Bookhams Residents' Association
Working for Bookham since 1926
Your Residents' Association
The Bookhams Residents’ Association (BRA) is a voluntary membership organisation that is open to all residents and is independent of all political parties.
The purpose of the BRA is to provide a consultative link between residents with councillors, public authorities and utility services.
The BRA also co-ordinates voluntary services such as litter picking, Tree Wardens, High Street Christmas lights and hanging baskets.
If you would like to join the team and help to keep Bookham a village for all to enjoy please get in touch.
Note: The BRA is not directly involved with the cultural and entertainment life of the village. These are provided by our colleagues at the Bookham Community Association at the Old Barn Hall.
Preston Farm planning application
Site officially known as: Land north of Lower Road and west of Little Bookham Street. Planning Application MO/2024/0096
Update: February 2025
MVDC Development Management Committee grants outline planning permission after heated debate and overrides its own Local Plan on housing density which it approved just four months ago.
On 5th February, MVDC’s Development Management Committee (‘DMC’) defied Bookham resident’s views, logic, physical evidence, and even its own Local Plan Policies to pass the outline planning application for Preston Farm.
Residents have consistently said the Preston Farm site is unsuitable for large scale development. Over 300 letters of objection have been sent to MVDC. Yet the Council ignored Residents views and included the site in its Local Plan. Now that damaging decision has been compounded by the DMC granting outline planning permission for the development.
Councillors approve MVDC Local Plan
18th October
On 15 October 2024 Mole Valley District Council voted to adopt its new Local Plan by 28 votes in favour, 5 against, and 1 abstention. Although a number of Bookham's local Councillors asked questions and commented positively on issues residents are concerned about, Those present voted in favour of the Plan.
There is an argument that having a current Local Plan is better for a district council as a whole, than not having one, and there is truth in that. However, back in June the BRA told the Council and the Government appointed Planning Inspector that we wanted a "Fair Deal for Bookham". That included the Bookhams taking their fair share of new building (through redevelopment and infilling) but saying a clear NO to inappropriate development in the wrong places, and especially not in the Green Belt.
The "deal" that has subsequently been imposed on the Bookhams is not, in our opinion, "fair ", and the Local Plan remains unsound.
What happened to Bookham's issues about over-development, and inadequate infrastructure, and the deep concerns about: traffic generation and highway safety; not removing land from the Green Belt; and, increasing the risk from flooding and surface water?
Well the short answer is, sadly, that the Bookham's feedback was largely disregarded by the Council and the Inspector.
The Council has been instructed by the Inspector to review the Plan again in three years time. So we won't have long before consultations start all over again. Next time, against what we have been told, will be even greater Government housing targets.
New Bookham Youth & Community Centre: Will it be finally built? Some good news!
Update: November 2024
The BYCA and BRA have been working together and with MVDC and SCC to get the new, and long overdue, Youth Centre built in Bookham. We promised to provide updates to keep Residents in touch with developments, and we now have three pieces of encouraging news.
1) Surrey County Council which is funding the building of the Centre, has completed the design stage of the project with input from the BYCA, the Bookham Youth Project (BYP) and the BRA.
2) Back in May 2021 MVDC granted Outline Planning approval to SCC to build the new Centre on a corner of the Lower Rd recreation ground. Sadly, various delays meant that approval expired. However SCC’s Officers tell us that they will be seeking planning permission for the new Youth Centre between autumn and spring 2025. Yet another disappointing delay which we urge SCC to quickly resolve.
3) The new single floor Centre will still be situated on the Lower Rd Recreation Ground. MVDC, which owns the land, has worked with SCC to agree terms of a lease. The BYCA will manage the new Centre, as it did with the old centre, on a sub-lease from SCC at a peppercorn rent. We are hoping that the new centre will be completed by the end of 2025 or early 2026.
And there is yet more good news… new Community Youth worker appointed
“LYP are delighted to welcome Lucy Hicks our new Community Youth Worker for Bookham. She will be providing youth services for all young people in Bookham.
Days since planning permission was originally granted on 21st May 2021
Latest Local Authority, utility and transport news
Do you have an event?
If you have a Bookham community event you wish to publicise, please complete the form below and we'll add it to the online Events Calendar. We cannot guarantee we can publicise all events or any last minute changes but we'll do our best!
If this is an event that you would like to post on our BRA Village Noticeboards, click here for more details
Quick Link Service Requests and Reporting
Not sure who to report a street cleaning request or overhanging branches or a pothole to or seen something suspicious on your video door bell?
Our Councils have multiple responsibilities and it is often a challenge to find out which Council and Council department or organisation is responsible for what. To help residents make a service request or report, just on click on the relevant button below which will take you directly to the relevant council department and reporting forms. Also included in the portal are the National Trust, Surrey Police Suspicious Activity, Surrey Wildlife Trust and emergency flooding.
The portal is for circumstances where a no crime has been reported, but the suspicious behaviour could potentially be related to a burglary, theft of a vehicle, or catalytic converter, for example.
Location grid reference: TQ 130 557
Nearest post code: KT23 3LT
Emergency Flooding - who to contact:
River flooding: Environment Agency (24 hour Floodline): 0345 988 118
Road Flooding: Surrey CC Highways: 0300 200 1003
Sewer Flooding. Thames Water: 0800 316 9800
Assistance to buy essential items (criteria apply): Citizen’s Advice Bureau: 08444 111 444
Power Cuts During Storms
Do you, or someone you know, need extra support during power cuts?
The power company has confirmed that they will provide free welfare services to customers who need extra support. To register for Priority Services support please call 105 or 0800 028 4581.
