Appeal Court clears way for new build

Surrey Advertiser 22 January 2016 7
Appeal Court clears
way for new build
Fears for green belt as Dubai-backed firm loses fight
By Charlotte Talbot
A COMPANY owned by the
ruler of Dubai has failed in
an attempt to block the
development of the former
DERA site.
Smech Properties Limited,
owned
by
Sheikh
Mohammed bin Rashid alMaktoum, had mounted a
long
running
challenge
against Runnymede Borough
Council’s decision to allow
developers Crest Nicholson
to build on former green belt
land near Chertsey.
Smech
owns
the
Longcross Estate close to the
DERA site, and opposed the
grant of planning permission
throughout the process, according to court papers.
A giant step closer: An impression of how the development
could shape up on the former DERA site.
In a ruling at London’s
High Court in March one of
the country’s top judges, Mrs
Justice Patterson, dismissed
the challenge and refused to
quash
the
planning
permission.
However, at a hearing at
the Court of Appeal on
Thursday last week, Smech’s
lawyers claimed she made a
mistake and her decision
should be reversed.
During the March ruling
Mrs Justice Patterson held
that, even though the council
had been given an inaccurate
estimation of the number of
houses the development
would bring to the area, they
would have ‘reached the
same decision’ if they had
been given a more accurate
figure.
But Smech’s legal team argued that, because the judge
agreed that the planning officers who made the decision
had been ‘materially misdirected’ on a number of occasions, and ‘the misdirection
was so fundamental’, she
should have quashed the
planning decision.
However, the Court of
Appeal disagreed and upheld
the High Court ruling. They
rejected the appeal half way
through the day, without
hearing arguments from the
other side and said they
would give their reasons in
writing later. Developers
Crest Nicholson describe the
proposed development as ‘a
brand new Surrey village
with something for everyone
with two, three, four and five
bedroom houses and one
and two bedroom apartments,’ according to their
website.
At earlier hearings lawyers
for Smech Properties argued
that the development will
wreak havoc with the green
belt and set a precedent for
further wide scale development of the rest of the former
site.
The approved development on the north site will
include 200 new homes, plus
employment land, and retail,
restaurant
and
leisure
development.
Grant Humphreys
SA160144
Boost for
Bloodwise
Ian Parker of Henchards and solicitor Rachael House present a cheque to Jeffrey de
Mesquita and Rosie Spalding of Bloodwise at Guildford Castle.
GUILDFORD Castle provides
the backdrop as Ian Parker
from Chobham-based business consultants Henchards
presents a cheque to Jeffrey
de Mesquita of the charity
Bloodwise.
The charity, which aims to
beat blood cancers, was
nominated for a donation by
Henchards after the firm decided to celebrate the 500th
person attending one it its
monthly business meetings
in December.
Mansion and forest, for a cool £19.75m Equestrian centre to close
With its eight bedroom
suites, an indoor pool and a
14-seat cinema, it would be a
dream home for many.
But this newly-built country mansion also offers its
owners one incredible extra –
their own forest.
The sprawling property,
called Woodrow, is set in a
staggering four acres of landscaped and wooded grounds
in Windlesham.
With the latest security
systems and an extensive
drive, it offers a peaceful and
secluded space. And it could
be yours – if you have nearly
£20 million to spare.
The 22,000sq/ft mansion,
boasting nine bathrooms,
was listed in October 2014 by
Knight Frank.
A year and three months
on, it remains on the market
at a whapping £19.75
million.
In its online listing, the
mansion in Snows Ride is described by estate agents as
offering ‘the spacious living
and sumptuous luxury only
found in the highest echelons of the property market’.
AN equestrian facility on the
edge of Chobham Common
may be demolished to make
way for a sprawling new
mansion,
under
plans
submitted to Surrey Heath
Borough Council.
Lee Chivers, owner of
Langshot Equestrian Centre
off Gracious Pond Road, says
declining business over the
last few years leaves him with
little choice but to seek a different use for the property.
Home from home: Woodrow mansion could be yours for £19.75m.
If permission is granted,
the 26 buildings including
mobile homes and stables,
workshops, storage units and
tack rooms will all go.
A large one and two-storey
home that is set to replace it
represents a 20% reduction
in volume of buildings on the
green-belt site.
Documents submitted to
the council say the site has
been
marketed
since
February
2014
as
an
equestrian business but
there has been ‘no serious
interest’.
“The business has lost
money over the last eight
years and we cannot sustain
it any longer,” said Mr
Chivers, who says he has sold
the Castle Grove pub in
Chobham and a car business
to try to support it.
“There has been a recession and the clients just
aren’t there.
“It’s a declining business,”
he said.
The livery and competition
equestrian centre has been in
existence since 1986 and was
bought by Mr Chivers eight
years ago.
He closed the riding
school three years ago because of ‘astronomical’ insurance premiums.
A target date of March 4
has been set for a decision on
the application.
“Farlington in Action”
Tuesday 26th January at 9.15am
in h’s s
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l
3r rap oo lts
g ch su
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l
S
Te all l Re 015
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Sm Lev ue
A eag
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