Dear Stakeholder,

This message relates to Southborough High School's proposed development of a 3G Playing Pitch (backed by the football association) at Southborough Playing Fields, off Brook Road, Gladstone Road, Love Lane and Herne Road. 

By way of update, the planning process for the proposed 3G pitch at Southborough High School is unfolding in a manner that raises serious concerns about fairness and transparency. Despite assurances at a previous council meeting that no questions could be asked until the planning submission, the application was validated on 21 November 2024, but only made visible to the public on 03 December 2024, leaving residents with minimal time to respond. With the neighbourhood consultation period closing on 2 December, before most people were even aware of the application, and objections due by 23 December 2024, the process seems designed to limit community engagement during the busy festive season.

The cancellation of the last council meeting and the scheduling of the next one just days before the objection deadline on 17 December 2024 further highlight how this process has overlooked the voices of the local community. These concerns are shared widely, as evidenced by our petition, which has already gathered over 1,000 signatures from local residents who oppose this proposal.

It would be helpful if you can please urge the council to give proper consideration to the views of the community, who will bear the brunt of the proposed pitch’s impacts, including noise pollution, light pollution, environmental harm, and increased traffic.

You can submit your objection directly to the council here:

 https://publicaccess.kingston.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=SKDJ6LNHJDJ00

Thank you for reading this. 

Yours faithfully, 

Local Affected Residents

DRAFT EMAIL TO KINGSTON COUNCIL

We have drafted an email below, which you can amend in your own words: 

Dear Kingston Planning Department,

I am writing to strongly object to Southborough High School’s planning application (Ref. 24/02369/FUL) for the construction of a full-sized 3G sports pitch on its existing playing fields, located near Brook Road, Gladstone Road, and Love Lane, Surbiton. This proposal raises significant concerns for the local community, as outlined below, and is opposed by over 1,000 residents, as demonstrated in the petition linked here: https://www.change.org/p/southborough-high-school-3g-pitch

Key Objections: 

1. Unsuitable for Residential Area: The proposed pitch is not appropriate for this quiet residential neighbourhood. A large 3G pitch, surrounded by a 4.5m metal fence and lit by 12m tall LED floodlights, will negatively impact the aesthetics, peace, and character of the area, which includes Brook Road, Gladstone Road, Love Lane, and surrounding streets.
2. Noise Pollution: Noise from 3G pitches is known to exceed acceptable levels set out in British Standards and WHO guidelines, particularly during evenings when the pitch is proposed to operate, every weekday (including public holidays) from 8.00am until 10:00 pm. The prolonged operating hours, seven days a week, will disturb local residents, particularly families with young children, and result in sleep disruption.
3. Light Pollution: The stadium-grade LED floodlights will cause excessive light spill, affecting nearby homes and natural circadian rhythms. Such lighting is disruptive to residents and harmful to local wildlife, especially nocturnal species.
4. Environmental Harm: The replacement of green space with a synthetic, non-recyclable pitch will destroy local biodiversity. Wildlife, including nesting birds and foxes, will be displaced or harmed. Furthermore, the pitch’s degradation over time will release microplastics into the environment, contributing to long-term ecological damage.
5. Increased Traffic and Pollution: The pitch’s commercial operation will bring significant additional traffic to the area, causing congestion and increased air pollution from idling vehicles. The plan to add parking for over 100 cars will exacerbate these issues, with harmful effects on the health and safety of residents.
6. Lack of Need for the Pitch: There is no demonstrated community need for another 3G pitch, as several alternatives, including those at Tolworth Recreational Centre and Goals Tolworth, already exist within close proximity. This proposal seems primarily driven by financial incentives, with commercial use prioritised over meaningful community benefit. Moreover, the development is being supported by the Football Association, which possesses significant financial resources. This creates an uneven playing field, leaving local residents at a disadvantage as they strive to protect their neighbourhood from a project that prioritises profit over the well-being of the community.
7. Inadequate Planning for Anti-Social Behaviour: There is insufficient provision for policing or monitoring the pitch during its commercial use. This raises concerns about the potential for anti-social behaviour, which could impact the safety and well-being of local residents.

Concerns About the Planning Process

The planning process for this application appears to lack transparency and has limited meaningful community engagement. Under the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/595/contents, councils are required to ensure adequate consultation with affected residents and provide sufficient notice for public comments. However, in this case (24/02369/FUL):

• The application was validated on 21 November 2024 but not made publicly visible until 3 December 2024, after the consultation period had closed on 2 December 2024. This deprived residents of the opportunity to submit informed objections, violating the principles of fairness and meaningful consultation required by planning law.
• Holding the consultation period during a time when many are preoccupied with a very busy time of year, considering year end and Christmas holidays further limits engagement. Such timing has been criticised in previous cases, including R (Kides) v South Cambridgeshire District Council [2002] EWCA Civ 1370, which emphasises the necessity for local authorities to re-consult or properly account for material changes that occur during the decision-making process. This case has been widely referenced in the context of ensuring procedural fairness in planning applications. Please see paragraph 121 of the judgment: "In my judgment, the officer's report should have fairly drawn members' attention to the new factor, namely the availability of alternative sites, and explained why, in his view, it made no difference to the outcome. The failure to do so rendered the decision-making process legally flawed."
• MacPherson v. City of Edinburgh Council & Ors [2002]: In this case, the court quashed a planning permission due to a material procedural irregularity in the neighbour notification process. The petitioner was not properly notified by name, which prejudiced their opportunity to object. The court held that such a failure rendered the planning consent voidable
• Planning law also emphasises the importance of genuine consultation, as clarified in R (Medway Council) v Secretary of State for Transport [2002] EWHC 2516 (Admin), which established that consultation must be conducted at a formative stage, allow adequate time for responses, and meaningfully consider those responses. By publishing the application late and effectively curtailing the consultation period, there is a clear risk that these principles may have been breached.

The scheduling of the next council meeting on 17 December, just days before the objection deadline of 23 December, further undermines transparency and community participation. This sequence of events suggests a process that prioritises expediency over fairness and inclusivity, making it procedurally vulnerable.

For the reasons above, I strongly urge Kingston Council to reject this planning application. The proposal prioritises commercial interests over the well-being of the local community and environment, making it wholly unsuitable for the area.

Thank you for your attention.