Welcome to the LOSRA Website
As with any other local neighbourhood, the policies and actions which affect the character and future of Lower Sunbury are generally framed and implemented by a combination of local and national government, along with the vested interests and market forces which operate within those frameworks. Lower Sunbury is by no means unique in being under threat from a creaking infrastructure brought about by rapid urban development, the growth of traffic, and other pressures affecting the quality of life and the character of the area.
Working with the local authorities, we see it as the responsibility of residents’ and amenity groups such as LOSRA to address the underlying issues which fundamentally affect their members’ lives, as well as the minutiae of everyday life with which such groups are often concerned.
Please sign up to receive our regular e-bulletins by subscribing via the facility at the top left hand of this page. It goes without saying that, without your continued support we would cease to function so we urge you to join, or renew your membership now Subscriptions (£5 per household) for 2024 are now payable.
London Irish Appeal - Progress of Inquiry
LOSRA has received formal notification that, following the conclusion of the Public Inquiry, the Inspector is now in the course of preparing his report and recommendation(s) to the Secretary of State for his consideration.
The Inspector expects to have completed his submission by 28th September. The Secretary of State will issue his decision on or before 30th November 2011.
Spelthorne Borough Council Polling Review
The following email has been received by LOSRA. If you wish to make a representation please do so direct by clicking on the link below:
Spelthorne Borough Council is undertaking a review of its polling districts, polling places and polling stations. The review requires the Council to ensure all electors in the Spelthorne Constituency have such reasonable facilities for voting as are practicable and have regard to the accessibility needs of those with various forms of disability.
Representations and comments are invited from elected persons, local political parties and electors, persons or organisations with particular expertise in relation to access to premises for people with different form of disability and local community groups. In the event that you do not think an existing polling place/station meets the needs of its electors, it would be helpful if an alternative venue could be suggested.
All information concerning the review and proposals is on the website at www.spelthorne.gov.uk and also available in hardcopy at libraries throughout the Borough. Forms for comments/suggestions/alternatives are provided on the web or can be obtained from this office.
Representation should be made in writing to the Electoral Registration Officer, Spelthorne Borough Council, Council Offices, Knowle Green, Staines, TW18 1XB or by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 17 August 2011. All representations received will be given due consideration and made available for public inspection.
If you should require any information or a hardcopy of the Review, please let me know and details will be forwarded by return.
Yours sincerely
Jayne McEwan, Electoral Services
Walled Garden Receives Prestigious Green Flag Award
Our Walled Garden is one of the Best in the Country and that's official. Today, the Walled Garden will receive the Green Flag Award, a sign to visitors that the park is well maintained and well managed, with excellent facilities. A high quality green space in the Village, the historic Walled garden in Sunbury Park was most probably built in the early part of the 18th Century for the large mansion built on the site for Sir Roger Hudson; and there is a drawing in Colin Campbell's 'Vitruvius Britannicus' showing the housing in Sunbury Park in 1714.
Walled gardens were a particular feature of the larger Georgian and Victorian Houses and were used for the growing of high quality fruit and vegetables for the wealthy owner of the house; and typically would have included a specialist range of greenhouses for the growing of peaches and grapes. The Sunbury example is particularly fine, covering as it does some two acres with the original walls, in many places being eight to ten feet high. The Green Flag Award Scheme is managed by a consortium, comprising Keep Britain Tidy, BTCV and Green Space. Known collectively as the Green Flag Plus Partnership, the Consortium manages the Scheme in England on behalf of Communities and Local Government (CLG).
All award-winning sites now have the chance to receive a further award from the Green Flag Plus Partnership, the People's Choice Award. The award is voted for by the public, so if you want to see your local park receive a national accolade as the people's choice, then vist the Green Flag Award website now to register your vote: http://www.keepbritaintidy.org/GreenFlag/Awards/GreenFlag/Default.aspx
Volunteers wanted for Sunbury Lock Island Clean-up This Sunday
'Thames 21' a Registered Charity is appealing for volunteers to help in a clean-up operation at Sunbury Lock Island. This location is a charming part of the Lower Sunbury riverscape and we are being asked to join a team to give it a clean-up on Sunday 17th July. Click here to view the poster.
Volunteers are asked to report to the footbridge ahead of the lock at 10.45am. Old clothes recommended but all necessary equipment will be provided. For more details, go to http://thames21utp.tumblr.com/
LOSRA Life Membership Now Available
At the AGM on 22nd June the Constitution was amended to allow residents to sign up for life membership to LOSRA. The change to the Constitution was brought about following requests from residents who, rather than having to remember to renew each year, preferred a one off facility. The amendment to the Constitution was duly put before the AGM and passed.
The life membership may be paid in the same way as annual membership; ie. by completing the tear-off slip at the back of the newsletter and depositing a cheque at Twirltours in Green Street, or at the Post Office in The Avenue. We have also included the facility to pay via PayPal on the Home Page of this Site.
Invitation to Tea at St. Mary's Church, 16th July
LOSRA is very pleased to post this invitation on behalf of St. Mary's: St Mary's Church will be holding a Community Event which will take the form of an Afternoon Tea Party in the Church, on Saturday 16 July between 3.00pm and 5.00pm.
Home made scones, clotted cream and music on the grand piano will all make for a very pleasant afternoon.
Please come and join us as we would love the Sunbury community to be with us.
More...
Picnic in the Park, Saturday 9th July
The Friends of Sunbury Embroidery are once again organising an evening concert in the Walled Garden. This year the Panama Cafe Orchestra will be playing with "nostalgia, wit and authentic sounds of the 20s & 30s" (www.panamacafe.co.uk).
Bring you own chairs, tables and picnics... and although it will be summer it will be impossible to tell, so bring something warm to wear just in case.
Gates to the Walled Garden will open at 6.15pm for a 7pm start. The concert will finish at approximately 9.30pm. Tickets are now available in the Embroidery Gallery. £12.50 adult and £6 for under 12s.
Despite all the Objections Surrey County Council Gives Go-ahead to 'Eco Park'
Despite the combined efforts of SATEP, CVRA and LOSRA, the Planning and Regulatory Committee of Surrey County Council approved the development of the 'Eco Park' proposal on 30th June. To do otherwise would have meant SCC having to repay substantial PFI loans and this was a consideration which would outweigh all others no matter how persuasive the opposing arguments proved to be.
A refusal of the application would also have risked reputational damage to SCC. The possibility of financial loss and reputational damage has been recorded in an official SCC 'Risk Assessment' document (now in LOSRA'S possession) compiled at the request of the Leader of the Council; and which was presumably not intended for wide circulation. It is inconveivable that members of the Planning Committee were not aware of this document and its content before deciding to approve their own application.
The joint campaign group will now be lobbying the Secretary of State to 'call in' the application and will be seeking a top QC's legal opinion before considering our next steps.
Sing Spelthorne Community Choir
You may have seen the recent television programme about the new phenomenon of community rock choirs? Would you be interested in joining a similar choir? Then the Sing Spelthorne community choir may be for you and new members are always welcome.
The free weekly sessions take place at Brooklands College in Ashford on Thursday evenings from 7-9pm. If it takes your fancy why not come along and give it a try. It's open to all ages (children must be supervised) and abilities so complete beginners are more than welcome and you won’t have to audition or sing on your own - the aim is just to have a good time.
The choir sings a huge variety of songs ranging from rock to pop, gospel to blues, folk to classical.
PC Caroline Barnes' Police Report for Month of May
Caroline Barnes has published her report for the month of May. Were you aware that the new skate park in Green Street attracts youngsters from as far away as Central London?
Support Friends of Sunbury Library
The Friends of Sunbury Library have special events to promote this much valued facility at The Parade, Staines Road West, Sunbury TW16 7AB.
These include Coffee Mornings on the first Friday of the month. The next ones are on 1 July, 5 August, 2 September and 7 October.
More details from Brenda on 01932 784866 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Walled Garden to Get New Irrigation System
Spelthorne Council is to replace the watering system at Sunbury Walled Garden with a more efficient and economic arrangement. Work should begin in early July and take around two weeks to complete.
Following intermittent failure of the current irrigation system as well as water wastage and consequent footpath damage, the Council is to spend £28,000 on an improved scheme to replace the 20-year old one.
Most residents will be aware that The Walled Garden in Thames Street hosts the Millennium Embroidery building with a cafe open six days a week and is popular with both visitors and locals who come to see the wide variety of plants and trees, one of which, a Persian Lilac, is extremely rare. It also has a knot garden – intricate weaving of dwarf hedges – and a Victorian rose garden. The Richard Stothard Memorial Clematis Collection also has a home here.
It has become obvious over the last few months in particular, that the watering system was failing, not covering the areas required and flooding footpaths. This has meant large amounts of time being spent manually watering and also the potential danger to disabled and wheelchair users who find the waterlogged paths increasingly hazardous to navigate.
London Irish Public Inquiry, Tough, Testing and Thorough
LOSRA has had enough experience of planning appeals to know that it is never wise to attempt second guessing the possible outcomes. What can be said without doubt is that, as the official Third Party to the eleven day proceedings, the best possible case was put before the Planning Inspector. The Inquiry itself was the culmination of months of preparatory work by a dedicated team of LOSRA witnesses whose evidence survived all material rebuttals and often hostile cross-examination. Despite this and recognising that difficult moments are to be expected at such proceedings, the Inquiry was conducted with unfailing courtesy and good humour on the part of all advocates.
We are not clear as to the time scale before the judgement will become known as the Planning Inspector must first report with his recommendations to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. It will be for the Minister to make the final decision and there is no way of telling how long this may take. A best (though not particularly helpful) guess would be mid-September to mid-October.
LOSRA is very grateful to all those who took the time out to attend this lengthy and sometimes very technical Inquiry. The silent support of those in the public gallery was a great encouragement to all the LOSRA participants.
Eco Park' Hearing Thursday 30th June, County Hall, Kingston
After numerous postponements following the legal challenge funded by LOSRA, Charlton Village Residents Association (CVRA) and Shepperton Against the Eco Park (SATEP), the Planning and Regulatory Committee of Surrey County Council will finally hear and determine the application by SITA for the installation of an incinerator at the existing site of the Waste Transfer Station at Charlton Lane.
The agenda for the special meeting of the Planning & Regulatory Committee to be held at 10.30am on 30 June 2011 at County Hall Kingston, is now available on the SCC website.
In common with Charlton Village and Shepperton residents, LOSRA remains implacably opposed to this most unwelcome proposal and speakers are lined up to speak against it at the Planning and Regulatory Committee. Residents who may have a couple of hours to spare on Thursday morning are urged to attend and support the opposition.
