Dear Editor,

As a long-standing resident, I would like to take issue with several statements made by Mr. Bob Evans, Head of Planning, Tandridge District Council in the June edition of The Caterham and District Independent in connection with housing developments on the Hill.

Mr. Nigel Greenhalgh has rightly commented that Caterham has taken the lion's share of development and that Oxted has got off lightly. This is particularly true of the Hill. In response, Mr. Evans comments that Caterham has had a major hospital closure in the shape of St. Lawrence's and two major defence installations have become redundant (Cater­ham Barracks and Kenley Aerodrome, technically RAF Kenley).Mr. Evans clearly does not see that the redevelopment of these sites is precisely why Caterham on the Hill has taken more development than other more southerly parts of Tandridge.

Furthermore, RAF Kenley was not, as Mr. Evans states, a “major defence installation”. It ceased to be an active airfield in 1959 as it was too small to handle the fighter jets of the time. It was really only a “major defence installation” in the Battle of Britain. When the battlefront moved into mainland Europe, RAF Kenley lost much of its strategic importance. This is something which Mr. Evans should have known or should have checked.

Mr. Evans refers to development-related gains and cites local road improvements. Any road improvements have only been to those roads built to service new developments on the Hill. There have been no significant improvements to the Hill’s highways. Indeed, major roads such as Whyteleafe Road, Buxton Lane, Coulsdon Road and Ninehams Road are deteriorating in part due to Mr. Evans’ new developments which have simply increased the amount of traffic which they carry.

There is also mention by Mr. Evans of a development gain in the shape of new shops (plural). As far as the Hill is concerned, there has been only one major new shop, Tesco. Otherwise, changes have largely been of ownership. It may be argued that the arrival of Tesco has imperilled the continued existence of some of the shops on the High Street and Westway.

Mr. Evans refers to development gains leading to school improvements. I have lived on the Hill since 1983 and can think of no significant new developments at schools on the Hill. As Mr. Evans should know, the major change in secondary education on the Hill in the relatively recent past was de Stafford’s loss of its sixth form – hardly an improvement. I understand that de Stafford is now oversubscribed, which means that pupils living locally have to be sent to more distant schools for their education.

Mr. Evans refers to the establishment of a new doctors’ surgery implying an increase in medical services on the Hill. This is simply not the case. The “new” surgery at Townhill was simply the relocation of the old Townend operation.  There has been a huge increase in incomers to the Hill but the area is still served by the same number of medical practices. Dentists are also thin on the ground on the Hill.

Bob Evans includes 'leisure and community facilities' in his list of 'development-related gains', but does not state what they are. Mr. Evans also mentions the gain of large areas (plural) of open space. I cannot think of much extra open space which has been created on the Hill as the result of developments. Westway Common, the Townend common and Salmon's Lane Green clearly pre-date the new estates. The only one new open space on the Hill which immediately comes to mind is the cricket square by Tesco.

Mr. Evans says that releasing Green Belt land in Oxted in order to balance development in Caterham would set one community against another. He is clearly totally ignorant of the huge level of resentment on the Hill over the amount of infilling which has been pushed through during his time as Head of Planning at Tandridge District Council. Mr. Evans is unaware of or chooses to ignore how much the character of the Hill has been changed by planning applications approved under his regime. For example, in the immediate area bordered by Whyteleafe Road and Salmons Lane West, there used to be just five houses. Very soon there will be 21 houses with the concomitant increase in traffic, and the loss of back garden wildlife habitat and a network of badgers’ setts.

As a long-standing Hill resident, I must agree with Marc Hansen when he questions why Oxted’s nimbys, aided and abetted by Oxted-based councillors, continue to hold Caterham to ransom by forcing increasing development onto the area without creation of the necessary additional infrastructure. It is hoped that Mr. Evans’ successor will be more aware of the effect of planning decisions on Caterham on the Hill and will accept that the area has taken more than its fair share of new housing.

Yours faithfully,

Peter L. Brent

Whyteleafe Road, Caterham.