1 week Ago By [email protected] (Emily Dalton)
Proposals for 107 homes and medical centre in the green belt on the edge of a large Surrey village have been slammed as it would “change the rural character forever”. But local GPs said without the proposed development they will have to set up temporary units in the car park for clinical care. Plans for 107 independent living homes were put forward for East Grinstead Road, on the fringes of Lingfield .
Of these, 79 would be apartments and 28 cottages for senior retirement living. The stunning late Victorian-era home, Lingfield House, was also proposed to be converted. Part of the plans also included replacing the existing Lingfield GP surgery with a new medical centre with 10 consulting rooms, as well as counselling, medical and a lobotomy room.
Dr Sal Qureshi said that if the scheme was rejected, then Lingfield GP Surgery would have to use temporary structures like portable cabins in the car park to cope with demand. He explained the practice has now maxed out on its clinical space and is unable to expand on its current site. But Tandridge District councillors attacked the proposals for invading the green belt on the outskirts of the village.
Planning officers recommended the scheme for refusal, stating the retirement complex would be an inappropriate development in the green belt- the bit of land left free that stops villages and towns merging together. Officers claimed there were no exceptional circumstances for building on the rural land and the proposed development does not fit into the surroundings. However, Dr Qureshi, speaking at the planning meeting, said the plans would secure the practice for “potentially the next 50 years”.
He said it would “attract GP, trainees, nurse trainees and other clinical staff, securing the workforce to serve the needs of the growing population”. Coming down the pipeline, Dr Qureshi said he was aware two retirement homes and additional housing developments have been approved and were set to spring up in the Lingfield area . “Primary care services will need to expand to cater to the influx of new frail patients in the community,” he said.
'Unnecessary' development Councillors had to weigh up the impact of the development on the green belt, the open space around the village, and the potential benefits the site would contribute. Cllr Martin Allen described the scheme as “all the things this district is crying out for” and argued there is an “identified need for care provision”. But members said there were just no “very exceptional circumstances” or reasons to allow the development to go ahead, changing a rural part of Surrey forever.
“To have a retirement village at the entrance would affect the rural character forever,” representing Lingfield, Ward Councillor Peter Killick said. “This development is unnecessary and well inappropriate and would mean an over provision of retirement homes in this location.” But the other ward councillor, Liz Lockwood, argued the proposed development would improve access to the surgery and bus routes as well as improve care for the growing population of over 65s.
A total of 187 parking spaces would be provided across the development, helping locals visiting the medical centre. She tried to push the application for approval but was shut down. No affordable housing will be provided, but developers Merrow Wood Ltd agreed to contribute £350,000.
Although independent assessments found the development would not be financially viable to create affordable houses, one councillor was not pleased. Cllr Bryan Black said he was “uncomfortable about the process of ‘buying your way out’ of building affordable houses”. Developers Merrow Wood said the proposal will create an opportunity to use the "beautiful, Victorian building and its grounds to service local community and people with specialist needs by providing [retirement homes.
..] together with new doctor surgery, community gardens and orchard, café, circular footpaths.
" Members of Tandridge District Council planning committee rejected the scheme by majority vote on April 8. Get more news from SurreyLive straight to your inbox for free here. For the latest planning notices near you visit publicnoticeportal.
uk.
