Further to the article published here on 7th November and 12th December, the campaign group 'Save our Thames Side' expects to receive the judgement of the High Court judicial review today, Monday 16th January.

The planning application by Willmott Dixon will be heard at the Civic Centre in Esher on Tuesday 17th January at 7pm.

It is interesting to note that, on this occasion, Spelthorne Council has submitted a formal objection.

We apologise for the late notification but the group and LOSRA will be grateful for any support they can get at the hearing.

http://facebook.com/groups/330579294008040/

The next Sunday Lunchtime Jazz presentation at Sunbury Cricket Club falls on Sunday 22nd January, when the Club welcomes the Rebel Yell Jazz Orchestra for a debut appearance at the Club. They are a 16-piece big band which celebrates the music of the Kenny Clarke–Francy Boland Big Band, the renowned British ensemble of the ‘60s, which featured not only great musicians but exciting and innovative arrangements. Led by clarinetist and sax player William Symington, the RYJO is drawn from the cream of West London’s jazz community including local bass player, Roger Harding. We can look forward to a top class show.

A bistro lunch menu will be available at very reasonable cost. The bar is open from 12 noon, with food available from 12.30 to about 2.30. The music starts around 1.15, with two sets plus an interval through to about 3.30.

Click here to see flier for the event

Further to the article published immediately below, Spelthorne Council has published the following response:

Spelthorne Borough Council is preparing a new local plan for the Borough which will need to balance many competing demands including protecting areas of importance.

As part of this work it has recently issued a ‘call for sites’ enabling those who have ideas of where development might go to put them forward. This is a statutory requirement. In response to this Kempton Park Racecourse and Redrow Homes have jointly proposed the closure of the Racecourse and building of 3000 homes.

To clarify, the Council does not own the site and has no part in the proposal brought forward by its owners. A planning application has not been submitted.

Cllr Ian Harvey, Leader of the Council, said: “I am fully aware of the views of local residents and have consistently made clear my strong opposition to development of this site and my determination to protect the Green Belt in Spelthorne. I made my position absolutely clear in an open letter which I wrote to Redrow homes in April 2016. Nothing has changed. The Council’s finances are very robust and any suggestion that it needs money from new development is completely groundless.”

It will be for the Council, through its new Local Plan, to decide how much development is needed in the future and the most sustainable locations for it to go. It is not bound by any particular proposals that are put forward by developers.

The Council expects its Local Plan to be adopted in 2020. 

As part of the Local Planning Review, the Council is obliged to call for sites with submissions by the middle of January. Amongst others received by the Council the response by Redrow Homes is particularly controversial and has already been the subject of considerable debate. It has also been widely reported in the national and local news media. Whilst Redrow's intentions have been reported both on this site and by Keep Kempton Green (see: https://keepkemptongreen.com) what was not known until today is that demolition of the racecourse itself is part of the scheme.

The following is the formal emailed notification to LOSRA by the Agents for Redrow Homes:

"I am writing to update you and the wider LOSRA membership on the latest position in respect of the Kempton Park site. Redrow Homes has today submitted representations to the Council’s call for sites exercise relating to the entirety of the land at Kempton Park, including the operational areas of the racecourse and other associated buildings.  

Redrow reached an agreement with the Jockey Club in January 2017 to extend the land within their agreement, after concluding that some development would be better placed on the previously developed section of the site, which is close to the existing urban centre and benefits from greater proximity to the railway station and the future Crossrail 2 route. The total gross developable area now stands at approximately 230 acres and Redrow’s initial capacity studies indicate that the site could provide for circa 3,000 new homes. Redrow wish to make it absolutely clear that it is not suggesting that the entire site is built on and this move could allow for the retention of a significant area of Green Belt, alongside the provision of other publically accessible on-site open space.

The Jockey Club fully supports this move as an enabling measure, facilitating comprehensive re-investment in its other UK racing facilities for the betterment of the horseracing industry. It is intended to relocate some races to other land in Jockey Club ownership in Surrey.

Although we are acutely aware of the sensitivities surrounding this site, we hope that this latest development may be seen as an opportunity for Spelthorne to provide a substantial element of its residual housing need on one site, which includes brownfield land and allows for the retention of a significant area of the Green Belt in this location.

The increase in unit numbers will make a significant contribution towards meeting the local housing need, delivering around four years of the Borough’s housing need on one site and supporting the local community in this respect. A development of this size can support its own infrastructure from developer contributions and increase funding to Spelthorne Borough Council through the Deed of Rent Charge.

In addition to housing, the site could deliver significant improvements to the local road network, particularly at Sunbury Cross and has the potential to deliver a new school, health facilities, shops and other community facilities. We hope you see this as a positive move by Redrow and an opportunity for a high quality residential-led development providing a long-term defensible boundary to the retained Green Belt with continued separation between urban areas.

I hope you have found this update useful. In the meantime if you would like to contact me please feel free to do so on 0207 399 2753. Alternatively, you can email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Best wishes,

Sarah

Sarah Wardle, Associate Director"

The minutes of the latest Health Centre's PPG Core Group meeting are available to view by clicking here

The following self-explanatory press release has been received from Spelthorne Council:

"In response to comments received from residents about the planned closure of Staines Fire Station, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at Spelthorne Borough Council has arranged a meeting to discuss Surrey County Council’s proposals for the Fire Service in Spelthorne.

Residents and interested parties from the local area are invited to attend the public meeting being held at 7.30pm on Tuesday 7 February in the Council Chamber at the Council Offices, Knowle Green, Staines-upon-Thames.

The meeting will be chaired by Councillor Colin Davis from Spelthorne Borough Council. Representatives of Surrey County Council will be in attendance including Councillor Richard Walsh, Cabinet Member for Localities and Community Wellbeing and Councillor Kay Hammond, Cabinet Associate responsible for Community Safety Services, and from the Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, Russell Pearson and Clive Whitethread.

Residents who would like to ask a question at the meeting should email it in advance to the Committee Manager, Gillian Hobbs, atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 27 January. Alternatively, post your question to Gillian Hobbs, Committee Manager, Spelthorne Borough Council, Knowle Green, Staines-upon-Thames TW18 1XB by the same date, 27 January. Due to the high number of questions expected there will only be time available to hear questions which have been submitted in advance.

Cllr Colin Davis, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, said: “This is an important issue of natural concern to local residents. The meeting will provide an opportunity for residents to express their concerns and the County Council Cabinet Members to explain the logistical background to what is obviously a controversial proposal.”

Louise King

PR and Communications Officer

Spelthorne Borough Council,

Council Offices, Knowle Green, Staines-upon-Thames, TW18 1XB

Tel: 01784 444260

The Club looks forward to another year of entertaining and top quality music events during 2017, with some familiar names returning and some interesting new ones making their Club debut.

To kick off the New Year the Club will be banishing any hint of post-party season depression, appropriately enough on Friday  13^th January, in storming fashion with the return of THE NASHVILLE TEENS, who have occupied this slot in the diary for the last couple of years and always give us a great show with their distinctive brand of hard-hitting ‘60s R&B.

They had two memorable Top Ten hits in 1964 with “Tobacco Road” and“Google Eye - their epic version of “Tobacco Road” is worth the entrance money on its own. The line-up features their original lead singer Ray Phillips, who has had an unbroken half-century career with the band, as well as making solo records and performing with other line-ups like the British Invasion All-Stars with members of The Yardbirds, Creation and Downliners Sect.  With him in the current Nashville Teens is a line-up of seasoned performers, including Colin Pattenden, member of Manfred Mann’s Earth band when they had their big hits back in the 70s, on bass, with Simon Spratley of The Ian Campbell Blues Band on keyboards, Ken Osborn from Levee Camp Moan on guitar and Adrian ‘Spud’ Metcalf on drums. It will be another night of classic ‘60s R&B to herald the New Year, featuring in Ray one of the great voices of the beat era, and we are delighted to welcome them back. There’s more information at www.Nashville-Teens.com.

The Club apologies for the fact that they were unable to serve food at the Mersey Legends gig due to unforeseen circumstances. New caterers have been engaged who provided an excellent menu for the Club's lunchtime jazz event just before Christmas, and will be providing the same service for Music Nights, so there will be food available for the Nashville Teens gig.

Sunday 8 January, 7.30pm - Riverside Arts Centre, 59,Thames Street, Sunbury.

We start the new year at Riverside Arts Jazz with a concert to honour the tenth anniversary of the passing of the great saxophonist Michael Brecker. The 13-time Grammy winner passed away at the age of 57 in January 2007 following a two-and-a-half year illness.

We are delighted to welcome to Riverside saxophonist Sean Freeman - our first choice call. We couldn't think of anybody better to play this gig as he is a huge Brecker fan! Sean is an in-demand musician who has played with Level 42, Billy Cobham, James Taylor Quartet and Eric Clapton to name but a few.

Sean Freeman - sax

Terence Collie - piano

Paul Michael - bass

Rha Stranges - drums

For further details and advance booking see flier here

Thigh slapping, fancy dresses, outrageous makeup (and that's just the director).

Coming to the Riverside Arts Centre this January 'Cinderella' is being performed for a limited run of only 5 shows.

The popular tale of Cinderella has been brought to new, magical life by Paul Reakes.  Whilst poor Cinderella is being forced to carry out the every wish of her cruel stepmother and ugly stepsisters, Mattie and Hattie, Prince Charming has left to travel the world and the land of Pantomania is governed by the selfish Duke of Verucca.

However, upon learning of his father's death, the Prince returns to take up his duties as king, but there is one problem - the Duke is not willing to relinquish power.  The Duke bullies his henchmen, Nip and Tuck, into bopping the Prince over the head and he subsequently loses his memory.  The Duke then manipulates his naïve nephew, Archie, into posing as the Prince, and causes havoc for anyone who gets in his way.

Luckily faithful Buttons and his friend Kathy are trying everything they can to sort out the confusion, while Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother is working wonders to bring Cinderella together with her true love.

This is a laugh-a-minute pantomime for all the family and not only that - you get two dames for the price of one!!!

With less than 3 weeks to go, tickets are selling fast and the matinees are almost full ! So to ensure that you get your ticket to see 'Cinderella' please purchase from our box office at: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/manorplayers

The Manor Players Presents: Cinderella, Riverside Arts Centre, Sunbury, TW16 5QF, Sunbury-on-Thames, Middlesex 19th, 20th, 21st & 22nd January 2017

Evening Show:
Doors Open at 7:00PM
Starts at 7:30PM

Matinee Show:
Doors Open at 1:45PM
Starts at 2:30PM

Ticket Price: £9.00 - £12.00 *booking fee applies
Box Office: 07771458696

The Manor Players hope to see you there!