Parish Council News Update – September 2024

Letter from the Chairman

Dear Villagers,
With the changing season and the changing government, your Parish Council waits with bated breath for planning policy changes. And there are currently changes afoot.

NPPF Planning Consultation

The new government is seeking to amend the national policy that governs planning, known as the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). There is currently a consultation taking place which commenced on July 31, 2024. The consultation period runs until 11:45 PM on September 24, 2024. Anyone may respond. And the Woldingham Parish Council responded on behalf of Woldingham.

The proposed changes include a variety of proposals that either accept or reverse changes made to the December 2023 version of the NPPF as well as some additional changes. This consultation is important because some of the proposed changes would weaken protections in the Green Belt and therefore negate some of the protections in the District Council’s adopted Development Plan and our Woldingham Neighbourhood Plan, which were developed in alignment previous NPPF policies. Our comments on past consultations have supported continued protections for the Green Belt.

Surrey Hills AONB Boundary consultation

The Surrey Hills AONB boundaries (designated Areas of Natural Beauty) have not been reviewed or changed since their original designation in 1958. You may be aware that there has been an ongoing consultation to review the boundaries of the Surrey Hills AONB. Phase one of the consultation ran in 2023. A new map of AONB boundaries was proposed and comments invited. Subsequently additional areas in Surrey have been added to the proposed map and phase 2 of the consultation commences on the 16th of September, inviting commentary on the proposals, and will run for 12 weeks. All of Woldingham is proposed to be included in the AONB.

Following conclusion of the phase 2 consultation, the final proposed boundaries and a request for a draft legal order for the Secretary of State will be submitted for the approval of the Board of Natural England. Once approved, Natural England will submit the proposed order to the Secretary of State for the Department for Environmental Food & Rural Affairs. The Secretary of State may confirm the order, confirm the order with amendments, reject the order and / or call a public inquiry to assist in their decision making. No timeline is delineated for the Secretary of State to make his decision.

Biggin Hill Noise Action Plan

Woldingham Parish Councillors Peter Holbrook and Leanna McEwan are continuing to meet represent us at Biggin Hill Airport. Biggin Hill Airport have formed a Noise Action Group to address noise pollution and impacts on local communities. Councillors Holbrook and McEwan are part of this group and are working with Biggin Hill and Councillors from neighbouring Councils, to help progress the Noise Action Plan. The current plan is addressing the new airborne flight trial recently submitted to the CAA to Test and Validate an instrumented (automated) approach to runway 03. Trial approval has now been granted, allowing the airport to trial the new approach towards the end of the year. In the meantime, Councillors Holbrook and McEwan have been loaned for short periods highly sophisticated noise meters to assist Biggin Hill to monitor and evaluate a pattern of noise around and near the airport for all types of aircraft. They have a further meeting in September where they will be given any updates on the noise levels and potential abatement actions.

Speedwatch

Speedwatch needs you! We need more volunteers. The minimum age to participate is 18, the time commitment is light (and as you can). Speeding has been raised repeatedly as a concern in the village. However, all of our roads are too slow to qualify for speed cameras, therefore we must manage speeding with Speedwatch teams. We are grateful to Speedwatch leader Jeremy Wormington and all those that volunteer. But we still have too few volunteers. If you can spare one hour a week (most weeks, or even every other week), then please consider volunteering. Speedwatch monitoring is always in pairs. If you might be able to help, and wish to learn more, please email our Clerk, Karen, at parish.clerk@woldingham.com.

Litter Pick, 9th of November, 10am

The next community Litter Pick, orchestrated by Councillor Alex Foulds, will be on the morning of November 9th, commencing at the Glebe. All ages help and there are drinks and cakes afterward. Save the date!!

Carols in the Crescent, 7th of December, 6.30pm

Every year the Parish Council run this well attended event, usually with the North Downs Consort and others providing choral music, with mulled wine for the adults and hot chocolate and glow sticks for the kids. Save the date!!

Parish Council Meetings and Questions

Although the Parish Council occasionally holds ad hoc meetings, publicly on noticed on our website at least 5 days in advance, we also hold regular monthly meetings the last Wednesday of every month, except August and December. The public is always welcome. The venue is usually the Woldingham Village Hall, although occasionally the meetings are at the Peace Hall on Hilltop Walk in the Garden Village. Please see our village website, Woldingham.com, to check the venue.

And please remember to save the dates to help on the Litter Pick and raise your voices at Carols in the Crescent.
All the best,

Chairman Deborah Sherry