridge and Spelthorne with a high probability of noise and light pollution effecting local residents and visitors for the lifetime of the development. An Environmental Impact Assessment needs to be undertaken to determine what safeguards need to be in place to mitigate these effects’.