On Thursday 17th February 2022, members of BRAG, the ONF steering committee, Ottershaw Society and OWARA had a virtual call with Amy Savage (Vistry Land Director - Southern), Tim Burden (Director of Planning at Turley) and Emily Bell (Senior consultant, strategic communications at Turley).
We were given a presentation and verbal briefing followed by an opportunity to ask questions. A summary of the information we received is as follows:
Vistry plan to submit a hybrid planning application in the next 2-3 months to Runnymede Borough Council. A hybrid application has elements of Outline planning and Full planning. When questioned on this, we were told the whole site will be full planning EXCEPT for the GP surgery. This means the full planning application will contain design details including materials to be used, specific measurements of gardens. The reason the GP surgery will be Outline planning is because it is unclear at this time who will take the GP surgery on and the details of the building and provision of services will be down to them.
Vistry plan to provide 1 - 5 bedroom homes. These include a mix of detached, semi-detached, terraced houses which will be two - and two and a half storey high, but also 3 storey apartment blocks. 10% will be built for wheelchair users. Semi-detached houses will likely be placed at the access to the site and act as show homes.
Vistry Group is made up of the brands Linden Homes and Bovis Homes. Normally one brand is used to build a development for Vistry, however in the case of Ottershaw East, both brands will be used on site. Linden Homes are normally built for student/young families and Bovis Homes, the 4-5 bedroom houses. This means that whilst normally 40 houses per year are built on a site with one brand, with the 2 brands, Ottershaw East is likely to be closer to a 3 year build from start to completion. Vistry's hope is that the build will start end of 2022/early 2023 with residents moving in at the end of 2023. 35% of the dwellings will be affordable housing: shared ownership, social/affordable rent and first homes (25% of the affordable homes to be provided at a discount to 1st time buyers).
Vistry must provide 2 traveller pitches on the site. It is not confirmed yet how these will be delivered - this is something Runnymede Borough Council need to determine - whether they will be sold by Vistry to those with legitimate Gypsy, Roma, Traveller heritage or if the Council will let them via the housing register.
The application for the SANG is also under Vistry and is still live as planning application number RU.21/0673. Natural England have said the application needs more work regarding the management plan before it can proceed. The key issue being the need for a management company to take on the SANG. Vistry would like/anticipate it to be one management company for both the SANG and the Local Areas for Play (LAPs) within the development. If you wish to still submit comments on the SANG you can by emailing planning@runnymede.gov.uk
40 on-street parking spaces have been provided within the site (these are there to be used by those visiting the SANG also).
Full ecology surveys are being done at present (rather than desktop surveys) the results of which will form part of the full planning application.
The technical details regarding access to the site have been agreed and approved by Surrey County Council.
What are the next steps:
Submit your thoughts/concerns on the details provided by Vistry currently to contact@vistry-ottershaweast.co.uk, or calling their Freephone number on
0808 1688 296
Following the submission of Vistry's application to Runnymede Borough Council (in a few months time), the Council will then invite the community to provide comment again on the detailed application. We will of course provide you with updates as we hear them.
In the meantime, please share this news and encourage others to join BRAG so that we can spread the news as widely as possible.
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