acorns and oak leaves

News from OPC – January 2026

/in /by
  1. Good News: Ockham Lane Pavement Extension

We are pleased to report that the pavement along the south side of Ockham Lane by the War Memorial is to be extended. This will significantly improve pedestrian safety. Our thanks to SCC Booth for his support in making this happen. The work is expected to be carried out within the next few months.

  1. Alms Heath – Enforcement Notice Appeal Update

There is now a second appeal against the GBC Enforcement Notice relating to the Alms Heath site. We are currently preparing a response, which we will share via OHRA. Residents may also wish to submit their own representations to the Planning Inspectorate.  Deadline for submissions: 2nd February

Further information will be circulated via OHRA in the coming days.

  1. Brick Kiln Planning Application

A planning application has been pending for several months relating to a site at Brick Kiln – right in the heart of the Green Belt.

  • Application reference: 25/P/00914
  • Proposal: Change of use of a building from agricultural use to commercial vehicle repair (Use Class B2), with associated parking (retrospective)

There are numerous strong planning grounds for objection, given the significant harm this proposal could cause. We have contacted the planning officer to ask when the application may be determined and are awaiting a response. Further objections may assist GBC in fully recognising the impact of this proposal. We have provided more information by OHRA.

  1. Reporting Crime – Keeping Our Community Safe

At the recent Safer Communities public meeting held at East Horsley Village Hall, hosted by GBC Councillor Catherine Young, Blaine Rafferty, Police Commander for GBC, emphasised the importance of reporting all crime, including suspicious activity.

Reports can be made via: Surrey Police website, 101 (non-emergency), 999 (emergency). Anonymous reports can be made through Crimestoppers . These are passed directly to Surrey Police.
Please do report crime—your information really does matter.

  1. The 8 Parishes Group

OPC participates in the newly re-formed 8 Parishes Group, which meets three times a year to share information, cooperate, and collaborate on matters of common interest. If there is anything you would like us to raise at these meetings, please contact us via the Parish Clerk.

Please contact our Parish Clerk with enquiries: clerk@ockhamparishcouncil.gov.uk

acorns and oak leaves

News from OPC December 2025

/in /by

Traveller Site Application at Alms Heath – Parish Council Objection:

We have formally objected to the application for the field off Alms Heath (25/P/01459).

If you are concerned about this application and wish to add your voice, please submit your objection directly to Guildford Borough Council before Christmas. The more voices that are heard, the stronger our case will be.  If you would like to see the OPC objection, please look out for it circulated by OHRA, contact us via our clerk or check the GBC Planning Portal. If you are writing an objection, please keep it focused on planning matters, and use your own words to explain using planning policy to support the points if you can.

Naming Strategy for FWA

Taylor Wimpey have held two recent meetings, open to all, to discuss the naming strategy for the Former Wisley Airfield. We are keen to see inclusive and meaningful discussion about this and the Minutes from the meeting of 26th November together with a map showing street names for the first settlement, Stratford End, were shared via OHRA last week.  There is ongoing discussion with Taylor Wimpey about whether part of the site should be called Upper Ockham, and we will get back to you on this soon.  Do look out for dates of further meetings shared by Taylor Wimpey via OHRA.

Community Safety Forum – 8th January 2026

Looking ahead to the new year, we are pleased to announce that a Community Safety Forum will be taking place from 7 to 9 pm on Thursday 8th January at East Horsley Village Hall. This is an important opportunity for local residents to discuss concerns, share ideas and hear from GBC. Our thanks to GBC Cllr Catherine Young for arranging this event.

GBC Emergency Out-of-Office Contact Request

We have requested an emergency out-of-office contact from Guildford Borough Council for situations that require immediate attention outside standard office hours. Unfortunately, we are still waiting for a response. We continue to push for a clearer process.

As 2025 draws to a close, the PC thank residents for their support and messages of appreciation for work we have carried out this year.  There is always plenty going on behind the scenes be it related to planning matters, road safety, flooding matters, the process of transfer to a unitary authority, safeguarding our local ecology and more.  The PC value your contributions and input and wish to thank our Clerk for her help and involvement and SCC Cllr Dennis Booth and GBC Cllr Pat Oven for their ongoing support.  Many thanks also to Frances Porter, Chair of OHRA, who gives tirelessly to the community to ensure that everyone receives regular communications about local events.

We wish everyone a very happy festive holiday and all the best for 2026.

Please contact our Parish Clerk with enquiries: clerk@ockhamparishcouncil.gov.uk

acorns and oak leaves

News from OPC November 2025

/in /by

The main news this month obviously concerns the unauthorised change of use of the Field at  Alms Heath where Guildford Borough Council  (GBC) has now begun formal action.

Over the last few days, GBC have issued two notices:

  1. An Enforcement Notice, requiring the cessation of the unauthorised residential use of the site and the reversal of the associated works, restoring the land to its previous lawful condition. The Enforcement Notice will take effect on 12th December 2025 unless an appeal is made in advance of that date.
  2. A Stop Notice, which took effect on 11th November 2025 and requires that no additional caravans, mobile home or structures for the purposes of residential occupation are brought onto the land and requires the cessation of further works on the land in association with the residential use.

Guildford Borough Council is also pursuing further action and we await information on this which will be shared with the community on receipt.

Residents are encouraged to direct any questions or concerns to the Guildford Borough Council Planning Enforcement Team quoting number: EN/25/00392: planningenquiries@guildford.gov.uk

GBC have advised us via our Borough Councillor that a planning application submitted for this land has not been validated.

We will keep you advised of any further developments or news relating to this site as we hear it.

Ockham Parish Council has a new Councillor.
We are delighted to welcome Jan Hickson to Ockham Parish Council.  Jan was co-opted to the PC at our November meeting.

New Unitary Authorities for Surrey.

The government has confirmed that from 1st April 2027, the existing Surrey County Council plus the 11 district/borough councils will be replaced by two new unitary authorities.  Ockham will fall under the new West Surrey authority.   Elections for the new unitary authorities are expected in May 2026 and the full handover to the new councils will be from April 2027.  We will keep you updated with information about the changes as we hear them.

Please contact our Parish Clerk with enquiries: clerk@ockhamparishcouncil.gov.uk

acorns and oak leaves

News from OPC October 2025

/in /by

Taylor Wimpey update at the Parish Council meeting:

We were pleased to welcome Taylor Wimpey to our October Parish Council meeting, where they fielded questions from residents about the development’s impact on our village. Local concerns around noise, dust, and vibration took centre stage, alongside discussions about TW’s immediate plans and longer-term programme. Full details will be available in the meeting Minutes on our website shortly.

Got a specific query for Taylor Wimpey? Drop them a line at: communities@wisleyairfield.com

 

Faster broadband on the horizon?

Good news – we’ve asked Taylor Wimpey to explore bringing fast fibre broadband to the village. Watch this space for updates.

Battle of the potholes:

Old Lane residents, we know you’re feeling the bumps. Please keep reporting potholes directly to Surrey County Council online – the more reports they receive, the better our chances of getting them fixed.

Speed matters:

We’re conducting a comprehensive audit of speeding concerns across our local road network, with a full update coming in November. Meanwhile, the Vehicle Activated Sign will be back on Old Lane soon.

Surrey’s future: still waiting

The proposed Unitary Authority decision for Surrey remains pending. We’ll keep you posted as soon as we know more

Please contact our Parish Clerk with enquiries: clerk@ockhamparishcouncil.gov.uk

acorns and oak leaves

Notice of vacancy

/in /by
acorns and oak leaves

News from OPC September 2025

/in /by
  • Taylor Wimpey will be attending the OPC meeting on Tuesday 14th October at 8pm. All residents are welcome to attend. If you have questions or points you would like to raise, please submit them to us via our Clerk by 7th October. Within the meeting TW will be invited to respond to all questions sent to us. If time allows, there will be an opportunity for additional points to be raised during a short Q&A session at the end of the meeting.
  • Speeding of vehicles through the village remains an ongoing concern and is being closely monitored. The vehicle activated sign on Ockham Lane (limit 30mph) has recently captured a speeding vehicle at 75mph. For safety of all, please slow down if you, like many of us, discover yourself driving above the speed limit.
  • We have been asked about the Public Rights of Way (PRoW) across the FWA as Taylor Wimpey get underway with their works. Please note that the vehicle gate from Ockham Lane to FWA has never been a PRoW and is unfortunately now permanently closed. There is information showing the PRoW available on here and signage shown on the paths themselves where temporary closures are in place due to the TW activity on FWA.
  • National Highways work has led to the part closure of Bridleway 544 from Elm Lane to the new Wisley Lane. We are advised that this access point should be open again by the end of the month.
  • The next Flood Forum for our area will take place in mid October.  If you are aware of any problems or wet spots you would like us to raise with the statutory bodies at this meeting, please let us know by the end of September via our Clerk
  • A free in person tutorial about using AI is coming soon. Keep an eye out for further details.

Please contact our Parish Clerk with enquiries: clerk@ockhamparishcouncil.gov.uk

acorns and oak leaves

News from OPC July 2025

/in /by

🏞 RHS Acquires Nutberry Site

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has completed the purchase of the Nutberry site and land along Mill Lane. Once National Highways vacate, the RHS plans to use Nutberry for parking and will be submitting a planning application to Guildford Borough Council soon. Thank you to David and Elwyn for attending our meeting this month. If you have queries, do contact them direct dalexander@rhs.org.uk and elwynowen@rhs.org.uk

🌱 AI Training Comes to Ockham

We’re excited to announce that an AI training session tailored for our village is in the works! This will focus on practical uses of artificial intelligence in daily life. And yes, it’ll be free. If you’d like to know more, fill in this form

♻️ A Quick Reminder on Garden Waste

Please do not blow or dump garden waste into roadside ditches—it clogs drainage and contributes to local flooding. If it’s safe to do so, we encourage residents to check roadside grates near their property and clear any leaves or debris. Never open the grates themselves.

🚨 Speed Watch – Volunteers Needed!

We urgently need more hands for our village Speed Watch team. Training is simple and quick. Your involvement makes a real difference in keeping our roads safer. Interested? Please fill in this form

📅 No Parish Meeting in August

Please note there will be no Parish Council meeting in August. Regular meetings will resume in September. Enjoy the summer!

Please contact our Parish Clerk with enquiries: clerk@ockhamparishcouncil.gov.uk

acorns and oak leaves

News from Ockham Parish Council June 2025

/in /by

Our thanks to Taylor Wimpey (TW) for attending our PC meeting this month.

Questions from the community had been shared with them ahead of themeeting and their responses included:

  • Flooding: TW were made fully aware once again of residents’ concerns about flooding. We flagged issues with both surface and foul water surging at Bridge End and other locations in Ockham. They advised they are trying to initiate dialogue about their plans for FWA with Thames Water (who are responsible for the network of pipes that carry foul water). We asked for the TW FWA on-site surface water drainage strategy to be shared with residents.
  • Footpaths on FWA: Improved signage and clearance of footpaths is a priority for the community. TW have promised further work on this. There will be a meeting arranged imminently to discuss this on site with residents who wish to attend.
  • Phasing of the project: We asked TW for a simple timeline showing the phasing of when homes will be delivered. We’ll share this with residents when it arrives.
  • Ockham Lane: We were reminded that Ockham Lane will become a quiet lane circa 2027. This will mean reduced speeds and traffic calming measures will be put in place by SCC part funded by TW.
  • If you have concerns to raise about any aspect of the project at any time, TW request that you contact them via communities@wisleyairfield.com

The Minutes of the PC meeting will be available on our website shortly with the full overview of the discussion with TW.

At our next PC meeting, Tuesday 8th July, representatives from the RHS will be attending to talk to residents about their recent acquisition of land and their future plans. All are welcome to attend.

Please contact our Parish Clerk with enquiries: clerk@ockhamparishcouncil.gov.uk

acorns and oak leaves

News from Ockham Parish Council May 2025

/in /by
  • We have a new Chair! At the annual meeting this week, Imogen Jamieson was voted in OPC Chair with Simon Waldman as the Vice Chair. Many thanks to Dr Malcolm Aish for sitting as Chair in recent years and for the leadership and commitment he demonstrated in dealing with the application to develop the FWA that so dominated this period.
  • Thanks also to Mrs Clare Bevan, Surrey County Organiser for the National Gardens Scheme, who gave an informative and most enjoyable talk about the NGS at our Annual Parish Meeting. Clare shared the history of the NGS with details of the charities and initiatives they support.She illustrated her talk with delightfully inspiring photos of local gardens opening this summer. Do contact Clare for information about NGS including the opening of Bridge End Cottage, Ockham on 19th July or at other times by appointment. Email: clare.bevan@ngs.org.uk
  • You may have noticed new fencing on FWA. Please be assured that public footpaths remain fully open. If you experience any problems with the public rights of way, do report these to SCC: https://shorturl.at/Yy5Zn At their suggestion, we have invited Taylor Wimpey to attend our 10th June PC meeting.
  • Speeding vehicles and issues with HGVs using our local road network, despite the weight restrictions, remain a concern. We hope to increase the number of our speed watch sessions and look closely at data from the vehicle activated signs to see how we can use this to bring change. We do need more volunteers for speed watch so if you can help, please let our clerk know.
  • Finally, Ockham PC hosted a very happy tea party for the VE Day 80th anniversary on 8th May. Over 50 residents ate cake and enjoyed drinks at Ockham Cricket Club. Our thanks to Cllrs Becky and Chloe for organising the event, to Jan Hickson and Susan Mear for the magnificently painted Oak Tree of Ockham and to OCC for providing the venue.Please contact our Parish Clerk with enquiries: clerk@ockhamparishcouncil.gov.uk
acorns and oak leaves

News from Ockham Parish Council April 2025

/in /by
  • Do come and join the OPC VE Day 80th Anniversary tea party at Ockham Cricket Club from 4.30 to 6.30 pm on Thursday 8th May. Cups of tea will be supplied and donations of cake to share would be appreciated. Please bring soft drinks/wine to enjoy. There is going to be a magnificent painting displayed of an oak tree which is located just off School Lane and you will be invited to add your own messages to the painted tree before it goes on display at All Saints’ after the event. Our thanks to residents Jan and Sue for creating the painting especially for this occasion. We will be lighting a Lamp Light of Peace lantern at the tea party and encourage you to light your own candle later in the day at the national official lighting up time of 9.30 pm. The tea party should be a great event and we hope to see you.
  • The Parish Council AGM will be held at Ockham Cricket Club at 8 pm on Tuesday 13th May. Wine will be served and Clare Bevan has kindly agreed to be our guest speaker. Clare will be talking about the wonderful National Gardens Scheme which raises huge amounts for charity each year through the opening of private gardens for us all to enjoy. All welcome.
  • We are delighted to announce that Simon Waldman is our new Parish Councillor. Welcome back Simon!
  • We have recently met with Balfour Beatty’s Corporate Responsibility Team and they have agreed to carry out a litter pick. We are waiting for further details and in the meantime our thanks to Ellie at Balfour Beatty and her team.
  • As you know, Surrey has signed up to become a unitary authority – putting borough and county councils under the same umbrella. An interim plan was submitted to central government in March and you can read the details here: https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/council-and- democracy/lgr/interim-proposals-devolution-and-local-government- reorganisation

    Please contact our Parish Clerk with enquiries: clerk@ockhamparishcouncil.gov.uk