Extracts from the latest newsletter

CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

Policing

Probably the major event of the year has been the impact of Safer Neighbourhood Policing. This initiative has produced good results on the anti-social behaviour front and reduced the amount of graffiti seen in this area. More needs to be done but this is a good start. Well-attended public meetings with our local officers help set the priorities on matters that are important to residents.

Development

A number of major developments in the south are slowly grinding through the system. If approved they will increase the existing problems at the Malden Rushett crossroads and the Bridge Road roundabout. The application for 350 houses and a conference centre on the West Park Hospital gives the greatest cause for concern but the decision will be made by the Borough Council of Epsom & Ewell. We will suffer the increased traffic that it will generate. Therefore it is essential that a solution to the traffic problem is provided before that development takes place.

New Licensing Act

This will become live in November this year it is unlikely that any of our pubs or off-licences will apply for extended opening hours but we don't know at the moment as very few applications have been submitted. We understand that the deadline is 6th August. Residents living close to any such establishment should be notified of the details of any application.

Bus Pass Outlet

We are supporting the application for a Pass Outlet by Just Stationers on the Hook Parade. This will be needed when buses become cashless, when that happens you will have to be in possession of a ticket before you can board.

Jim Taylor

Flooding

The Environment Agency has published flood risk maps for the country at:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/flood/?lang=_e.

These show that much of the area bounded by the A3, the A243 and to the north of a line running west from the White Hart Public House, including nearly all of Clayton Road and Somerset Avenue is shown as being within the "extent of extreme flood". A further area within the "extent of extreme flood" is in a line parallel to and to the east of Woodgate Avenue and along Cheshire Gardens. Areas bordering the Hogsmill River, largely undeveloped, and a small area near the A3 are shown as being at greater risk of flooding. We need to be vigilant to ensure that provision is made for storm water runoff when new developments are planned.

Policing

Safer Neighbourhoods

Sergeant James Ellis and his team of Constables and Community Support Officers have had a noticeable effect on the area, including the arrest of a gang stealing from cars in the car parks of pubs on the A243. He has also been instrumental in setting up measures to reduce theft from pubs and to exclude disruptive individuals from local pubs.

The Police are keen to expand the system of local Neighbourhood Watches. If you would like to start a new one, or join an existing scheme, please contact Sara Marlow on 020 8247 4927. You may also wish to join the computerised message service known as Ringmaster. This enables the Police to inform you by telephone, fax or e-mail of local crimes where the Police may require information to help in ongoing investigations and also to provide relevant crime prevention advice. Application forms to join Ringmaster will be available at the AGM.

Safer Neighbourhood Residents Meetings are to be held on Saturday 28 May at 10AM, Thursday 8 September at 7PM and Saturday 10 December at 10AM, all at the King's Centre, Coppard Gardens.

The newsletter of the Safer Neighbourhood Police can be found on the Residents Association website [here]

We hope that Sergeant Ellis will be able to attend our AGM to meet the public.

Mark Barker

Mark Barker, who served for a long time as Vice-Chairman of this Association, died late last year. We will miss the benefit of his extensive local knowledge and wise counsel.

Chessington World of Adventures

A series of planning applications has been submitted by Chessington World of Adventures. Some are connected with the policy to shift the focus of the attraction towards families with younger children, which we support as it reduces problems with youths on the trains and between the station and the park. Other aspects of the plans give cause for concern.

The "flying island" will rise well above the tree line and almost to the height of Tolworth Tower, with consequent loss of privacy to those living in the vicinity.
The open air theatre may be a source of noise
The proposals for a safari trail will lead to the erection of a number of buildings on land designated as "green belt".
There has been no environmental impact assessment in respect of these developments.

Traffic leaving the site at Fair Oak Lane does so by turning into a blind spot. We are concerned about the risk of an accident at this point.

CWA has been acquired by a financial consortium based in Dubai.

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