Thread: Nimby neighbours war with SSAFA - WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT.

Sad to say there was pretty much the same NIMBY response to a planning proposal to turn a large and very run down house a few streets away from the Blogg homestead into a retirement home: extra traffic, noise, disruption, loss of amenity, anything they could possibly think. All BS of course.

Reality was the residents did not like the concept old people wandering around their particular little bit of leafy suburbia. Heavens above, might do something inappropriate like talk to us.

Council threw out all the objections as having no merit. Hope they will do the same in this case.

My email to the Residents' Association:

Dear Sir

I am writing in connection with a story that appeared in the Daily Mail of even date.

I note that the Mail names the Chairman of the Ashtead Residents' Association as David Webb, and your website says the chairman is Paul Le Versha - are there two Residents' Associations, or is one or other source inaccurate?

Whilst I am aware that newspapers regularly sensationalise the most trivial story, I found the reported comments exceptionally distasteful, and would be grateful if you could clarify the Association's viewpoint.

As one who has served in the armed forces, and now works in military medical welfare, I am very aware of the need to support the wounded, and in my view the most salient (but unreported) part of this story is that a charity should find it necessary to source a property locally because the MOD has failed, over many years, to provide facilities for visitors on site or nearby. The ire of Ashtead residents would be better directed at the politicians and civil servants who have failed our service personnel so badly.

I visited Headley Court in June, and was immensely impressed not only by the facilities, but by the staff, who provide a world class service. However, it is the patients for whom most of my admiration and pride is reserved. These young people have suffered life-changing injuries, and face the consequences with a resolve that is truly humbling to see. To have such a place and such people in your locality is something that Ashtead residents should be proud of; to make our wounded service personnel and their families welcome should be seen as a privilege, not a burden.

Finally, Headley Court has been a military medical rehabilitation unit for many years, and its existence and the comings and goings associated with it do not appear to have affected the decision to buy or house value of any resident who bought a property after the Second World War; I am at a loss to understand why anyone would think that the current proposal regarding one house will make such a difference.

I look forward to hearing from you.

I will post any reply.

Incidentally, having been a local councillor and sat on planning committees, I suspect that without some evidence of the claimed disruption, the objections will fail. Even if the local council turn the application down, it will be the professional planning officers who will advise on the ultimate decision, and their advice will be based upon a legal view, not an emotional one.

Very good letter Farmboy.

As Victorian Major has already said, could we keep one foot on the ground here? Until a reply is received from Ashtead Resident's association , we don't kow what the actual position is.

I don't regard The Daily Mail as reliable either , and I would like to see what the actual story is before people go ranting off at the hip.

In the first instance, polite letters from our better correspondents , which ask for more details on this from Ashtead would be a good way to go. If the replies could be posted here , then we can decide how best to proceed.

Unfortunately, I know the area having grown up near there , and it's not beyond the bounds of possibility.

It would be surprising though , given the number of Ex-Forces people that used to be resident there.


Edited to add .... Cracking letter VB

I think we should wait for the response to VB - the letter is outstanding, well written and does not get emotional.

Good work, VB! :D

Further information.

http://www.molevalley.gov.uk

The application is Planning Application Reference: MO/2007/0863

Ward :Ashtead Park

Main Location: Millcroft, 36, Grays Lane, Ashtead, Surrey, KT21 1BU

Unfortunately, I can't get into the "Letters of representation" files, to see if the LoR's are from SSAFA , MoD or 'Outraged of Ashtead".

Subject to verification of the original story, anyone fancy an ARRSE crawl here?

You can log onto the molevalley site and give your support for this cause. I've just done it.

Mac

Originally Posted by napier

Subject to verification of the original story, anyone fancy an ARRSE crawl here?

Subject to verification the first round is on me!

They may find that this gem comes back to bite them! http://www.molevalley.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=4222

I hope the irony is not lost on the wiser members of Mole Valley council.

I'll bet that if they were to apply for permission to build a mosque it would be granted immediately.Pompous a**eholes.

l urge the council in question to construct a survey, and enquire how many minority groups will use this outstanding facility, such gay/lesbian/ethnic; the Armed Forces are an equal opportunities employer - so, there should be no problem.

Hopefully then, there might not be an argument; do these same locals mind when using disable facilities themselves for example disabled parking/ramps/transport/doors/baths the list is endless. Can they possibly explain what the difference would be, if a neighbour/themselves have had their own home altered to cater for disability? ls anyone else a little bit confused because l am?

Shame on these locals. lt is absolutely soul destroying to actually think these people are called human!

You can write in support of the planning application assuming the deadline has not expired. Remember that objections and statements of support must be "material considerations" in planning terms. I will look into this in more detail tonight, once I can get some PC time! Objections may be either not material or they may have some reasonable basis which should be respected.

The views of the Community Council will also be of interest.

The local authority should make such representations public - if they were up to speed they would be PDF'd and online, like most planning authorities. I am happy to request and put into the public domain.

If this is NIMBYism, then those who are objecting should be named and shamed. If they are well-heeled, then their business activities or social and political advancement could be significantly dependent upon goodwill. Said prospects could be easily shattered by a campaign of concerned serving and ex-serving! I wonder if any NIMBYs include the reckless driver who knocked the medic off the bike some years ago...

Originally Posted by PartTimePongo

.

Unfortunately, I know the area having grown up near there , and it's not beyond the bounds of possibility.

Aaah - it's all starting to fit into place, now.....

Surrey - the only county with an apology for a name.

The Daily Mail may have embelished the story, but the locals have the right to object to what amounts to a change of use for the building. Perhaps this is not the most suitable building in the area. It might be at the end of a narrow lane or have limited access-hard to tell from the picture. Having a family member who served on planning comittees for a long time I know that the final decision will be made by the planning group of the council. These individuals are usually adept at seeing through the emotion of the situation. I wish SSAFA the best of luck, but one of the nice things about living in a democracy is that these issues are discussed and objections can be raised. I don't know Headly Court but might not the option be to build inside the wire?

I think that if you read some of the objections,reported in the paper,one was that it would have an effect on PROPERTY PRICES,which was I recall mentioned before security concerns!

I hope the Mole overflows,then you can live in the slime you deserve,maybe the mistake that was made,was not running the M25 through your quaint little village?