From 1 October our parks and open spaces closing times are changing for the winter.

They are now as follows:

Opening time: 7.30am

Closing time: 6pm

These times will remain the same until 1 April 2019.

You may have seen recently from local news  that a proposed route has been chosen for the aviation fuel pipeline which runs through parts of Surrey. You are invited to give your views at the next phase of a statutory consultation which has been launched, the details of which can be found on the following website: www.slpproject.co.uk

There is a number of exhibition events coming up in the next few weeks; in particular there’s one in Ashford on Saturday 13th October 2018 at the Salvation Army Woodthorpe Rd TW15 3JY from 11am to 5pm.

Local residents and landowners are welcome to come along and have their say on this project or perhaps you may wish to write on the web site www.slpproject.co.uk or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or respond by post to: FREEPOST SLP PROJECT. The consultation closes on Friday 19th October 2018.

The Friends of St Mary's (F.o.S.M.), are pleased to  present the popular Barfield Handbell Ringers, who come together  from a wide area covering Surrey and Hants., to perform a varied programme over  5½ octaves of bells, 3 octaves of hand chimes and other instruments. 

Don't miss this opportunity to see and hear their unique sound while helping us to raise funds for our current Restoration projects!

Tickets £10 on the door or £9 pre-booked  and  for F.o.S.M. Members on 01932 785807or 01932 785035.

We look forward to seeing you there. 7.00pm. on October 6th 2018 St Mary's Church, Church Street, Sunbury-on-ThamesTW16 6RG

(Further information on our website: www.fosmsunbury.org.uk or see: www.barfield.org.uk)

It is highly regrettable that advice of this application (dated 2.08.18) was not made known to local residents and no public notice had been posted on the front of the building (a requirement which should have beem met by the applicant). A number of residents discovered simply by word of mouth. Nevertheless, we are where we are and time is now very limited as representations must be submitted by 19.09.18. This said, we are aware that late submissions will be considered provided they are received before determination.

Whilst LoSRA will be opposing this application, it is essential that all interested parties make their views known, no matter how briefly, by going to: Spelthorne Planning Applications Online, and search for Dart House. Application 18/01186/FUL.

Click here to view the application

The grounds on which our opposition is being formulated will include the following:

Adequacy of Parking/Loading/Turning

LOSRA understands that, in accordance with the Supplementary Planning Document 2011 on parking standards, a development of this size outside a town centre should include provisions for at least 12 off-street parking spaces. This proposal shows six underground parking bays, accessible via a lift/turntable system from street level. This is clearly woefully inadequate and non-compliant with planning guidance. Options for on-street parking simply don’t exist in this locality.

Design, Appearance and Materials

Whilst the architectural sketches make selected reference to the existing street scene, and the potential reuse of original brickwork, the concept design clearly demonstrates a desire to introduce modern features to the building façade including: 

• Anodised aluminium window frames, panels and dormer cheeks
• Obscure anodised aluminium panelling
• Rendered diagonal recessing
• Shuttered ( presumably metallic) garage doors
• LOSRA believes that these architectural features would be totally incongruous with the surrounding street scene, and the adjoining properties.

Effect on Conservation Areas

The Lower Sunbury Conservation Area is a special feature of our village, and is dear to the hearts of our residents. This site is the first riverside architectural feature on the western aspect of the Conservation Area and therefore defines the character and appearance which LOSRA endeavour to preserve. Furthermore, with the site being situated on the bank of the river Thames, and adjacent to Flower Pot Green, it is part of a vista that has been celebrated in photographs and painting (Daphne Clements amongst others). Accordingly, we believe the site must be protected from this type of development, and that the proposal to demolish the building in these circumstances  is wholly inappropriate for the Conservation Area.

Effect on Listed Buildings

Unsurprisingly, due to its prominent location within the Conservation Area, this site is adjacent to a cluster of listed buildings, including The Flower Pot Pub, Northolt, Thames Cottage and Riverside House. The site is also in the immediate vicinity of the grade II listed St Mary’s Church, The Old Vicarage, Old Manor Farm Cottage and Sunbury Nursing Lodge.

Policy EN5 (f) requires “development proposals for any sites affecting the setting of a listed building to have special regard to the need to preserve its setting.”  The appearance of the proposed building will destroy the current visual balance of the approach into Sunbury from the West: it has no relationship to the Flower Pot or any of the other buildings in the street, let alone as part of the framing for a view of the church. The proposed design is both highly obtrusive and out of character and harmony within the conservation setting.

Highway safety

This property is directly alongside a busy roundabout, where unfortunately there have been a large number of accidents, including a recent pedestrian fatality. LOSRA encourage both the County Highways Authority and the Planning Officer to consider the proposal very carefully. LOSRA believe that the proposed development is both impractical and unsafe.

Layout and density of buildings

The development plans present a much larger building than the existing property, both in terms of footprint and the height. LOSRA believes this constitutes a substantial overdevelopment of the site that would significantly increase the density of buildings within that corner of the Lower Sunbury Conservation Area.

Overbearing & Overshadowing

Policy EN1 (b) requires that the building “achieves a satisfactory relationship to adjoining properties avoiding significant harmful impact in terms of loss of privacy, daylight or sunlight, or overbearing effect due to bulk and proximity of outlook.”

This proposal represents a drastic increase of both the footprint and the height of the building. We believe that this would have a negative impact on the relationship with adjoining properties. We also submit that, given the site location and orientation relative to Flower Pot Green, the building would have a harmful impact on the amount of sunlight reaching important designated common land within the Lower Sunbury Conservation Area.

Previous planning decisions

A pertinent comment on a previous proposal for developing the site, made by the Council’s (then) Listed Buildings and Conservation Officer: “We have particular concern about the starkness of the proposed building and in particular the modern designed roof…” The sentiment is every bit as valid in respect of the proposed development.

We are at pains to point out that our Association is not necessarily opposed to the development of this site; but what is proposed in this application represents an over-development in scale which is completely out of sympathy with the street scene and out of character in the Lower Sunbury Conservation Area.

The following email has been received from Spelthorne Council and we are pleased to reproduce it here:

Amazing support for Princess Alice Hospice – 200 signed up, extra tickets still available.

The response to our appeal for fun runners to support Princess Alice Hospice via this great family event has been terrific, with our allocation of places being snapped up well in advance.

The good news is that anyone still wishing to join the fun won’t miss out; tickets are still available direct from the organisers.

All we ask is for any extra entrants to consider getting sponsored for Princess Alice Hospice.

Glow In The Park is the ultimate night-time neon event – a 5k fun run for families and friends. You can dance, jog, walk and run through 6 “Glow Zones” including Foam Zone, UV Paint Blast and Time Tunnel. This is the first such event at the Sunbury racecourse.

For more details of this unmissable experience and a link to the organisers’ site, visit https://www.pah.org.uk/events/ category/runs/ and click on Glow In The Park.

If you’d like to make an impact and run in one of our distinctive tee-shirts, you can pick one up beforehand; just contact  Supporter Care – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Simon brought himself to the public’s attention while playing in NYJO from 1999 to 2003 and, after being a winner in the Daily Telegraph Young Jazz competition and a Young Jazz Musician of the Year finalist, Simon gained a place at the Royal Academy of Music.

Later he was selected to join UK drummer Clark Tracey’s acclaimed Quintet, winning further awards and touring the UK over the course of seven years. Simon also played with Clark’s father, the late Stan Tracey, featuring on the last two quartet recordings and appearing with Stan on the TV show Later With Jools Holland performing a track from Stan’s last album, The Flying Pig. He now plays in the Stan Tracey Legacy Band, helping to introduce Stan’s music to new audiences.

Simon has worked with Colin Towns’ Mask Orchestra for the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and the Matthew Herbert Big Band, touring around Germany, China, Belgium and Poland. He has appeared at major UK venues and festivals including Ronnie Scott’s, the Barbican and the Brecon Jazz Festival, and worked with an astonishing array of top musicians from the jazz and pop world, including Jamie Cullum, Beverley Knight and Florence Rawlings, a young soul singer managed by Mike Batt.

Outside of jazz, Simon leads a horn section which has backed Phil Collins, Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney among others. He was also featured on the soundtracks of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and Sujoy Ghosh’s Aladdin, as well as on Katie Melua’s Pictures album.

Simon now fronts his own Quintet, with which he has recorded the album Any Minute Now, as well as playing with the Laurence Cottle All Star Big Band, Sax Appeal, JazzBomb and the Bobby Worth Quintet.

He is also Musician in Residence at the Elstree UTC and, in September 2014, was appointed saxophone tutor and Head of Jazz at the Purcell School of Music.

For full details click here for poster

Whilst the clinical care provided by the Practice continues to be rated highly by patients, access to appointments and waiting times to contact the Practice by telephone remain the predominant challenges. 

The number of consultations has grown by at least 16% over the last seven years and the trend remains upwards.  The Practice is evolving to meet this challenge through a process of continuous analysis and improvement.  The feedback from all the patients who have participated in the annual Patients’ Survey, responded to the Mjog text service and/or the recently published national GP Patient Survey is very valuable in assessing the standard of service the Practice delivers and in setting priorities for the year ahead.

The Practice has developed a number of initiatives in the past year to meet the challenges of the increased demand for services. 

The addition of Training GPs, Nurse Practitioners, Health Care Assistants, a Clinical Pharmacist, additional Phlebotomy clinics, Extended Access Clinics (from September 2018) and the new Clinical Correspondence Team are adding to the capacity of SHCGP. Guiding patients to the most appropriate of these team members is a key objective for the coming year. 

Studies have shown that approximately 25% of GP appointments could be dealt with by another healthcare professional.  For example, prescription queries can be dealt with by the Clinical Pharmacist, Nurse Practitioners can provide treatment for minor illnesses and injuries, are able to write prescriptions and make referrals where appropriate. 

By guiding patients to the most appropriate team members, or to self-care, may enable Doctors to use their time more effectively.  This is a focus area for the coming year.

To read the full report, click here

In the last few days, the owners of a Honda Jazz and a Toyota Prius have had their catalytic converters targeted in broad daylight by thieves in the Sunbury area. These two separate crimes may herald a spree which may claim more victims. Vehicle owners are urged to be vigilant especially as the cost of repair can be very considerable.

A white male aged between 20 and 30 years driving a black Vauxhall Astra (no registration number) was seen to be loading his booty into the Vauxhall car before it was realised what he had done.

What’s the attraction for thieves? Well, the catalyst itself is most often a mix of precious metals. Platinum is the most active catalyst and is widely used, but is not suitable for all applications because of unwanted additional reactions and high cost. Palladium and rhodium are two other precious metals used. Rhodium is used as a reduction catalyst, palladium is used as an oxidation catalyst, and platinum is used both for reduction and oxidation. Needless to say, catalytic converters have a scrap value!