SaveTadworthActionGroup  PRESS RELEASE

Churchill Retirement Living’s Plans REJECTED

Members and supporters of STAG were out in force yesterday evening to attend a meeting of Reigate & Banstead planning committee.  The committee were considering an application by Churchill Retirement Living to demolish five houses in the centre of Tadworth Village and build a block of 49 retirement flats.  The planning officers were recommending refusal and following presentations by STAG, the Residents Association and our local councillors the planning committee rejected the plans unanimously.

Reasons given for refusal of the plans include overdevelopment, over-prominence in the street scene and out of character with the surrounding area.  Local residents fear that this sort of development would ‘tear the heart out of the village’; they do not want a precedent to be set, so that Tadworth Village begins to resemble a suburb of Sutton.

However this does not mean that we can be complacent – it is likely that Churchill will quickly submit an amended plan and/or appeal the verdict. STAG are prepared for the next stage in the fight.

There is a message from many young families, that if this development goes ahead they will not be staying in Tadworth.  Building more retirement flats will increase the already high number of elderly in Tadworth.  Local people are saying that there is a need to build more smaller homes to attract young families and rebalance our population. We do not want to swap family houses for a retirement ghetto and drive these young families away.  Local schools are having problems maintaining numbers, less children means reduced funding.  They find it increasingly hard to recruit teachers, who cannot afford to live in the area.

Members of STAG know that this is just the start of their battle, which could take years. “But we have the staying power and local support - we are going to fight for as long as it takes” said Trish Canham, chairman of STAG.