Welcome to the LOSRA Website
Like any local community, the policies and decisions shaping the character and future of Lower Sunbury are influenced by a combination of local and national government initiatives, alongside market forces and vested interests operating within these frameworks. As with many areas, Lower Sunbury faces challenges stemming from an aging infrastructure, rapid urban development, increasing traffic congestion, and other pressures that impact both quality of life and the distinctive character of the neighbourhood.
In collaboration with local authorities, other residents’ associations and amenity groups, LOSRA plays a vital role in addressing fundamental issues that affect its members' lives. This organisation not only engages with broader strategic concerns but also focuses on the everyday matters that shape community well-being.
To stay informed, we encourage you to subscribe to our regular e-bulletins via the link at the top left of this page. Your continued support is essential to our efforts, and we urge you to join or renew your membership. Subscriptions for 2026 are now payable at £5 per household. Donations are also welcome.
Cala Homes Appeals Against Refusals for Developments at The Ridings
From the article published on this site on 30th December, many residents will be aware that an appeal had already been submitted following the refusal of planning permission for application 14/00322/FUL.
The Association has now been advised that another appeal has been submitted following the refusal of planning permission for application 14/02189/FUL. The Planning Inspectorate has decided that both appeals will be heard together at an informal Hearing on 23rd and 24th June at 10am to be held at the Council Offices, Knowle Green.
Residents who have previously objected to either or both of these applications should have been notified separately. If you have not been contacted before and wish to make representations to the Planning Inspector, this should be done in writing to the Planning Inspectorate, Room 3/06 Temple Quay House, 2, The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6PN, quoting the inspectorate appeal reference numbers: APP/Z3635/W/15/3009449 in respect of 14/02189/FUL; or APP/Z3635/W/14/3000993 in respect of 14/00322/FUL.
Any comments or representations must be submitted in writing and in triplicate by 26th May. (This antediluvian method of communicating with the Planning Inspectorate is still current practice it would seem!).
The 60s All Stars Return to Sunbury Cricket Club, Friday 15th May
The next music night at the SCC falls on Friday 15th May, when they welcome back the 60s All Stars Band who pioneered their Music Nights four years ago, and are firm favourites at the Club.
The band will need very little introduction to most of you, featuring Mick Avory, the original drummer from the Kinks, guitarist Alan Lovell, who is still playing with the Swinging Blue Jeans, bass guitarist John Dee from The Foundations, and guitarist Del Mandel, who was with Crispian St. Peters and also played with George Harrison’s band.
They are one of the very best of the ‘60s revival bands on the circuit, and guarantee a hugely entertaining evening of beat era classics as they draw on their amazing repertoire – challenge them with a request for something really obscure – It's never beaten them yet. The cricket season is now well under way, so bring friends along and make it a real early summer party night.
Eco Park - SCC Passes Secret Value for Money Examination
The saga of this untried, untested, unnecessary and unwanted monstrosity lumbers on, with Surrey County Council (SCC) brushing aside valid technical objections. Delays to the planning process have, however, caused the contractor to call for a revision of the pricing and construction timetable. This, in turn, has made SCC revisit affordability and value for money aspects. Unfortunately this value for money examination was carried out behind closed doors, despite many relevant questions posed by LOSRA and Spelthorne Against the Eco Park (SATEP) members.
The value for money report was reviewed by SCC’s Cabinet on 28th April and passed, despite the estimated cost rocketing by £16M in the past 18 months. LOSRA and SATEP believe that there are simpler and cheaper methods of disposing of waste, and so does the contractor SITA! Watch:
SCC and SITA, its waste consultants, are still insisting that the technology is ‘gasification’ despite Ofgem’s definition that it can’t possibly be. Two possible reasons for this stubbornness; if the definition is changed to incineration rather than gasification the original planning consent is void and the whole thing goes back to the beginning, and gasification attracts three times the subsidy for electricity generation over straightforward incineration (think windfarms and solar panels). Gasification is the Holy Grail of the waste disposal business, and at present it’s just as unattainable especially on a site as small as the Community Recycling Centre at Charlton Lane.
Click here to read a recent Private Eye article giving a whistleblower's account on the monitoring of highly toxic particulate emissions caused by incineration.
Charity Wine Tasting Event at the Riverside Arts Centre, 17th May
The Rotary Club of Shepperton and Sunbury will be holding a tutored wine tasting event with Richard Black on Sunday 17th May at the Riverside Arts Centre, Thames Street. The event will include a charity raffle, quiz with prizes, and a light buffet supper. For further details and booking, click here
Read Sunbury Health Centre's Spring Newsletter Here
The Sunbury Health Centre's Spring Newsletter is now available to view on the PPG (Patients Participation Group) website. Click here: http://www. sunburyhealthcentre-ppg.com/ newsletters.html for the latest information on:
- The Premises
- Patient Access
- Appointments
- Staffing Updates
- New Developments
- The Patient Participation Group (PPG)
- Medical Services
- Expanding Population
- The Future
- Feedback
Spelthorne in Bloom Competition
Spelthorne in Bloom is an annual competition encouraging people who live and work in the Borough to take pride in their local environment.
There are 11 categories to choose from with the opportunity to win vouchers or prizes in this free-to-enter competition.
The Annual Competition is run by the Spelthorne in Bloom Committee, and is free and open to all residents, businesses, schools, churches and licensed premises within the Spelthorne Borough boundary.
Judging will take place from early July through August and the closing date for entries is Friday 19 June 2015.
For further details and online entry form, click here
More...
Charity fundraising Arts Exhibition at The Magpie on Tuesday
A charity fundraising arts exhibition will be taking place at The Magpie, 64, Thames Street from 6pm on Tuesday 28th April.
A fun evening of art, poetry and photography by local artists is promised.
See poster for further details
Parliamentary and Spelthorne Borough Council Elections, 7th May
For those who have been in solitary confinement or otherwise removed from the unceasing media exposure, please note that the next Parliamentary and Spelthorne Borough Council Elections elections will be held on Thursday 7 May 2015.
To see Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Polls for the Parliamentary election, click here
To see Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Polls for the Local elections, click here for Sunbury East
The Riverside Youth Theatre Presents Salad Days at the RAC, 13th - 16th May
SALAD DAYS started its life in June 1954 at the Theatre Royal, Bristol. Dorothy Reynolds and the late Julian Slade had been commissioned to write an end-of-season summer show for the Bristol Old Vic Company and it was scheduled to run just three weeks. But Fate - and a London Management - intervened. On August 5th, 1954 the show opened with the same production at the Vaudeville Theatre, London, and stayed there for five and a half years, becoming (for then) the longest running musical in the history of the British Theatre. It has been playing somewhere in the world ever since.
Newly acquired BA gowns hang heavy on the shoulders of Jane and Timothy. Having got this far, what on earth do they do next? They could get married, of course (so they do), but how can they make a living? In a London park one breathlessly warm summer day they encounter a tramp who trundles round a mobile mini-piano. Even tramps need a holiday now and then, and he invites the young graduates to look after his business interests for a month at £7 per week plus whatever they can collect. The piano is not just any old mobile mini; those who hear it find themselves dancing, even against their better judgment. On this gentle thread of story is strung a series of revue-type scenes providing rich opportunities for versatile comedy players who can also sing and dance.
Performances will commence at 8pm, cost £10. See flier for Box Office details.
Age UK Runnymede and Spelthorne
The Association has been asked by Age UK Runnymede and Spelthorne to bring this notice to our readers and we are happy to oblige:
Many services are available to local people aged 50 and above. Contact - Age UK Runnymede and Spelthorne 01784 444 200, www.ageukrs.org.uk
Information and Advice is a FREE service where one of our team can visit you at home to complete benefit checks, to help you complete forms, apply for a blue badge and much more. Other features of this service include reading your post, providing details of our social activities, support services or other local information. Read more ...
Invitation to Mayor's last Fundraising Events
LOSRA has been asked to advertise the last fundraising events of Suzy Webb's Mayoral Year and we are happy to do what we can to support her chosen charities.
The first is a Jazz riverboat cruise with afternoon tea on ‘French Brother’ New Queen of The Thames on Sunday 26 April. Tickets are £23 each and include afternoon tea, jazz band and parking. See flyer for more details
The second is a wonderful afternoon of Music with the Salvation Army Choir and Band at the Walled Garden, Sunbury, on Sunday 3 May 2015 at 2pm. Admission is free, however, donations are most welcome! Bring a picnic! See flyer for details
To purchase tickets or for more information please contact the Mayor’s Office on 01784 446275 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
LOSRA Chairman Responds to Sports Stadium Development
Photo illustrates potential light pollution affecting Thames stretch of Lower Sunbury
Further to the article published on 27th March, correspondence has now been received from Spelthorne Council, the statutory consultees, inviting residents to make representations to the SBC case officer in respect of the Sports Stadium development on the riverside at Walton. It is stressed that, at no time, has this Association objected to this development. At the time of the outline application in 2012 the Association confined its comments to the environmental considerations which are likely to impact on residents living on the north bank, seeking mitigation of possible noise and light pollution. It is precisely those considerations which prompt us to write once more, now that the full application has been put before the Elmbridge Planning Authority.
Emailed comments should be directed to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. quoting reference number MC/15/00393/MIS. Closing date 22nd April.To view the Chairman's response, click here
Sunbury Cricket Club to Host Middlesex C.C.C for 20/20 Match, 18th April
A highly entertaining event at the Club falls Saturday 18th April, when Sunbury welcomes Middlesex County Cricke Club for a 20/20 season kick-off match against Sunbury 1st XI, starting at 12.30. Apart from Eoin Morgan, England's T20 & ODI captain who is playing in the IPL, Middlesex will field a full county squad and will be formidable opponents with the likes of Steven Finn, England quickie with 90 wickets in 23 Tests and 86 wickets in ODI's, Nick Compton and Sam Robson who have both played Test Cricket for England in recent years, James Franklin, New Zealand all rounder, Neil Dexter, David Malan, Tim Murtagh and former Sunbury player Andrew Balbirnie who made significant contributions for Ireland at the recent ODI World Cup
Sunbury will be strengthened by Middlesex quickie Toby Roland-Jones, and Paul Stirling, Ireland's impressive opening bat and off spinner who has scored 2469 runs and taken 41 wickets in an international career of 83 ODI and T20 internationals. Both being ex-Sunbury players, they should add a bit of bite to the proceedings. Sunbury will also benefit from the introduction of their Aussie overseas player for 2015 Chris Green, an aggressive bat and off spinner. In the Australian season just ended Chris broke into the NSW state side, while also playing in the Aussie Big Bash for Sydney Thunder - so he knows all about the T20 format.
Sunbury will of course be relying on their experienced ex pro's Maunders (Middlesex, Leicester and Essex) and Adam London (Middlesex) along with other established and up and coming talent. It’s free to all, so come and enjoy a great afternoon’s cricket. Also at the Club that day Sunbury Sports Bowls Club have an Open Day for anyone interested to come along and try their hand on the green sending down a few woods. It’s great fun, so come and have a fun sporting day at the Club.
The Others to Return for another Storming Session at Sunbury Cricket Club, 17th April
The next Music Night is on Friday 17th April when the Club is delighted to welcome back The Others who played a storming gig on their debut at the Club last year. They started life at Hampton School in the early ‘60s, and while still at school got a record deal with Fontana in 1964, releasing a version of Bo Diddley’s “Oh Yeah”, and were vying for elbow room alongside bands like The Yardbirds, The Downliners Sect and The Pretty Things on the London club scene. Major success eluded them and The Others went their separate ways, but re-formed in 2012, playing stunning gigs, with a distinctive hard-edged style of R&B that showed why they made such waves back in the ‘60s.
Young Hampton schoolmates Brian May and Tim Staffel were inspired by THE OTHERS, and formed Smile before Brian moved on to form Queen – Brian once said that The Others’ Pete Hammerton was one of the best guitarists he’d ever seen. Alongside Pete, the line-up features original members Paul Stewart (vocals/harmonica), Rob Tolchard (bass) and Geoff Coxon (drums). Their act re-visits some of the classic material of the era in an uncompromising driving fashion, but brings a new dimension to the songs with their updated treatments. It will be a Sunbury Music Night in the classic mould and is a great way to kick off the new cricket season. There’s full info on the band at www.theothers.org.uk. It's a gig that's not to be missed.
