Latest news with #Tandridge
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.
BBC News
26-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Surrey farmers able to bid for funding to aid growth
Farmers in parts of Surrey can now apply for grants from Surrey County Council to help boost of up to £120,000 is available to help farmers in the districts of Tandridge, Guildford and grants will aim to support ideas like opening farm shops, generating sustainable energy and "developing agritourism", the council suggests."As committed custodians of much of Surrey's fantastic countryside, farmers play a key role in everyone's way of life," said councillor Matt Furniss. A total of £360,000 is available from the government's Rural England Prosperity Fund for 2025/ council is calling it a "competitive process" and says it will "focus on supporting a small number of large-scale, high-impact projects".Applications can be made on the Business Surrey website and closes at the end of farmers and landowners can also apply for separate Business Growth Grants from the Surrey Economic Growth Fund, which are open until the end of May.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Plans for 42 new homes in Caterham put to Tandridge council
Developrs have submitted plans for 42 new homes on greenfield land in proposals on a 10-acre site on Longsdon Way will see apartments, maisonettes, semi-detached and terraced homes being buiilt, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Croudace Homes, who are based in Caterham, say shared-ownership and socially-rented homes will be "offered in the first instance to residents with a local connection".Planning officials at Tandridge District Council had previously said the "benefits of the scheme would outweigh the harm", but were optimistic that an acceptable proposal could be achieved. Matthew Norris, Croudace Homes' managing director, said the scheme would "provide much-needed affordable homes in an area currently experiencing high demand."The plans also include a new play area, a walking trail and a community documents say the "majority of the site will be retained as open space" and "managed to enhance" the on-site council is aiming to determine the scheme by 8 August.
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.
