Buckingham Palace today announced the death of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Queen Elizabeth II.
In a statement issued shortly after midday, the Palace said: “His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle”. He was aged 99. Continue reading
Each April, Hambledon Parish Council hosts an “assembly” at the Village Hall where it updates residents on its activities over the previous 12 months, as do representatives of the many organisations, clubs and activities.
It is a largely informal occasion, shared over a glass of wine and refreshments at the start, and sometimes a guest speaker. Continue reading
UPDATE Friday March 19th : Lane End has reopened. This was to have happened tomorrow (see story below) but has been brought forward as work has progressed well.
The parish council has been advised that three-way traffic lights will be in operation at the junction of Lane End, Malthouse Lane and Vann Lane to allow engineers to complete installing new gas mains to the entrance of St Dominic’s School.
It is hoped that this work will be concluded by Wednesday March 31st and the temporary lights will remain in use until then. Engineers will return at a later date to complete the connection up to the school buildings.
Continue readingHambledon Parish Council has received the following notice from English Rural, a specialist provider of community-led affordable homes.
A new parish noticeboard has been installed close to the Hydestile Crossroads, clearly visible to people entering the village and replacing the old one on the bus shelter wall.
The board is made of oak and has a lockable cabinet. It was manufactured by the Norbury Park Sawmill, which is operated by the Surrey Wildlife Trust within the Norbury Park conservation area on the North Downs, which the Trust manages on behalf of Surrey County Council*.
Continue readingHambledon Parish Council has maintained its contact with SGN concerning the road closure at Lane End where new gas mains are being installed.
It has continued to request that the road be opened, under traffic light control or at weekends and evenings. SGN and its contractors agreed to review the situation. However, SGN has now stated unequivocally that the complete closure will remain in place for the duration of the undertaking. It cites health and safety and Covid-19 requirements as its reason for the decision.
The road was closed for an anticipated 12-weeks in early January and SGN has confirmed to the parish council that work is on target. The closure means no access in or out of the village from the A283 Petworth Road and a three-mile diversion through Milford.
The Hall Hunter Partnership, which owns and operates Tuesley Farm, is seeking planning permission to extend its use of polytunnels under which it grows soft fruit.
The farm occupies land that stretches between the Hambledon parish boundary at Hydestile, to Tuesley Lane and the railway line at Milford. Its main crops are strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.
Hambledon Parish Council has been in regular contact with gas supplier SGN, which is responsible for the work currently being undertaken by contractors to upgrade mains at Lane End.
This work has resulted in the road being closed to all traffic for a period of 12 weeks. A diversion of approximately three miles is required for those who would usually enter or exit Hambledon village at Lane End.
The parish council is aware of the inconvenience this is causing and has been pressing SGN to see if traffic light control could allow Lane End to reopen. SGN has said that on grounds of safety and to ensure compliance with Covid-19 regulations, this is not possible.
Here Robin McKeith, parish councillor responsible for maintenance and highways issues, explains the latest situation.
The upgrade of the gas main on Lane End commenced on 4th January. The Parish Council has since had a conference call, together with numerous telephone calls and email exchanges, with SGN.
It has been told that progress is currently ahead of plan. Should there be any delays the parish council will be made aware.
The possibility of reopening one side of the road, under traffic light control, has been raised. However, SGN consider this unsuitable. The narrow road would not allow the safe passage of pedestrians and vehicles. The requirement is to have a minimum running lane of 3.25M for HGV and LGV and a 0.5M safety zone, and this has been deemed unachievable at this location.
A scheme that supports small local businesses which suffer a genuine loss of trade because of the work is available from the SGN website: https://www.sgn.co.uk/help-and-advice/customer-service/compensation
In case anyone in the community would like a little more information about the work being carried out, SGN have provided a generic link to a video to explain the replacement work in general terms, here: https://sgn.co.uk/our-gas-works/working-your-street and have provided a telephone number for any queries: 0800 912 1700
The Parish Council will continue to request SGN review this situation regularly to minimise inconvenience to the local residents and to complete the works ahead of schedule.
For further information on the gas mains work, please look at previous news stories on this website.
The National Trust, assisted by local volunteers, is taking measures to prevent a small number of downhill mountain bike racers from damaging heath and woodland on and around Hydons Ball.
All countryside locations owned by the Trust are currently experiencing a big increase in visitor numbers during the Coronavirus lock-down and Hydons Ball is no exception. Walkers are urged to exercise only in their local area, to only use established footpaths and to avoid packed car parks and leaving litter. Horse riders are asked to only use bridle paths.
Additionally, a section of mountain bike enthusiasts who seek the thrill of riding down steep slopes at speed, creating their own trails, are damaging flora and fauna as well. Locally this is a problem on Hindhead Commons, the Devil’s Punchbowl and on Blackdown. Here in Hambledon a group of volunteers called the Friends of Hydons Ball have put up posters asking people not to create new paths and trails, or dig jumps and berms.
With the support of the NT, they have placed brash piles and dead tree trunks across unofficial paths. Matt Cusack, lead ranger for the area, said: “This is a national issue, but we are concerned about what has been happening on Hydons Ball and are grateful for the assistance of local volunteers.” Bikers trails, which utilise steep slopes, bumps, dips and jumps, have been blocked and brash placed in hollows and on mounds. Matt has felled several small scrub trees to create additional obstacles to downhill biking.
Downhill mountain biking is a major problem, he said, and the Surrey Hills has become a popular destination. “This is very damaging, but there are signs that the measures we are taking at Hydons Ball are achieving results. They seem to have moved on.”
Waverley Borough Council has announced that it has suspended its “Brown Bin” fortnightly household garden waste collection service until further notice.
This is due to the impact on staffing levels resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. Collections stopped from this Monday (January 11, 2021).
Please look at the link below for more details and a full statement:
https://www.waverley.gov.uk/info/200084/recycling_rubbish_and_waste/1273/garden_waste_collection_service
Work is now well underway at Lane End to replace old gas mains, and the road is closed to all traffic.
The parish council has been in regular contact with SGN, the gas provider, and has asked if the road could remain open to vehicles, perhaps with traffic light control.
However, as the photos show, wide trenches are being dug and space must be allowed for use by machinery and to allow for safety and the required social distancing under Coronavirus rules.
The work, which started on Monday, is expected to last for 12 weeks, with vehicles diverted via Milford, a distance of approximately three miles. For those heading south, an alternative is Vann Lane, Pockford and Chiddingfold.
A footpath beside the excavations has been provided and access to adjacent properties will be maintained. The road closure is between the Wormley Lane and Cricket Green/Vann Lane junctions on Lane End.
Robin McKeith, the Hambledon Parish councillor with responsibility for highways and maintenance issues, said: “Following a slow start to the roadworks on Monday the 4th January, the gas main work has progressed significantly, and a large trench now stretches as far as the bus stop.
“The Parish Council is in regular contact with the engineers responsible for the maintenance, and will continue to monitor the progress of the work to keep the village updated on the committed 12-week timetable.
If you have any concerns, please contact the Parish Council”.
The council has asked SGN is it can provide a schedule of work so that residents can be assured the timetable is being adhered to and the work completed as swiftly as possible.
For more information about the project please look at previous news stories on this website.
The Government has announced that England is to enter a third lock-down from today (Tuesday January 5th) and the message is to stay at home wherever possible.
As with the previous lock-downs, this presents many challenges.
Please use the Coronavirus Village Information and Coronavirus Support Funds links on the right to find out where help is at hand.
Here in Hambledon, our village shop will remain open and orders can be placed online for home delivery within the area. Please use the Product List and Ordering link on the right for details.
The nursery school can remain open as early-years learning is excluded from the order for schools to shut. St Dominic’s is likely to remain open, catering for children with special needs.
Hambledon church services remain on-line, but weddings and funerals can be held within limitations.
The village pub, the Merry Harriers, must remain closed. Local take-away outlets can stay open, but for food and soft drinks orders only.
Local food shops, garden centres, and building supply businesses can remain open, all others must close. Doctors, dentists and vets are open.
This website has links on its right-hand menu to organisations offering help and advice. These include Hambledon Parish Council, and if anyone has any specific problems that they cannot resolve, please contact Stewart Payne on 07831 393561 or any other parish councillor. Please note that Mike Parry has resigned and his place has been taken by Ali Scott-Bishop, so if you have kept the advice leaflet delivered to all homes at the start of the first lock-down, please amend accordingly.
All parish councillor numbers can be found on this website together with many others which may be helpful in the weeks ahead.
Please remember that the Foodbank is always grateful for donations and the various support funds welcome financial contributions to enable them to continue to their work.
Finally, the Government’s latest National Lockdown Guidance can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/949536/NationalLockdownGuidance.pdf
Work to replace old gas mains at Lane End, Hambledon, started on Monday (Jan 4th), as previously announced, and will result in the road being closed for the duration of the project, which is expected to last 12 weeks.
Road closure and diversion signs are in place. Once excavation work gets under way the road will be closed at all times, the parish council has been informed.
The closure involves the section of Lane End, between Wormley Lane and Vann Lane/Cricket Green. Diversion signs instruct motorists to divert via Petworth Road (A283), Milford and Station Lane to Hydestile, and the same route in reverse for those leaving the village.
This is the quickest route for most, but for those living on Vann Lane and Upper Vann, a diversion via Pockford and Skinners Lane to the A283 on the outskirts of Chiddingfold may be more convenient.
Work to upgrade household gas mains in the Lane End area of Hambledon is due to start tomorrow (Monday Jan 4th), and will result in long-term road closures.
SGN, the gas supplier, has previously stated that the work will take up to 12-weeks and that the road from Wormley Lane to Vann Lane will be closed, although access to properties in the immediate area will be maintained.
Hambledon Parish Council has contacted SGN to seek further information. It asked if the road will be completely closed throughout or will it reopen overnight; can pedestrians pass at all times; will there be some periods when the road will reopen; can the council have a detailed programme of works.
It is hoped more information will be available on Monday morning, so please check back with this website.
It may be that the road will remain open as the contractors set up. The one.network website which maps roadworks, shows the initial closure as being between Vann Lane (Cricket Green) and the village hall.
https://one.network/?119435733&fbclid=IwAR0vWWAbFW_SH3pL5hG14P7308d7y2fyTb-l_ByXgNwj3uMp-meyfUMl1Yc
This website also indicates that there will be roadworks with traffic light control on the Petworth Road, at Phillips garage and half way up Wormley Hill, and, unrelated to Hambledon but worth noting, at Dunsfold between Loxhill and the A281.
Further information about the Lane End roadworks was published on this website last week and can be found here: https://www.hambledonsurrey.co.uk/?p=14246
Hambledon Road, blocked for two days by a fallen tree between Hydestile and Feathercombe, reopened yesterday afternoon.
Contractors cleared the beech tree which came down in high winds on Boxing Day night. The parish council has been in contact with West Surrey Golf Course, as the tree was probably on its land. The club has agreed to examine other trees on the roadside verge to ensure all are safe.
Around the village there may be more short delays as Surrey Highways and its contractors deal with any other trees in a dangerous condition following Storm Bella.
* Villagers may be aware from the advance warning signs at Lane End that work is due to start on a planned upgrade to gas mains in the immediate area. This is expected to start on Monday January 4th and is forecast to last for approximately 12 weeks.
The work will require the long-term closure of Lane End, from its junction with Wormley Lane to Vann Lane and Cricket Green. SGN, the gas provider, states that the work is necessary in order to replace old metal mains with plastic pipes to individual properties on Lane End.
Hambledon Parish Council is in contact with SGN to see what measures can be taken to lessen the impact of the road closure and it is hoped to provide more information soon. In the meantime, SGN states that resident access will be maintained. It has consulted with Surrey County Council, the highways authority, and has its approval,
The work is to be carried out by Medway Civils and Utilities Ltd on behalf of SGN. The closure is necessary to undertake the scale of the work and to ensure the safety of engineers.
Local residents should have received letters informing them of the work.
The closure means that access to Hambledon village, including the shop, church, nursery school and pub, can only be achieved by diverting through Milford and Station Lane, to Hydestile, or to Chiddingfold, Skinners Lane and Pockford, to Vann.
The Government today placed large swathes of southern England under rigid Tier 3 restrictions including all of Surrey, with the exception of the Borough of Waverley.
This means that Hambledon remains in Tier 2 but many other nearby areas are now under the toughest rules aimed at combating a rising Covid-19 infection rate in the area.
The new restrictions come into force on Saturday and will remain until the next review.
Waverley includes the towns of Godalming, Haslemere, Farnham and Cranleigh and the villages around them.
Local people should consult with Government guidelines before deciding whether to visit Tier 3 areas, which now include the nearby centres of Guildford and Woking. In these areas shops can remain open but all pubs and restaurants must shut, other than for take-aways.
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