An update to yesterday’s new item below…Hambledon Road reopened at around 4pm this afternoon (Thursday March 14th).

It had been closed for several days at Rock Hill. Thames Water work, which had been delayed, was completed today. The road closure signs have been removed and a member of the workforce told the parish council that no further work is required and the road will remain open.

• Remember, if you are reading this on the day of this update being posted, it is the Hambledon Heritage Society annual meeting at the village hall tonight, 7.30 for 8pm start, and all are welcome to hear an illustrated talk given by parish resident Paul Osborne on the fascinating history of the King George V and St Thomas’s Hospitals at Hydestile.

((Original news item) Hambledon Road remains closed at Rock Hill between the Merry Harriers and Church Lane, despite a Thames Water information board stating it would reopen today (Wednesday March 13th).

The road is impassable to vehicles, with a trench across part of the road and a parked digger. No workers were on site for a second day and no activity taking place. Pedestrians and cyclists can get through.

The pub and the nursery school can be accessed, but only from the Godalming/Hydestile direction.

The Parish Council is attempting to get an explanation from Thames Water for the delay and confirmation of when the road will reopen.

The photo below was taken at 3.30pm this afternoon, showing the closure but no Thames Water staff on site.

The (virtual!) Race Night at the village hall is fast approaching!

You can still reserve a table for 6,8 or 10 people and tickets are £5pp which must be purchased in advance. Please contact Caroline ([email protected]) as soon as possible if you’d like attend. 

With the first race at 7:30pm, it promises to be a fun evening and (possibly!) a chance to take home some winnings!

There will be pizza available to purchase and a bar, and the money raised from the evening will be going towards Hambledon Cricket Club.

A planning application from Hambledon Football Club for an additional pitch and training area at its Badger Park ground has resulted in a considerable number of comments, both for and against.

So far approximately 100 householders from the village and beyond have registered their views on the Waverley Borough Council’s planning website. Many residents close to the Hambledon Road ground, which is in countryside designated as Green Belt and of National Landscape value (AONB), have submitted strong objections, but many others are in support.

(Photo shows pitch and club house. Proposed new pitch will be in the field in the distance)

Hambledon Parish Council considered the application during its February meeting. At that time, the application had only just been registered with Waverley and no comments – for or against – had been made. Nor were there any comments from statutory consultees, such as Surrey County Council which has since listed additional requirements for the application to be approved.

In its initial response the parish council affirmed its commitment to the provision of sporting facilities and noted that no new structures were proposed in the rural setting of the club. However, it also stated that it was too early to consider any neighbour responses.

The parish council has requested additional time from Waverley in order to consider and respond to the views of residents and other recent developments. This has been granted.

It is important to note that the decision on whether to grant or refuse permission is made by Waverley, which is the planning authority for this area. The parish council can only submit comment, which must be confined to relevant planning grounds.

The application and all documentation and comment can be found HERE

Please read on for further details.

Surrey County Council is seeking input in to developing their Rights of Way Improvement Plan. This sets out how public rights of way meet the needs of the public, now and in the future. The current Rights of Way Improvement Plan dates from 2014 and needs to be reviewed.

Surrey County Council is responsible for around 2164 miles (3482 km) of public rights of way. These paths are both in the countryside and urban areas. They are important for enjoying and exploring, for travelling to work or school and for health and wellbeing. They are part of what makes Surrey a special place to live, work and enjoy.

A public right of way is a path that anyone, by law, has the right to use. There are four types:

• Footpaths for walking, mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs
• Bridleways for walking, horse riding, cycling, mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs
• Restricted byways for walking, horse riding, cycling, mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs and horse-drawn carriages
• Byways for all modes including motorised vehicles

Surrey County Council have asked for your feedback by filling in on online form located here before the 10th March. Your feedback will help to develop the priorities and actions of the new Rights of Way Improvement Plan, which will be produced in 2024.

Such feedback could include but is not limited to the following:

• Gaps between almost adjacent public rights of way
• Sections of Footpaths, Bridleways and Byways that for periods during the year can become all but impassable to those on foot
• Sections, where if a landowner could be persuaded to dedicate a parallel route through, say, a field, then the public right of way could avoid a busy or dangerous road
• Locations where a public right of way is severed and either has poor sight-lines or is busy / has fast traffic, that could benefit from being bridged
• Readily accessible locations where a PROW could be improved to be free of obstacles.

More information can be found at the Surrey County Council homepage located here.

To make the evening not too late for children, Wonka at the village hall tonight (Saturday 17th) will be starting earlier than usual. Doors open at 6.00 and the film starts at 6.30.

Tickets will be available on the door and online by clicking on this link

https://ti.to/hambledon-village-hall-surrey/wonka

The Hambledon Cricket Club AGM will be taking place on Tuesday 20 February 2024 starting at 8pm. As the cricket club pavilion is currently being renovated the meeting will be taking place at Hambledon Football Club.