Campaigners win more engagement for controversial Cranleigh high street proposals

Petitioners argued there had been a lack of consultation over the changes the High Street and urged Surrey County Council to stop the changes over fears they would increase traffic noise and pollution, make it less safe for cyclists and pedestrians and damage local businesses. The proposed scheme would introduce widened footways over car parking spaces, raised traffic tables, pedestrianise Fountain Square and replace Village Way roundabout with a T-junction.

Those behind the scheme highlighted a number of times the changes were put out for consultation, with one councillor commenting “I have never known a scheme to have so much consultation”, however the area’s county council representative admitted despite this, the message was not clear.

More than 1,108 people urged the council to halt the changes to the high street, more than double the amount who reportedly responded to the initial consultation. The petition was discussed at Surrey County Council’s (SCC) Highways, Transport and Economic Growth meeting on Tuesday, March 26.

The council’s lead member for Highways and Transport, Councillor Matt Furniss, told the meeting that there will be a “further round of engagement”. He added SCC is also considering a mail drop so the public is informed by the council and not “the rumour mill of social media”.

Speaking at the meeting, lead petitioner Philip Chapman said: “Right from the start…SCC has repeatedly broken the bond of trust that should exist between the council, the people and the businesses it represents.”

He added the campaigners were “pleased to hear via social media” there would be another round of engagement. He argued that there cannot be another consultation on the current proposals but that the council and working groups consider ideas from residents to afford “genuine coi-design and collaboration”.

Cllr Liz Townsend has been leading on the issue since she was elected as Cranleigh’s County Councillor in 2021. She told the committee that officers, residents and the Chamber of Commerce met regularly over two years and the issue was discussed regularly in parish council meetings. She said: “To quote a fellow Parish councillor, I have never known a scheme to have so much consultation.”

Information displays, flyers and surveys were cited by Cllr Townsend as part of the public engagement for the proposal. She said there had been “high level of consultation” but agreed that “the message is clear, it was not sufficient”.

Meeting documents state consultation was undertaken in 2021 (initial ideas), November 2022 (concept design) and November 2023 (feasibility design). Mr Chapman claimed the event in November 2023 was not a consultation but a presentation of the final designs for the proposal.

But campaigners argued public engagement did not stretch far enough with only 472 people responding to the initial consultation out of Cranleigh ’s 12,697 population, according to 2021 census data. Mr Chapman claimed the project team paid “lip service” to the consultation and pursued its “own agenda”.

He added businesses on the high street were approached by council officers but engagement was ad hoc and often at inconvenient times, the campaign group states. Campaigners were also sceptical how the working group for the high street development was set up, claiming there should be representation from local businesses, parish council and the Cranleigh High Street campaign group.

Meeting documents state the proposal was focused on making Cranleigh High Street “feel less car dominated” and a “more attractive and safer place for pedestrians to visit”. Removing some street parking was proposed to facilitate widening the pavements. Raised tables were also in the proposal to regulate speed on the street, with the narrower lanes. The mini roundabout at Village Way was also set to be replaced by a T-junction as SCC said traffic modelling showed it would improve the traffic flow.

But campaigners claim the raised tables will create noise and traffic pollution as vehicles will speed up and slow down in an already 20mph zone. Concerns were raised that emergency vehicles and delivery vans would struggle to get through the narrow lanes and removing free parking would discourage customers from visiting local businesses on the High Street.

Report: https://mycouncil.surreycc.gov.uk/documents/s96236/PETITION%20RESPONSE.pdf