Latest news with #CatherineSayer
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Tandridge council warns over trees cut down for developments
Developers and landowners could face "serious financial and legal consequences" for cutting down trees on sites being considered for new homes, a Surrey council has laws, which mean builders must compensate for the loss of any nature on housing developments, came into force last District Council (TDC) said there had been a number of recent incidents where trees were felled to clear areas for planning applications.A spokesperson for the Home Builders Federation said it can be "necessary to remove trees to allow a development to take place." The Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements mean that sites now have to be assessed before bulldozers can enter and developers have to commit to delivering a 10% net improvement in biodiversity that lasts over a 30-year period. 'Environmental vandalism' The leader of TDC, Catherine Sayer, said: "We have had incidents where 300 year-old oak trees have been cut down because they are in the way of development. "In one instance, the developer withdrew the planning application when they realised the cost of replacing the lost biodiversity would be tens of thousands of pounds."Sayer said the council wanted to raise awareness that this "environmental vandalism has serious financial and legal consequences and [we] hope it acts as a deterrent". Resident Terry Morgan, who lives near land where a tree was cut down ahead of a development taking place, told BBC Radio Surrey he was "angry.""It's not a single tree, it is part of a long line of trees marking ancient boundaries, home to wildlife and so on," he said."To simply, for convenience, cut that tree down rather than make a planning application which is more appropriate to the site - that's the key thing I'm angry and annoyed about." The developer has been approached for comment. Sayer said she thought it was a "great shame" that ministers were looking at changing environmental rules to make it easier to build homes on smaller week, Housing Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said the changes would "simplify" the planning denied environmental protections were being compromised.A spokesperson for the Homebuilders Federation said: "Clearly in some instances it is necessary to remove trees to allow a development to take place. "In those cases developers are required to abide by all the relevant rules and regulations in place."Separately, TDC said it was investigating the felling of woodland on land near Lingfield a few weeks ago as alleged criminal activity.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Sinkhole repair plans to be discussed at meeting
A public meeting is being held to outline the plan to fix sinkholes which appeared in a Surrey high street earlier in the year. In February, sinkholes appeared in Godstone High Street, one of which was 65ft (20m) in length, forcing 30 families to leave their homes and some businesses to close. Although almost all households and businesses have returned, there has continued to be local disruption because of work to investigate and repair the road collapse. The public meeting, jointly led by Tandridge District Council (TDC) and Surrey County Council, is being held on 5 June at St Nicholas Youth Centre in the village. The meeting is set to provide an update about the work that has taken place and outline the plan and timeline for repairing the road. Catherine Sayer, leader of TDC, said: "We know residents and businesses are keen to find out what the long-term plan is to repair the road." The council said the impact of the road collapse had led to increased concern about other traffic-related issues in the village, but there would not be enough time to discuss general topics at the meeting. Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Huge sinkhole swallows up more of Surrey street 'Complex' sinkhole investigations remain ongoing Families evacuated as 'terrifying' sinkhole appears Life 'transformed' living near sinkhole - resident Tandridge District Council Surrey County Council
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Godstone sinkhole repair plans to be discussed at public meeting
A public meeting is being held to outline the plan to fix sinkholes which appeared in a Surrey high street earlier in the February, sinkholes appeared in Godstone High Street, one of which was 65ft (20m) in length, forcing 30 families to leave their homes and some businesses to almost all households and businesses have returned, there has continued to be local disruption because of work to investigate and repair the road public meeting, jointly led by Tandridge District Council (TDC) and Surrey County Council, is being held on 5 June at St Nicholas Youth Centre in the village. The meeting is set to provide an update about the work that has taken place and outline the plan and timeline for repairing the Sayer, leader of TDC, said: "We know residents and businesses are keen to find out what the long-term plan is to repair the road."The council said the impact of the road collapse had led to increased concern about other traffic-related issues in the village, but there would not be enough time to discuss general topics at the meeting.
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Tandridge District Council rejects plans to merge with Crawley
A Surrey council has rejected plans to merge with an authority in West of Tandridge District Council (TDC) have voted to remain in Surrey and distance themselves from a merger with Crawley Borough Council (CBC).Catherine Sayer, leader of TDC, said the authority had "little in common with Crawley" and that there would be "considerable drawbacks for our district joining any unitary with them [and] potentially isolating TDC geographically".Neighbouring Reigate and Banstead Borough Council (RBBC) have been in talks with Crawley about potentially forming one council under devolution plans. RBBC leader Richard Briggs had written to the government, stating that joining the Surrey borough and West Sussex town could maximise the economic growth potential of the Gatwick Diamond economic said the merger could improve connectivity, housing delivery and public CBC's submission to the government, Tandridge is included in five of its seven geographic options, despite officers making it clear that Tandridge did not wish to be joined in this way, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service .TDC councillor Helena Windsor said she could see where the Reigate and Banstead and the Crawley argument was coming from, but agreed it was a "non-starter" as it would leave Tandridge "very isolated". 'Considerable risks' Jonathan Essex, leader of the Green groups on RBBC and Surrey County Council, labelled the idea as a "grotesque betrayal of the many residents who say that the Green Belt is what they value most about where they live".TDC councillors had voted in favour of Surrey being split into three unitary authorities - where Tandridge would be partnered up with Mole Valley, Epsom and Ewell, Reigate and Banstead as well as Surrey documents stated: "The Reigate and Banstead and Crawley submission adds considerable risks to the successful implementation of any Surrey unitary structure."Campaigners in Crawly also started a petition to keep the town's argued Crawley was an integral part to West Sussex and was being exploited as a strategic economic asset because of Gatwick Airport.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Sinkhole roads chaos could crucify us, trader says
The owner of a garage in a village where two large sinkholes appeared has expressed concern over the affect of road closures on businesses. The holes appeared in the centre of Godstone, Surrey, overnight on Monday last week, with the largest hole reaching 65ft (20m) long. Homes have been evacuated and a public meeting on Wednesday heard it could take up to 12 months to repair the road. Garage owner Shane Fry told BBC Radio Surrey disruption over that time "could crucify a business". He said: "Trying to work out logistics of how we stay open has been extremely difficult. "We can deal with anywhere between 15 and 20 cars a day. It's fairly hectic on a normal week." But he added he was hopeful things would improve quickly. "Once we get through the logistics of how our businesses can sustain a normal day I think it'll just become the new norm," he said. "And once everyone gets used to it, businesses will carry on surviving." Tandridge District Council's leader, Catherine Sayer, said she believed Surrey County Council understood from the meeting how important it was to improve access and signage for businesses that were affected. The district council, which is also housing some families in emergency accommodation, said with a timescale in place, long-term plans can now be made. "I know some of the residents have sourced Airbnbs that would match the price the council has to pay for Travelodge accommodation," she said. "It costs us £500 a week to house a family in a Travelodge." She also said there had been a mixed reaction from insurance companies contacted by homeowners. "A couple of them have been absolutely great," she said. "But a couple of them have been absolutely awful and that has added to the confusion. It's made our job much harder." Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Residents could be out of their homes 'for a year' Godstone sinkhole to be investigated with 3D maps Families return home after sinkhole swallows road Sinkhole has left us homeless, residents say Sinkhole street families 'out of homes for months' Huge sinkhole swallows up more of Surrey street Tandridge District Council Surrey County Council
