Cuddington Conservatives Fight Inappropriate Development

Developer Threatens Demolition of 57 Salisbury Road

Andrew Sharpe, 22 February 2008

Conservatives in Cuddington launched this week a direct campaign to put pressure on the Government to introduce an emergency listing of the threatened "White House" in Salisbury Road, and stave off the threat of demolition. Last week the local Planning Committee rejected the redevelopment plans for the house. Despite the rejection of the plan to replace this historically significant building with 13 flats the owners of the site have given notice that they intend to pursue demolition anyway, in spite of universal local objections. As things stand there is nothing the council can do as the building only has "local listing" status.

Local MP Chris Grayling has asked for an urgent meeting with the Secretary of State Andy Burnham to ask for a Grade 2 listing which should be immediately enforcable as it is the owners' intention to demolish within 6 weeks. Local Conservatives are delivering leaflets asking local residents to write to Mr Burnham as well to put pressure on the Government to act.

Former Conservative council candidate for Cuddington James Taylor, who is leading the letter writing campaign, said: "The White House is one of Cuddington's most distinctive buildings. It was built in 1930 and is one of the last 2 thatched houses in Epsom & Ewell. It has had many distinguished residents and deserves to be preserved by and for the people of the borough. The type of development that is being proposed is of the type increasingly being forced on towns in Surrey which we believe to be both morally wrong and completely unnecessary.

"We are losing more of our powers to influence the future of our towns to a Labour central government with no natural support in our area and which seeks revenge by paving over large parts of the South East with disastrous implications for our quality of life. This must be stopped."

People willing to write in support of the White House should send letters to:

Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP
Secretary of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport
2-4 Cockspur Street London SW1Y 5DH