Headley Heath Approach - History of Rebuilding the Road
Year 2000
Surrey County Council (SCC) notified the Headley Heath Approach and Ashurst Drive Roads Association of the decision to undertake the “Millennial Project” to completely rebuild and modernise High Ashurst Outdoor Education Centre (OEC). The Committee has no objection in principle but was concerned about traffic increase over both our roads. SCC constructed a Planning Application for the project.
The Roads Committee was notified that the Contractor’s vehicles during the redevelopment would have to use Headley Heath Approach (HHA) as the sole access, as other routes were unsuitable.
The Committee and SCC discussed possible alternative routes but it was made very clear that it was SCC’s intention to use HHA for all the site traffic. Ashurst Drive (AD) and Lodge Bottom Roads access were deemed to be either too narrow, with too many overhanging trees, or have poor site lines for safe provision for HGV and Plant vehicles. SCC stated these routes would not be considered safe and could not be used.
It became clear that there would be a high volume of Construction Traffic using HHA during the build at OEC, including large earth moving equipment, deliveries of part constructed buildings, lorries, and other plant and equipment.
The Committee negotiated agreement with SCC that as HHA had been designated as the sole access to the redevelopment site, then major repairs would be needed beforehand if HHA was to remain passable during and after the works. The road was already in a poor state by that time, with only some of the road surfaced.
SCC agreed that they would undertake major repairs and rebuilding of HHA at their expense to enable the safe passage of all the site traffic.
SCC created “Construction Management Plan” stating “Any works to HHA as agreed with the Roads Association will be completed by SCC prior to any construction vehicles associated with the Development using HHA. Any such works are intended to be substantial and permanent”
A local resident brought a Judicial Review application challenging the Planning application/approval for High Ashurst redevelopment. This took approx. one year to resolve
Year 2006 – 2007
SCC and Roads Committee constructs a “Traffic Management Plan” to be included in the Planning Application for the redevelopment, showing how the Contractor’s Traffic would be managed and regulated when using HHA to the OEC site. In the Traffic Plan, all the traffic would use HHA, none of the Contractors traffic would be allowed to use Ashurst Drive.
This Traffic Plan was later revised following Committee objection to some items but remained on the same basis.
Generally, from 2000 to 2007 HHA fell into very poor repair, residents were uncertain what SCC would do, what the outcome would be, or how long the works would take, and it was difficult to collect contributions in HHA as a result. In spite of the best efforts of the Committee and some work, HHA suffered “Planning Blight.”
Year 2007
SCC arranged a survey of HHA to establish its weight bearing capacity and repairs needed to make HHA safe to use for HGVs and residents during the works.
Sometime after the survey, SCC announced that they would not now be using HHA for site access after all. This was a complete policy reversal. Committee thought that SCC having discovered the scale and expense needed to bring HHA to a condition suitable for use as site access, SCC would prefer to carry out works to improve the road from Lodge Bottom Road. Therefore, they decided no works would be undertaken to HHA. Ashurst Drive was always deemed to be unsuitable as an access road, so this road was not affected by the planned development, as it was not considered an access route.
The Committee met with SCC to discuss the change of plan and argued that as a result of years of planning, meetings, and indecision, “Planning Blight” had affected HHA and it had deteriorated badly during this period of uncertainty, and it was unreasonable that after all the meetings, letters and representations, SCC would just walk away.
SCC accepted some responsibility for this, and eventually offered the sum of £20,000 to be used towards the repair/rebuild of HHA. SCC requested documentation from the Association Secretary in order to approve the grant to HHA. They requested copies of Constitution/Accounts Statements/Auditors report/Minutes from AGM etc. A legal document was drawn up showing the transfer of funds for the exclusive use of HHA.
The SCC funds given to HHA came with the following conditions:
· The money was “ring-fenced” solely for the use of rebuilding HHA.
· The money could not be used for any other purpose.
· The work must be carried out by an SCC approved Contractor.
· Funds must be used within six months of receipt.
· If the funds were not fully used for the stated purpose, then the money must be returned to SCC.
· Committee was obliged to sign an agreement to this effect in order to receive the money.
When the Committee finalised the agreement with SCC, they obtained quotes for the work to HHA. The Secretary conducted a poll of HHA residents and they voted overwhelmingly by postal vote and later at an Extraordinary Meeting in the Village Hall, to contribute enough money to add to the SCC funds to completely rebuild HHA.
The majority of residents (60%) agreed to contribute £1750 per household.
Some households paid less than £1750, but contributed a substantial amount within their means. (Almost all of these contributed between £750 and £1000). Only five residents (from a total of 48) did not contribute. This was an unprecedented result, some households that had never paid annual subscriptions agreed to contribute.
Committee chose Kenwards Groundworks from the SCC approved list of contractors. Committee submitted quote to SCC for approval, so that SCC could see where the money would be spent. Approval was given and HHA residents paid into the fund.
Some weeks later, Committee had enough cleared funds to commission the work to rebuild HHA.
Year 2012
Works were carried out in Autumn 2012 using the ring-fenced SCC funding as a basis for the works, with a large additional amount contributed by residents of HHA.
In order to carry out the works the Committee had to gain Highways approval as HHA is a Bridleway (SCC No. 42). Highways Countryside Access department were pleased to hear of the proposed improvements and offered to contribute £7000 to the rebuilding of HHA. They agreed to pay the monies direct to our selected Contractor (Kenwards), as this was for the improvement/maintenance of a Bridleway, there was no VAT payable.
In addition to the unexpected funds from Highways, the fund also received voluntary contributions of £5250 from the householders at Birchingrove Farm and £2500 from Mr. Paul Wates.
As a result of these unexpected contributions, at the end of the fundraising drive, there was some money in hand. All the SCC/Highways monies formed a large part of the payment of the final bill, as per the conditions of the grant. The residents contributed the remainder.
At the next AGM the residents were asked if they would like to have surplus funds from the money they had paid refunded to them. The residents voted not to do this, but to keep the monies in hand for future maintenance of HHA as a second wearing layer of Tarmac would be needed in the future.
The remaining funds from the resident’s contributions, and subsequent annual contributions since 2012, makes up the money currently in the Association account for HHA. Since 2012 HHA residents have not had to pay for any repairs but have continued to contribute £100 per annum to build up a fund for future resurfacing.
The Annual Accounts show the separate balances for the two roads, collected from residents’ contributions since 2012. The accounts have been published every year since 1972 (apart from a brief hiatus due to Covid in 2020).
NOTIFICATION OF AN EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING TO BE HELD AT THE VILLAGE HALL ON AUGUST 16th. 2012. AT 7.30pm
Information for all residents
The SCC decision NOT to use Headley Heath Approach for access to High Ashurst, and the subsequent withdrawal of the scheme to improve the road was a serious problem for all residents, as we had no funds and the road had fallen into serious disrepair during the campaign.
I argued that SCC had considerable responsibility for the position in which we found ourselves, and following a further lengthy round of meetings and negotiation, SCC eventually agreed to give the Roads Association a grant of £20,000.00 towards the repairs in Headley Heath Approach. The Association has agreed terms under which this money can be used and we now have to prioritise works and improve Headley Heath Approach as a matter of urgency.
The £20,000 we have been given is a one-off, never to be repeated source of funding, more money than we have ever had available before, although not enough to do everything we need, and it is important that we seize this opportunity to achieve a radical and permanent improvement to our road.
The Committee has received a number of quotes for works to various sections of the road and we have arranged a meeting for residents to discuss and make decisions on financial contributions to add to our existing grant to achieve a satisfactory result. At the meeting residents will be able to vote on their choice of works and agree the required contribution.
I very much hope that residents will appreciate that the steady deterioration of the road cannot continue, and will fully support the Committee in seeking to improve it. We will all have to contribute for this to happen, and accept that the days of contributing £30 a year, or similar amounts, are long gone.
Without doubt substantial repairs would improve the value of all the properties in the road considerably, and also make them more attractive if offered for sale. In addition, there would be reduced damage to our vehicles and our environment would generally be more pleasant.
Having made this radical improvement, we should then be able to revert to more modest contributions in future years with a programme of maintenance works as needed. We cannot achieve this if everyone does not contribute now.
We are very much aware that some residents will think the amount of money requested is excessive, but I would like to point out that had none of these problems interrupted our routine maintenance, and with no increase for inflation since the year 2000, everyone would have already contributed a minimum of £300 by now, and this would only have been enough to fill potholes, it would not have allowed for permanent improvement.
Over the last 30 years it has become apparent that the only worthwhile value for money treatment for Headley Heath Approach, which has no drainage, is a Tarmac surface which will be weatherproof and resistant to frost damage and water erosion.
The details of the proposed works are set out below, together with the contribution from all residents that would be necessary to carry them out.
Option 1
Complete resurfacing of Section 1 previously Tarmac area; repairing potholes and collapsed area in Section 2; rebuilding Section 3 of the road to a better standard with crushed asphalt as follows:-
Section 1 Boxhill Road to Sheldon/Lovesta
Break out potholes cutting sides to form square edges, excavating to a firm sub-base as required. Approx. total of 300sq. metres.
Supply, level and compact Type 1 recycled aggregate to form a good solid sub-base as required.
Remove all excavated material from site.
Supply and lay 60mm of 20mm base course Tarmac.
Apply tack coat to whole surface of road approx.760 sq. metres.
Supply and lay 20mm of wearing course Tarmac to the entire length of Section 1 approx. 190 metres in length and average of 4m. wide.
Section 2 Sheldon/Lovesta to Silver Birches/Vacant plot
Break out potholes approx. total of 92 sq. metres.
Saw cut Tarmac, to form straight clean edges, excavating to a solid sub-base as required.
Supply, level and compact Type 1 recycled aggregate to form a good solid sub-base as required.
Remove all excavated material from site.
To supply and lay 60mm of 20mm base course Tarmac.
Apply tack coat to the repaired areas.
Supply and lay 20mm of 10mm wearing course Tarmac to the repaired areas only, approx. 92 sq. m.
Section 3 Silver Birches/Vacant plot to junction with Ashurst Drive.
Rough up existing surface and grade out any potholes to form a level surface with correct falls for water runoff, approx. 1320 sq. metres. Supply, level and compact approx.100mm.of crushed asphalt over the entire area to form a finished surface with an average width of 4m. where possible.
Clear out drainage ditches to aid water runoff and add any ditches where possible.
TOTAL CONTRIBUTION FROM ALL RESIDENTS - £750.00
Option 2
The ideal and ultimate solution to achieve a permanent Tarmac surfaced road from the Boxhill Road to the junction with Ashurst Drive.
Sections 1 and 2 to be treated as Section 1 specification as shown above, all potholes and collapsed areas to be completely repaired and whole area completely resurfaced with Tarmac.
Section 3 to be completely rebuilt as Section 3 shown above, then surfaced with Tarmac to same specification as rest of the road.
TOTAL CONTRIBUTION FROM ALL RESIDENTS - £1750
If it is not possible to raise enough funds to do all the works proposed, then the Committee will prioritise what can be afforded and carry out works to the value of whatever funding is available.
Please do not rely on your neighbours to support this project for you – it will benefit all of us and we need EVERYONE to contribute in order to do it. The Committee appreciates that there will be some households on limited incomes which are not in a position to contribute fully, but these must be in the minority.
We understand that there will be some residents who will be on holiday at the time of the meeting, but who would wish to attend, so there is a returnable voting slip attached to this letter. There will be one vote per household, if you are unable to attend but wish to vote, please return this slip, signed and with your house name included – to the Secretary, or any other member of the Committee by August 15th 2012.
Otherwise, we look forward to seeing you at the Meeting on August 16th. At 7.30pm.
Yours sincerely,
Carol Berbridge,
Honorary Secretary.