North Downs Open Space Project – Your pledge is urgently needed!
Your pledge is urgently needed by 23rd April 2022
The North Downs Golf Club is up for sale and there are multiple bidders. Our Green Belt is under threat and this particular site has been under constant threat of development and continues to be (there is an appeal pending to build houses). We have a unique opportunity to protect it. If you like the idea of 68 acres of Nature Park established to protect the land in perpetuity, now is the time to make your pledge and ensure Woldingham Parish Council’s bid is the winning one.
View and print the Pledge Form and send a scanned version to the Parish Clerk email address:
> PLEDGE FORM for North Downs Open Space Project
What do you get out of it?
• Protection of our beautiful village greenbelt from development.
• A quiet, natural park with no new building or light pollution.
• A beautiful place to walk your dog, jog or take the family in restored chalk grassland habitat, paths mown through the long grass and wild flowers in the summer and short grass in winter.
• A congenial cafe to meet friends in and enjoy village activities in the historic club house.
• Educational and nature volunteering opportunities for your children, yourself and friends.
• Become an investor in the environment. Your returns are the biodiversity gains we make by managing the land naturally. As we stop using weed killers and pesticides, the pollinators, bugs and birds increase in number, the soil quality improves and captures more carbon.
• You can feel good that as the health of the site returns, we attract conservation grants and, in time, Biodiversity Net Gain Credits that we can sell to maintain the land. With Surrey Wildlife Trust as our management partner, we ensure the continued existence and careful maintenance of this green space as a priceless legacy for your children and grandchildren.
Do you have questions?
visit us at
The Crescent, Woldingham
8.30am-12.30pm: Saturdays till 23 April 2022
2.30pm-4pm: Friday 22 April 2022
info www.woldingham.com/news/we-need-your-support
fb: Fundraising For Woldingham’s North Downs Open Space
Chairman Deborah Sherry: 07779 134 797
Vice-Chairman Carole North: 07970 863 071
pledge e: parish.clerk@woldingham.com
FAQs
Q: Why is the Parish Council bidding?
A: The simple reason is to protect the land from the threat of development in the future. Our intention is to create an enduring legacy and to covenant the land for protection from building in perpetuity.
Q: Are you going to keep coming back to the community for funds to manage the land?
A: The aim of raising £2.7m from the community is to have enough for an endowment fund, like the Craigmyle Glebe, which will provide funding for the annual management of the land. We will also have other sources of income including conservation grants as well as the sale of biodiversity net gain credits.
Q: The Parish Council don’t have experience looking after land, so what’s to stop it from becoming a waste land, full of fly tipping, litter, vandalism, drug dealing and gypsies?
A: We understand your concern and have already identified areas where the bunds would need to be extended. The land will be managed by Surrey Wildlife Trust who have extensive experience in protecting land from these problems. Litter bins and arrangements with the council for emptying will be put in place.
Q: What is the thought behind the open cinema, farmers’ markets, café etc.? They are so commercial it’ll bring lots of traffic and where will they park as 88 spaces won’t be enough?
A: That was our initial thinking when the WPC applied for the YourFund Surrey grant. However, the grant process cannot complete in the time frame we have to put in a bid. And we should emphasise that these were just ideas. We believe that the buildings should simply house a café and rooms for the community to use for classes or meetings. It is not our intention to turn this into a profit-making commercial venture. Should our bid be successful we will consult with residents to ensure the plans reflect their desires and address their concerns. Our intention is to ensure no new buildings, no light pollution and a peaceful nature park with limited and calm community facilities.
Q: Lockdown was dreadful with all the cars parking everywhere, kids on bikes, people having picnics and barbecues – will this reoccur as a result of your plans?
A: Lockdown was a unique time, with many people not working, children not going to school and exercise being encouraged. Woldingham was indeed very busy during this period. Turning the land into a nature park is unlikely to attract that level of visitors.
Q: The ACV was put on the golf course so WPC should be backing the golf club as a community asset – Why are your plans to destroy 120 years of golf history?
A: The ACV (Asset of Community Value) was placed on the club and the land. It is very regrettable that we would have to close the golf club, because we cannot support a loss-making venture. However, there are many other courses in the nearby vicinity that those golfers can utilise. Our nature park and community buildings are something that will be used by many more people in Woldingham and we have had a very positive response to the plans.
Q: Why do we need more open space – Woldingham has plenty already?
A: We do indeed have a lot of wooded areas to walk, cycle and ride. However, we want to end the constant threat of development on our treasured Greenbelt land and protect it forever. The added benefit is that we would restore it to its natural habitat which is chalk grassland, like Madeira Walk – short green grass in the winter, long grass and wild flowers in the summer. It will become a place where more pollinators, birds and mammals will make their home. This nature park would provide areas to walk and enjoy nature alongside the very valuable community building.
Q: Why can’t the parish council and golf club work together to do a mix of golf and open space?
A: The Parish Council could not take on and fund a loss-making 18-hole golf club. The NDGC CIC (made up of golf members) and other golf company bidders, that we know about, do not want to reduce the course to 9-holes in order to create community recreational facilities and have advised us that a 9-hole golf course is not viable.
If you are thinking of becoming a ‘major donor’ (pledges over £100,000) we would be happy to have a more detailed discussion with you and share our business plan. parish.clerk@woldingham.com