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.
Head of Local Planning Policy Recommends Refusal of Eco Park Application
Residents will be delighted to hear that the Head of Local Planning Policy, on behalf of the Deputy Chief Executive, is recommending refusal of the Eco Park application. The Special Planning Committee will hear the application on Wednesday, 26th January at 7pm.
Click here to follow the link to the Agenda
If you then click on 'Report of the Deputy Chief Executive' (2nd para of item 4) you will see the recommendation is to refuse for 4 reasons. There is also a long list of issues that are recommended for conditions should Surrey decide to approve the Scheme. A query is also raised regarding the proposed Section 106 (planning gain) contribution.
The report refers to 3 appendices and 10 of the submitted plans which are all with the printed agenda. Copies of this additional material may be found on web site. The appendices are: A – factual report from Surrey CC on the application; B minutes of the Spelthorne Planning Committee which dealt with the retention application; C technical extract from the application describing the processes to take place on the site. The 10 plans are those which best convey the main elements of the scheme.
LOSRA Says Farewell to Two Well-known Gentlemen of our Local Community
Some residents may already be aware of the sad news that Richard Worthington died over the Christmas weekend. A resident of Saxonbury Avenue for many years, and a former landscape architect, he was a prominent member of the Friends of Sunbury Park, especially interested in Orchard Meadow and Hawke Park; and was a supporter of LOSRA's stance on local planning applications - he spoke in objection to the London Irish planning applications at the special planning committee at Kempton Park. He had a stroke during the week before Christmas, and died a week later. He leaves his wife June. The funeral is at Hanworth Crenatorium on 25th Jan at 12 noon, and afterwards at Sunbury Cricket Club.
And last weekend we received the sad news that John Stamp died on Friday at Princess Alice after a 25-year battle against cancer. John, of course, designed the Sunbury Embroidery - he was formerly the chief designer at Thames Television, responsible for some famous title sequences including World At War. A trustee of the Embroidery, he continued his innovative work after the Embroidery was completed, and shortly before his death, the tactile displays for the visually impaired, cast from his three dimensional clay models of the Embroidery panels, were installed as part of stunning new modules at the Gallery. He was a remarkable personality, and despite the increasingly insidious effects of his cancer, he was still greeting visitors at the Gallery on Sundays as recently as last autumn until it became too difficult for him. His family, including his wife Jeanette, was with him when he died.
Wild, Wild Women to Show at Riverside Arts Centre
Shepperton Players present a wild west musical. The womenfolk of Aggroville are tired of the family feuding tearing up the town, and go on sex strike. That's when the men start to notice Madame Lola and her 'soiled doves'.
Wild Wild Women will bring lively songs and rootin' tootin' cowboy humour to the Riverside Arts Centre, Thames Street, from Wednesday 2nd to Saturday 5th February.
Cost is £10, group discount available. Starts at 8pm. Contact Box Office on: 0208 977 8206.
Sunbury and Shepperton Arts Association - Spring Coffee Concerts
The SSAA are delighted to announce their Spring 2011 series of coffee concerts at the Riverside Arts Centre. Please click here to see the leaflet giving the details.
Latest News on 'Eco Park' Hearings
The planning application to retain the existing facilities will be considered by the Planning and Regulatory Committee of Surrey County Council at a special meeting on 2nd February rather than 12th January as was originally planned.
The Spelthorne's Planning Committee will consider the Eco Park application at a Special meeting on Wednesday 26th January at 7pm. Our Council, as statutory consultees, must first consider the full application for the Eco Park before the application is determined by the Planning and Regulatory Committee of Surrey County Council.
All residents are urged to attend the important special meeting on the 26th. Don't forget to visit: http://satep.moonfruit.com/ for all the latest.
PC Caroline Barnes Forwards her Report for December 2010
The report from the Lower Sunbury Safer Neighbourhood Team for the month of December may be viewed by clicking here.
More...
LOSRA Responds to Application for Installation of 'Eco Park'
Two members of the LOSRA Committee have submitted representations on behalf of the Association. One questions the safety implications of what is being proposed and the other, the legality of the proposal.
Walton Bridge to Go Ahead
Following the last election and the uncertainty of publicly funded projects, it is now confirmed that the £32m Thames Road Bridge at Walton has been approved.
The permanent arch road bridge will be the first new road crossing over The Thames in 20 years. The structure, which will replace the two "temporary" bridges connecting Walton and Shepperton, is due to be completed by the summer of 2013.
The Department of Transport will invest £23.8m with the remainder coming from Surrey County Council. The Authority expects work to start in January.
Planning Committee Objects to Permanent Allocation of 'Eco Park' Site
A Special Planning Committee was convened on Wednesday night to consider the application by Surrey County Council for the permanent allocation of the Charlton Lane Green Belt site as a permanent waste management facility. (See entry for 20th December).
The hearing was well attended and two residents spoke against the application.
As statutory consultees, the Committee, on a proposal tabled by the Vice Chairman, accepted an amended recommendation than that originally proposed by the planning officer. Rather than raising no objection, the amended version included the following recommendation:
1.1 Surrey County Council be informed that this Council OBJECTS to the proposal for the following reason:
1.2 There is a lack of clarity in the purpose of the application to retain the existing facilities in their entirety beyond the life of the current temporary planning permission in 2016. This means that the required case for very special circumstances to allow inappropriate development on the Green belt has not been sufficiently demonstrated on a permanent basis. It is considered that there is some justification for allowing a further extension of the temporary permission and a period of 9 years, up to 2025 is deemed reasonable.
Given that the final word will rest with Surrey County Council, the full implications of this recommendation will not become clear until SCC have considered the matter. The full wording of the recommendation which also outlines other material concerns may be viewed on the Council Website in due course.
To Make Way for 'Eco Park', Planning Committee Set to Make Permanent the Temporary Green Belt Waste Facility
Further to our announcements in the recent newsletter and previous articles on this Site (see 6th & 15th December), a Special Planning Committee is to be held this Wednesday at the Council Chamber to consider a proposal for the permanent retention of the existing waste management facilities at Charlton Lane with a modification to the existing site access arrangements and erection of an acoustic fence. The success of this application will be a precursor to the application for the installation of the 'Eco Park' if the opposition of local residents is to count for nothing.
In the event of Planning Committee approval, the application to retain waste facilities will then be determined by Surrey County Council at its Planning and Regulatory Committee on 12th January 2011. On the same date the Planning Committee at Spelthorne, as statutory consultees, will consider the application for the installation of the 'Eco Park'.
The timing of the Special Planning Committee could not come at a more inconvenient time for local residents who will be preoccupied with family affairs and festive preparations. Nevertheless all residents who find themselves able to take a couple of hours from their busy days, are urged to attend.
Slip Sliding Away
Readers may remember the response of the Highways Authority to the freezing conditions last year. It seemed that those roads not included in Priority Route 1 were not treated due to the lack (and therefore rationing) of salt.
Despite there being no such shortage this year, it appears that Manor Lane, an important thoroughfare but not included in PR 1, now resembles an ice rink and a number of accidents have already occurred along this stretch of road.
For what it's worth, the situation is being reported to the County Council but for up-to-date bulletins please visit Highways Information Online.
Gasification at 'Eco Park' IS Incineration - True!
At the recent Have Your Say event at Salesian School in Chertsey,The Leader of Surrey County Council, Dr Andrew Povey said that he did not support the use of incinerators in the County. A LOSRA member having researched the term 'gasification' has concluded the following in this edited article:
"This needs drilling into everyone's consciences like times tables. Talking about gasification at this ['Eco Plant'] is obfuscation, deliberately telling only half the story.
"As an input/output device it is an incinerator that happens to generate a little bit of electricity allowing SITA to sell it in order to offset costs. It's an equivocal and misleading claim.
Misleading Article on Public Footpath 'Outrage'
In our Autumn newsletter, and on our Website, we published an article on the disappearance of a 'public footpath' sign and the erection of a gate between nos. 32 - 34 Thames Street. It seems that we were a bit hasty in drawing any conclusions about these developments and we must apologise for that. The sign was in fact removed by Surrey County Council in November 2005 and a gate licence was issued at the same time. Spelthorne Borough Council had also given permission for the gate.
These steps were considered necessary as a deterrent security measure to protect properties on the River. They are not intended to deter bona fide users of the footpath who may still gain access by the simple expedient of pushing the gate open and closing it after themselves and, if accompanied by a dog, keeping it on a lead.
Surrey's Most Wanted - Crimestoppers Asks for Your Help
Our local Police Inspector has written to the Chairman of LOSRA asking our membership to help track down Surrey's most wanted criminals. Her email is self-explanatory and the link should carry details within the next few days.
Can you help trace Surrey’s ‘Most Wanted’?
The top 15 most wanted people in Surrey are being warned to look over their shoulders as a new website aimed at helping track down serious offenders in the region is launched today.
The public can now view the county’s ‘Most Wanted’ online and help police locate those who may have gone to ground and bring them to justice.
The Rogues Gallery include those sought in connection with offences such as attempted murder, serious assault, drug importation, ATM fraud and burglary.
Surrey Police has teamed up with independent charity Crimestoppers which will feature them on its website, allowing the public to look at pictures and E-fits and view CCTV footage of people currently wanted across the county.
They can be viewed by visiting http://crimestoppers-uk.org/surrey and clicking on Most Wanted. Crimestoppers allows people to give information about crime anonymously by telephone or via the Crimestoppers website.
