Welcome to the LOSRA Website
Like any local community, the policies and decisions shaping the character and future of Lower Sunbury are influenced by a combination of local and national government initiatives, alongside market forces and vested interests operating within these frameworks. As with many areas, Lower Sunbury faces challenges stemming from an aging infrastructure, rapid urban development, increasing traffic congestion, and other pressures that impact both quality of life and the distinctive character of the neighbourhood.
In collaboration with local authorities, other residents’ associations and amenity groups, LOSRA plays a vital role in addressing fundamental issues that affect its members' lives. This organisation not only engages with broader strategic concerns but also focuses on the everyday matters that shape community well-being.
To stay informed, we encourage you to subscribe to our regular e-bulletins via the link at the top left of this page. Your continued support is essential to our efforts, and we urge you to join or renew your membership. Subscriptions for 2026 are now payable at £5 per household. Donations are also welcome.
Spelthorne Council Signs Community Covenant
Spelthorne is among the latest Surrey boroughs to join with its partners to sign a Community Covenant.
A Community Covenant is a voluntary statement of mutual support between a civilian community and its local Armed Forces Community.
In Spelthorne the key objectives in the covenant are:
- Recognise
- Remember
- Integrate
- Support
Surrey County Council were first to sign the Surrey Community Covenant, followed by districts and boroughs throughout the county.
Spelthorne is to undertake the signing on 24 April, alongside partners from the public, private and voluntary/community sector.
Partners include the emergency services, local businesses, ex-service organisations, voluntary organisations and charities.
The signing will precede Armed Forces Day; later in the year is the commemoration of the start of World War One.
Two "champions" have been chosen to promote the commemorative events in the borough: Cllr Spencer Taylor (Services Champion) and Cllr Robin Sider (World War One Champion).
In the wake of the covenant signing, Cllr Taylor will lead a working group to implement locally the key objectives in the community covenant.
Spelthorne Council Leader Cllr Robert Watts said: "Taking part in this national initiative, which shows our commitment to supporting our armed forces and veterans, upholds our borough's core values of community, opportunity, self-reliance and tradition.
"While Spelthorne has no obvious military connections such as an Army base, a large proportion of our residents are, or have connections to, serving or former service personnel and veterans of conflict."
For further information contact Michael Graham on 01784 446227, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Spring Newsletter Out Now
The Spring newsletter has been sent to the printers and we expect house-to-house deliveries to start next weekend.
You may of course take this opportunity to view an electronic version now by clicking here
A Dark Day for Local Democracy as SCC Approves Incinerator
Surrey County Council has ignored local people, technical experts and even its own consultants to give the go-ahead to a high-risk waste gasifier on the same site as the Charlton Lane waste Recycling Centre.
The Incinerator and Anaerobic Digester, a potentially explosive combination, has never been co-located on one site before and the incineration technology is unproven to burn household waste. The truth is that the Eco Park is an experiment with Shepperton and Sunbury residents the unwilling guinea pigs. Indeed, a member of the Surrey Planning Committee even suggested in an email that residents should consider moving if they don't like it!
Why is this happening? It's all about corporate greed with the health & wellbeing of residents coming a poor second. For more on this story and further action, visit: http://satep.co.uk/
Flood Relief Fund
Spelthorne Council has announced that the £14,600 donated to its Flood Relief Fund so far is to be given to the Community Foundation for Surrey’s Flood Recovery Appeal. The Spelthorne contribution will be set aside to support Spelthorne residents.
The fund is being administered by Runnymede and Spelthorne Citizens Advice Bureau and is currently open to anyone whose home has been flooded, to ease the immediate financial hardship they may be experiencing. Priority will be given to the most vulnerable and isolated, including older people, people with disabilities, people on low incomes and families with young children. Individuals in need of support can call the CAB helpline on 01932 827187 for more information and to apply.
Cllr Daxa Patel, the Cabinet Member with responsibility for emergency planning said, “We are extremely appreciative of the generosity of those community groups, businesses, individuals and others who have contributed to our fund. Our aim is to help our local communities and residents recover from these recent distressing events and get back on their feet as quickly as possible.”
Donations to the Spelthorne Flood Relief Fund can be made by telephoning Customer Services on 01784 451499 in cash at the Council Offices, or by cheque payable to Spelthorne Borough Council Flood Relief.
Surrey Herald Front Page Report - LOSRA Response
Many of our readers will have seen the front page article in last week's Surrey Herald in which it is claimed that the Crest Nicholson plans for the London Irish site in The Avenue are welcomed by LOSRA. Let's be clear: LOSRA, in partnership with SOLID (Sunbury Opposes London Irish Development) has, from the very outset, opposed any development of this site. It was with good reason that the Council had designated the land as 'protected urban open space' and this Association was a party to the Examination in Public at which that designated status was eventually approved by the (then) Deputy Prime Minister's Office.
In these short paragraphs it is not intended to rehearse the myriad stages of a long 6 years campaign. Suffice to say that, at its conclusion, permission to develop the site was eventually granted after a planning inspector, whilst refusing one application, signalled a green light for an alternative scheme provided certain conditions could be met. From this point onwards it was not a question of whether a development would go ahead, but when and what kind. Public consultations followed at which various options were discussed and these were eventuallly reduced to just two; one of which made no on-site provision for affordable housing; and the other, partial provision together with a financial contribution towards the off-site allocation of the remainder. The Local Planning Authority made it very clear that the first of these options would not be acceptable and it is the second which forms the basis of the planning application now up for public consultation (Ref: 14/00275/FUL).
LOSRA was invited by the Surrey Herald to comment and, very much in the spirit of 'best of a bad bunch', and conscious of residents' stated preferences, gave its qualified support. In short being "in favour" of the application should more accurately have read "in favour of this application when compared with all the others which had been variously proposed". We do not believe that the Surrey Herald article accurately reflected this sentiment.
Youngsters, Try a New Sport for Free as Part of the P&G Surrey Youth Games
Team Spelthorne is looking for young people aged 7-16 to participate in the annual P&G Surrey Youth Games. The P&G Surrey Youth Games is the largest annual youth festival with over 2000 young people experiencing a competitive, countywide sporting event. The event is a great opportunity to try a new sport or improve existing skills.
The coaching sessions take place from the end of April and there are fifteen sports on offer including hockey, cricket, judo, football, basketball, lacrosse, tag rugby, table tennis and boccia. Thanks to sponsorship from local organisations, Everyone Active and Shepperton Studios, Spelthorne Borough Council is offering the coaching sessions free of charge. Participants will then be selected to represent Team Spelthorne at the games on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 June 2014 at Surrey Sports Park in Guildford.
To be eligible for Team Spelthorne, you must either live or go to school in Spelthorne and if you already play a sport, you must be below county standard. Please register online at www.spelthorne.gov.uk/surreyyouthgames to guarantee your place. Each sport has limited spaces and places are given on a first come first served basis. Please visit the website for a full list of sports, coaching timetable and eligibility criteria.
For more information email Spelthorne Leisure Services on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01784 446433.
More...
British Blues Great, Dave Kelly Comes to Sunbury Cricket Club, 21st March
The next Music Night at Sunbury Cricket Club on Friday 21st March promises to be an evening to remember as it welcomes for the first time one of the truly great names of British blues – The Dave Kelly Band.
Dave was a founder member of The Blues Band with Paul Jones, Hughie Flint & Tom McGuinness in 1979, by which time he was already a seasoned blues artist with a reputation across the world. In the early sixties he started performing acoustic, mostly Mississippi style blues in folk clubs – he was a disciple of Mississippi Fred McDowell. His first performance was a floor spot at The Half Moon Putney in 1964 - a session run by Gerry Lockran, Cliff Aungier & Royd Rivers. In 1966 he went to the USA and played at Gerde's Folk City in New York where he was invited to join several bands – but decided to return to the UK to join The John Dummer Blues Band as lead vocalist and guitarist along with his sister, the late great Jo-Ann Kelly. With the Dummer Band he made two UK tours backing John Lee Hooker and one with Howlin Wolf, and also played with Freddie King. He went on to form Tramp along with Jo-Ann and Tony Mc Phee of The Groundhogs.
As well as his long-term commitments with The Blues Band, he has toured and done TV shows with Buddy Guy and Junior Wells. He has also appeared in acoustic duos/trios with Paul Jones, Maggie Bell and Long John Baldry as well as regular tours with Christine Collister and The Travelling Gentlemen. He is one of the very best slide guitarists in British blues, regularly doing solo acoustic gigs, and has won the British Blues Awards acoustic artist of the year for five consecutive years, after which he was kicked upstairs to the House of Lords and not allowed to enter any more.
There are a number of videos on YouTube of Dave, many showcasing his brilliant slide guitar technique, and they are well worth a look – go to youtube.com/results?search_query=dave%20kelly&sm=12
The Club is very fortunate to have an artist of Dave’s stature at the Club, and an evening of top class blues is guaranteed.
Fly Tipping in Lower Sunbury - What Can You Do?
The photograph depicts an incident of fly tipping on the cycle path at the end of Sunna Gardens. The Council is arranging for a clear-up this weekend and, indeed, has proved to be very responsive when incidents such as these are reported to it. Residents are encouraged to notify www.spelthorne.gov.uk/article/2235/Fly-tipping if they discover any illegal deposits. Should the crime of fly-tipping actually be witnessed, then the police should be notified in the usual way using the 999 emergency service.
Sunbury & Shepperton Arts Association Announces 2014 Season of Coffee Concerts
The Sunbury & Shepperton Arts Association is pleased to present the 2014 programme of Saturday morning classical Coffee Concerts which will take place at the Riverside Arts Centre, 59 Thames Street.
Tickets, priced at £7.50, include coffee and croissants, served before the performance. Doors open at 10.15 am and the hour-long concerts commence at 11.00 am
The first concert takes place on Saturday 22 March, when the highly acclaimed pianist, Joseph Tong, returns to Lower Sunbury with a programme comprising works by Haydn, Ravel and Liszt.
Subsequent concerts will take place on 26 April, 11 October and 22 November. The April recital features the duo of David Gaster, violin, and Linda Marley, piano, performing works by Beethoven, Suk and Sibelius. Pianist Ingrid Attwater makes a welcome return in October and cellist Lesley Shrigley Jones will give the recital in November.
Tickets are available from the box office on 01932 782 788 or on the door immediately prior to the performance.
Cattle in Sunbury Park - Council Answers Your Questions
Following recent press coverage and the article published here on 21st January, the Council has published its answers to questions which are being raised by many residents. To view, click here:
Application now Submitted to Develop London Irish Avenue Site
Further to the article published in the March issue of Sunbury Matters, we can now confirm that Crest Nicholson have submitted their long awaited planning application to redevelop the London Irish site. The application is for:
“Demolition of stand and clubhouse and erection of 194 residential units with associated parking, provision of new open space and construction of estate roads with access to be via the two accesses from The Avenue to also incorporate an alternative access for the existing Virgin Active Leisure Centre via the northern access”.
Local residents will be notified of the application and it is expected that the letters will be received during the early part of next week. Site notices will be also displayed in various public locations. The plans and documents will be available to view on the Council’s website from tomorrow.
The planning application will be brought before the Planning Committee in due course, although this will not be before May 2014. Representations, apart from through the post, may be made on line at the Spelthorne Council Website quoting reference no: 14/00275/FUL.
Beware this Mobile Phone Scam
Surrey Trading Standards would like to warn residents of Surrey to be aware of a scam which involves the delivery of a mobile phone (or similar) that you have not ordered and that could result in financial fraud. A local councillor was nearly caught in this way.
How it works......
The scammers will order a mobile phone in your name and when it is delivered to you, you will receive a call saying there has been a mistake and the goods will be collected by courier. The scammer will then call to collect the phone from you, pretending that they are a courier. The scammers get to keep the phone whilst the bill will remain in your name.
If you suddenly receive delivery of goods addressed to you or somebody else in your household that you know you have not ordered contact the sender immediately.
If you think you may have been a victim to this kind of scam please call an advisor on 08454 040506 to report it and get advice!
Can you offer help or support to people affected by floods?
The following email from Surrey County Council has been received by LOSRA. It will be seen that it covers all three affected Boroughs including Spelthorne:
Surrey Flood Recovery Appeal:
The Community Foundation for Surrey has launched a Surrey Flood Recovery Appeal to help people and communities recover from the devastating floods.
The priority of the funding is to support community and voluntary groups assisting in the relief effort in easing the immediate difficulties communities are facing and to support their recovery over the coming weeks and months. The aim of the appeal is to support the most vulnerable and isolated and to encourage local people to support others in their time of need.
You can make a donation to the fund online or cheques made payable to Surrey Flood Recovery Appeal can be sent to:
Community Foundation for Surrey, 1 Bishop’s Wharf, Walnut Tree Close, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 4RA
Donations
A range of items could be useful to people affected by the flooding. These donations are being coordinated by the local borough councils.
Elmbridge – call the Contact Centre on 01372 474474 who will advise on donations of food, clothing, furniture etc
Runnymede – call the Contact Centre on 01932 838383 for information about donating.
Spelthorne - not looking for donations of food and clothing but would like cleaning materials, mops, buckets, brushes, shovels, gloves, hats, wellingtons, disinfectant, rubble bags and strong rubbish bags. Donations to be made through the Salvation Army in Woodthorpe Road in Ashford.
Volunteering
If you are interesting in volunteering to help with the flood recovery contact the local borough council:
Elmbridge – call the Contact Centre on 01372 474474.
Runnymede – call the Contact Centre on 01932 838383.
Spelthorne - visit Spelthorne Council's website or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Flooding Update
As river levels on the Thames start to fall, work is under way to help communities get back on their feet. Councils across Surrey are setting up flood recovery centres where people can get information and advice to help them recover from the effects of the floods. You will see that, from the seven centres being opened across Runnymede, Elmbridge and Spelthorne, our nearest is St. Mary's Church Hall in Green Street. The seven locations are:
Hythe Centre, Thorpe Road, Egham TW18 3HD (8am to 8pm)
Chertsey Hall, Heriot Road, Chertsey KT16 9DR (8am to 8pm)
Elmbridge Community Hub, 72 High Street, Walton-on-Thames KT12 1BU (9am to 5pm)
Spelthorne Museum, 1 Elmsleigh Road, Staines TW18 4PM (2pm-8pm)
St Mary Church Hall, Green Street, Sunbury-on-Thames TW16 6RM (2pm-8pm)
Greeno Community Centre, Glebeland Gardens, Shepperton TW17 9DH (2pm-8pm)
Lucan Pavilion, The Broadway, Laleham, Staines, TW18 1RZ (2pm-8pm).
