Elmbridge News
Consultation dates for Stompond Lane, Walton
9:00am Tuesday 21st February 2012
Public consultation dates have been released ahead of a planning application next month, for a giant sports hub in Walton.
The plans have already generated controversy, and an 870-strong petition has been handed over to the council fighting the plans.
The petition from Walton and Hersham Football Club asks the council to respect its 100-year history and let it stay at its home in Stompond Lane, rather than move it to a new site at Waterside Drive.
The plans, if they got the green light, would see Walton and Hersham sharing a ground with rival club Walton Casuals.
It would also provide an eight-lane all-weather track with an area for field events, for Walton Athletics Club, which would be included in the move.
The council has commissioned a full range of expert assessments and reports to ensure proposals would not have any adverse impact on the area, granting up to £65,000 to be spent in the process.
As part of the planning process, Elmbridge wants to hear what people think of the places, so has organised three consultation events in March.
Councillor Chris Sadler is among a group of councillors on a cross-party task group appointed to consider options for the future of Stompond Lane, should the planning application be granted.
Despite his close involvement with the development, he only found out about the upcoming consultation through the back pages of this newspaper.
Coun Sadler said: “It’s obviously good that the consultation is taking place and allows people to go get an idea of what’s proposed.
“All that we had before was a touched up Google map satellite picture and a description of what could go there.
“But that really is very little detail for a major project like this, that’s due to take place on greenbelt land.”
Consultation dates: Excel Centre - Saturday, March 3, from noon - 4pm
Elmbridge Civic Centre – Tuesday, March 6, from 3pm - 8pm
Elmbridge Civic Centre – Wednesday, March 7, from 3pm - 8pm