Gravel Liaison Committe Meeting – 29 September 2009
A further meeting of the Gravel Liaison Committee took place on the 29th September. Both the Laleham Residents and the Shepperton Residents were represented by their spokesmen and there were two representatives from Shepperton Aggregates. The senior planning officer from the County Council was also present.
At the meeting we chose a new Chairman, Richard Walsh, who is the newly elected County Councillor for Laleham and Shepperton Green and who was attending the Committee for the first time.
Extraction from (and infill of) Home Farm is now in its final phase (Phase 16) and could even be finished in about a year's time. The actual speed and time this takes will be determined by the level of demand for gravel. Following the completion of Home Farm, Shepperton Aggregates then hope to work the small parcel of Shepperton Studios land at the top of Littleton Lane and an element of the market garden next to it. This should take about a couple of years. The land would then be restored back to its current use, ie studios site and market garden. In the meantime, the studios would use the field just to the north for its filming.
A large amount of Committee time was given to discussing the problem of excessive vehicle speeds through the centre of the village. According to official figures there are about 5 serious accidents which take place here each year. And, if you figure in less serious accidents, which happen about 5 to 6 times as frequently, we are talking about roughly 30 accidents a year. The gravel lorries of course can only be a small part of the problem as they are only a very small proportion of the vehicles that come through the village. But Shepperton Aggregates have indicated their willingness to be part of the solution.
One suggestion from their side is that a properly enforced speed limit could be applied to all vehicles as a rider to approval for the Manor Farm development. (Note: We have been amazingly lucky that deaths have not occurred. The situation is intolerable AND getting worse. The current 30 mph limit is currently widely abused so self enforcing measures - not including road humps! - would be needed; but at what speed? One suggestion is for 20 mph for the stretch including the 2 old peoples homes and the school, at least.
Please let us have your views. We can crack this one with your support. Our Councillors and MP are with us on this. Ed.)
The next formal meeting of the Committee will be in May 2010 but informal contacts will continue ad hoc throughout the period.
LRA Representative
(Disclaimer: please note that the LRA Representative is an ordinary resident of Laleham and speaks neither for Shepperton Aggregates, nor the Council or Councillors. He has no privileged information from any of these bodies; and his views are just that)
Comments will be welcomed. Feedback, if any, in writing to “LRA representative, Gravel Liaison Committee”, please, or email gravel@lalehamonthames.com .
Read the minutes of the last meeting by Clicking Here
Public Exhibition
Shepperton Aggregates held a public exhibition to show proposals for a planning application to extend the existing sand and gravel processing operation at Littleton Lane onto land at Manor Farm, Ashford Road Laleham. Please see below for downloads of maps, handouts and so on. Please also see our Q&A section by clicking on the button above.
- Download and read the Tarmac \ Brett Community Consultation Brief by clicking here.
- Download a map of the affected area by clicking here.
- We hope to get a downloadable map of the restored lake soon.
Weblinks
Brett's website http://www.brett.co.uk
Tarmac's website http://www.tarmac.co.uk
