Angry Protests About County Council Development Plans for Stoughton Grange School

12.00.00am GMT Wed 7th Dec 2005

Local residents are up in arms about County Council proposals to sell off land at Stoughton Grange School for redevelopment. Local County Councillor Pauline Searle (Lib Dem, Guildford North) organised a petition which was signed by 340 residents, demanding that the County Council finds ways to tackle the traffic congestion on Grange Road before any more development takes place.

Presenting the petition to Guildford's Local Committee last week, Cllr Searle highlighted the dangers to children walking to and from Northmead School and Stoughton Infants School from the current levels of traffic. Cllr Searle said "Children's lives are at risk. It's already a common sight to see vehicles mounting the pavement as cars try to squeeze past a lorry or bus. The 340 people who have signed this petition, mainly parents of children at the local schools, are very angry that the County Council is considering development which will put even more cars onto Grange Road."

Stoughton Community Association is carrying out a survey of traffic problems in Stoughton, including Grange Road, and wants to work with the County Council on ways to tackle the problems. But the County Council is already discussing development of the redundant school land, without waiting to see if the traffic problems already existing on Grange Road can be solved.

Cllr Searle added "There's already planning approval for new housing with an access onto Grange Road only feet from the entrance to Northmead School. Now the County Council is trying to get in on the act by selling off the Stoughton Grange land for development. Enough is enough. The traffic problems of Grange Road must be sorted out before there is any more development - promises of action afterwards are not good enough."