redevelopment of East Street.
While this was not
unexpected, an announcement by the Farnham Waverley ward's Conservative councillor that this scheme would "free up" money for projects in Haslemere and Godalming confirmed long-held suspicions that it is not the application of the development brief that has motivated Waverley officers and the Conservative group for so long.
So Farnham is to suffer localised over-development on a scale that resembles Woking, as well as the super-saturation of its town roads, and a serious loss of public car parking, in order for Godalming to have a new sports centre!
I know that sounds crude, but those are the broad facts. The Sainsbury scheme offers more buildings than its competitors, so will be perceived as the best money-earner for Waverley. As it uses up all of the ground, as it were, refining building design from here on will not reduce the height of buildings unless a reduction in financial gain is accepted, and fewer flats, offices and shops are built.
In terms of size and compatibility with old town buildings it fails to comply with the
development brief and doesn't contain the 450 specified public car parking spaces, so why have the Farnham Conservative councillors in particular been so keen to go for it? Party
loyalty appears to have taken priority over responsibility to their constituents.
To be absolutely fair about the party politics applied at the meeting, the Liberal Democrat group put up some well thought out arguments and objections, but they were apparently too late because of their previous involvement in the selection process. Their request for a postponement of the decision laid them wide open to ridicule from the well-primed Conservative group.
The Liberal Democrats were in power when the idea of large-scale redevelopment (conveniently called "regeneration") was conceived. Early concerns by the Farnham Society and public comments made at the first exhibitions, together with the wish-lists noted at diverse meetings held as part of the "public consultation" process which has
followed under Conservative control, do not appear to have had much effect during the decision making. What has happened to democratic
representation in our borough?
The situation Farnham now faces is quite serious. Our town centre roads cannot, and never will, handle large volumes of extra traffic. Bypasses round Wrecclesham and the west of the town are required before real relief can be obtained.
The nominal improvements to the A31 due to start in 2003 will help marginally, but they will be rapidly offset by East Street construction work and by more development in Hampshire and the Blackwater Valley.
In the longer term, diverted traffic from the A3 when the Hindhead Tunnel work starts will probably, at a guess, double traffic volumes on the A31.
We have been told by Councillor Munro that Surrey Highways are having another go at designing an underpass for Hickley's Corner. This newspaper has recently informed us of plans for the railway between Farnham "Spice" Station and Alton which will increase the number of trains using the level
crossing at Station Hill.
For the next twenty years or so Farnham looks like
becoming a national centre for construction work and traffic delays, but if Waverley hurries the Sainsbury scheme along (as is obviously intended), I
presume its cash will be
available just in time.
Farnham as we know it is about to change – but not, it seems, the Woolmead!
Eric Boyle
Old Compton Lane, Farnham