Dear All,
An important update — and a call to action:
The council has just released a report saying no full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is needed for the 110-home development on Langley Bottom Farm, a precious part of our local Green Belt. This decision opens the door for the developer to submit their planning application.
Despite the site being home to rare arable plants, skylark breeding habitats, and sitting in an Area of Great Landscape Value, the council claims the impact isn’t significant enough to justify a full environmental review.
We know this is wrong. This decision gives the developer a green light to press ahead — with little regard for nature or our community — unless we act.
WERS (Woodcote Epsom Residents’ Society) have confirmed they are aware and are currently assessing next steps. I’ll share updates on how you can help — likely including fundraising, as was mentioned at the Village meeting.
What you can do now:
- Keep making your feelings known to local councillors
- Stay engaged with WERS: https://www.woodcoteepsomresidentssociety.org/
- Be ready to submit formal objections when the planning application goes live — even if you’ve commented before, you’ll need to resubmit.
This next phase is crucial. I know we’re all busy — but if we let the system grind us down, we risk losing a vital piece of our local landscape forever.
Thank you for standing up for our community.
Warmly,
Matthew