The Knaphillian

Cliftons have submitted an planning application for:

"Erection of a three storey building containing A1 (retail) use at ground floor and 7 x 1 bedroom and 5 x 2 bedroom flats at first and second floors following the demolition of the existing shop and workshops at 15 High Street and 6 Foster Lane."

It sounds like the plans they displayed a year or two ago, which frankly were completely out of scale with the rest of the village centre.  It is also sad that one of the few remaining buildings of character in the village centre faces demolition.  I note that similar buildings in other parts of the borough are "locally listed" as important to the history of the village.  I wonder why Cliftons is not.

Sounds like a great idea - bringing some life back into the centre of the village, rather than a load of buildings that stand empty for up to 16 hours a day.  Its also better than building more properties on other greenfield or infill sites around the place.  And with a range of local shops, facilities and easy access to public transport connecting to the rest of the borough and beyond, it could work out well for those who move in there.  With so many being single bedroom its unlikely to create much pressure on local schools as unlikely that families would live there.  Perhaps it could create a trend - lets hope so.

It's nice to see, though, that Pentangle have moved into the village.  It will balance things out a bit more making it feel more like the sort of place people live their lives in - not just takeaways, estate agents and second-hand shops. Lets hope another oneof themdoesn' end up in the ground floor of the new development

I am not against the development per se, just the scale of it.  3 storeys will tower over the village centre. 

And I think you might find that what you can expect in the ground floor will be either Tesco Express or similar.  Which will probably be the end of the Co-op.

Agreed Pentangle coming into the village is a very good thing.  Almost makes me want a tropical tank again!

Any other sort of mini supermarket would be a bad thing for many businesses, not just he Co-Op; the grocery end of the post office, the bakery, the newsagent, even Harry and Kay's.  They all sell things that a supermarket would sell and in one spot. 

Dare I bring up the subject of the old library again ? Yes.

Is there an update?

Jon_H at 03:37AM on Feb 19, 2010

I am not against the development per se, just the scale of it.  3 storeys will tower over the village centre. 

 

And I think you might find that what you can expect in the ground floor will be either Tesco Express or similar.  Which will probably be the end of the Co-op.

 

Agreed Pentangle coming into the village is a very good thing.  Almost makes me want a tropical tank again!

Don't be daft - the council would not consider allowing another grocery retail outlet like the likes of Tesco Express to operate in the village centre.  Although planning constraints are not designed to stifle competition, its unlikely the council would support such a scheme that would impact on the existing facilities, and would also need to take into account the Brookwood........whoops, I mean Knaphill Sainsbury's less than one mile away.

I haven't checked the planning portal to see if the plans have been uploaded yet, so will refrain from making any judgement on whether the proposed development would "tower over the village centre".  However, there is already at least two  three story building on the High Street which don't overly oppress the existing street scene.

MahargH at 06:01PM on Feb 19, 2010

Jon_H at 03:37AM on Feb 19, 2010

I am not against the development per se, just the scale of it.  3 storeys will tower over the village centre. 

 

And I think you might find that what you can expect in the ground floor will be either Tesco Express or similar.  Which will probably be the end of the Co-op.

 

Agreed Pentangle coming into the village is a very good thing.  Almost makes me want a tropical tank again!

Don't be daft - the council would not consider allowing another grocery retail outlet like the likes of Tesco Express to operate in the village centre.  Although planning constraints are not designed to stifle competition, its unlikely the council would support such a scheme that would impact on the existing facilities, and would also need to take into account the Brookwood........whoops, I mean Knaphill Sainsbury's less than one mile away.

I haven't checked the planning portal to see if the plans have been uploaded yet, so will refrain from making any judgement on whether the proposed development would "tower over the village centre".  However, there is already at least two  three story building on the High Street which don't overly oppress the existing street scene.

You take a look at the plans, and tell me exactly what other type of store is going to take up a lease on a retail unit of 450M sq in Knaphill, with a rear entrance onto the car park and 5 retail parking spaces?  With delivery rights for a 12M articulated lorry at the back?  And once this is built, can the council actually stop any particular retailer leasing the shop?  I doubt it.

Other 3 storey building have the 3rd story set into the roof - either flats or the offices in Highclere house.  These plans have ground floor retail and 2 full storeys of apartments plus roof.  I also feel for the residents of 5 Fosters Lane who will go from living nest to a bungalow to having a 3 storey apartment block next door.

Hi All

A quick update to confirm that Sainsbury's are the proposed occupants for the Cliftons site post redevelopment, presumably with a "Sainsbury's Local" store.  Cliftons have submitted an application to extend the permitted opening hours to 7am-11pm Mon-Sat and 8am-10pm on Sunday, with deliveries allowed at any time during those periods.

On behalf of those living nearby, I ask all concerned residents to log on on the Woking BC website and object to these excessive opening hours which will bring more unwanted traffic, noise and no doubt anti social behaviour to the heart of the village.

Link

The number of registered objections has today increased from around 28 to 90 odd (and rising).

I cant help thinking that this is just a ploy by Sainsburys to take attention away from their real planning application for the expansion of their store in Redding Way, KNAPHILL.

They must know that residents will quite easily settle for that rather than a new Sainsburys Local at the Cliftons site.   Clever !

& what about Woking Borough Council’s take on all this. No wonder people are suspicious of them !!

Hello,

You ask what WBC are doing about this application. They are still waiting on a decision by the planning department. Should the planning department recommend approval I have asked for this application to be put forward for the Planning Committee to debate as that way the local residents will have the opportunity to state the reasons for the many (200+) objections and have their voice heard. As is correct in a democratic country. It is unacceptable that a large retail corporation should be allowed to impose such overbearing trading hours on the centre of the village  impacting the established shops who are suffering in the current economic climate as it is. Of course none of this would have happened and the local residents and shop keepers would not have had to pursue this campaign if good sense had prevailed and the original application of a glass fronted, three storeyd development of 7, 2 bedroomed and 5, 1 bedroomed apartment block had not be approved by the planning committee last year.

Of course if the Planning Department recognise the upset that it will cause and acknowledge that an approval of this application will have a resounding detrimental effect on the local village life, they will refuse it!!!!!

But such is life???

I hope that helps.....

Councillor Melanie Whitehand

correct me if im wrong melanie but 90% of the village is takeaway food outlets whose trading hours run from about midday to midnight the village wich i moved into in the late 60s is dead and burried.at least it will be a small shop of some discription and provide a few jobs along the way.or maybe we should just let k.f.c. join the party.r.i.p. knaphill

Melanie,

Your profile on the members list claims that you're 16 years-old.

Could this be a mis-pront ?

(With apologies - I didn't want to commence a new thread to ask such a question).

Sorry  but I don't want to get into a deep discusion on the quantity of fast  food outlets in Knaphill other than to comment that I can't say I agree that they comprise of 90% of the shops.

I agree there are more than would be desired by some but they obviously get used by the fact that they are still surviving!!

Knaphill has some great individual shops and add to the village appeal that I have tried to foster in response to many residents who wish to aspire to that end.

The Remembrance event and the Christmas tree were two new ventures that I worked with the local churches, mainly initiated by Richard Sherlock from Knaphill's Baptist Church and the reponse by residents to these was pleasing and encouraging. Of course I must add to the list the KRA's great village fete last summer that was a resounding event and demonstrates just what people power can achieve. We have been able to see the end of the distasteful incidents that emanated from the Crown and now have a respectable refurbished local establishment. Again as a result of the actions of local residents to demand a peaceful life.

Which brings me back to the Clifton/Sainsbury's issue, many, many residents have registered their deep dismay on this application to alter the trading hours, and the effort by local residents to have Woking Borough Council heed that dismay is again a sure signal that residents need to be listened to.

I hope that helps you.

On the matter of my age....

it is usual not to ask a lady her age,  now either you don't classify me as a lady or..........8)

Thank you

Melanie Whitehand

MahargH at February 19, 2010 at 6:01 PM

Jon_H at 03:37AM on Feb 19, 2010

I am not against the development per se, just the scale of it.  3 storeys will tower over the village centre. 

 

And I think you might find that what you can expect in the ground floor will be either Tesco Express or similar.  Which will probably be the end of the Co-op.

 

Agreed Pentangle coming into the village is a very good thing.  Almost makes me want a tropical tank again!

Don't be daft - the council would not consider allowing another grocery retail outlet like the likes of Tesco Express to operate in the village centre.  Although planning constraints are not designed to stifle competition, its unlikely the council would support such a scheme that would impact on the existing facilities, and would also need to take into account the Brookwood........whoops, I mean Knaphill Sainsbury's less than one mile away.

I haven't checked the planning portal to see if the plans have been uploaded yet, so will refrain from making any judgement on whether the proposed development would "tower over the village centre".  However, there is already at least two  three story building on the High Street which don't overly oppress the existing street scene.

It is going to be Sainsbury 'pop in ' store underneath a load of flats ! no needed at all in the village

With respect Melanie, I wasn't asking your age. I was questioning whether your profile contained misleading information (about your age).

If it is accurate then we're living in extremely modern times !

I am delighted that so many people have objected to the application for extended opening hours.  I only wish these same people had seen the obvious conclusion to the original plans and objected last year!

Sadly despite all the rhetoric, neither J Sainsbury Plc nor the Clifton family are interested in Knaphill itself, only how much money they can extract from it.  This has always been the plan for his site.  It seems the big supermarkets have now learned that redeveloping sites themselves leads to lots of opposition, whereas by getting the owners to apply they can slip quietly through the planning process, with only the slight inconvenience of the amendment with their name on it to complete the deal.

Jon_H at February 21, 2011 at 7:47 AM

I am delighted that so many people have objected to the application for extended opening hours.  I only wish these same people had seen the obvious conclusion to the original plans and objected last year!

Spot on !!

But what have the Knaphill Residents Association being doing about this?..... they obviously didnt get involved when it was first highlighted last year.........isnt that what theyre supposed to be there for !!!!!!!!!!!!!