Surrey Heath Borough Council has secured 31.5 hectares of woodland on the east side of St Catherine’s Road in Frimley to preserve it as a recreational woodland area, protecting this natural green space and improving access for walkers.
This land will be paid for from contributions from developers who have built homes over recent years in the borough and will enable the Council to also receive funds from future developers for the ongoing upkeep of the site.
As part of the Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) set up, the Council has committed to creating a car park to facilitate its use, to ensure access points and maintain suitable walking paths.
The purchase of this new SANG enables the Council to support its emerging Local Plan and the delivery of much needed housing to meet local need.
Councillor Shaun Macdonald, Leader, Surrey Heath Borough Council said:
“The purchase of this area of extensive woodland on the Frimley, Frimley Green and Deepcut border, enables the Council to formally protect, preserve and improve this area for the enjoyment of all our residents, especially walkers and those with dogs.
The new SANG, in addition to preserving this important green area, also enables the Council to unlock key development areas in the borough – enabling us to further improve and regenerate Camberley town centre, as well as create more housing in our borough.”
What is a SANG?
A Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) is a recreational site, created to attract residents of new developments away from special protection areas that are safeguarded for their valuable ecology and are sensitive to recreational activities, such as dog walking.
Protected sites comprise Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). SPAs are designated to protect wild birds and their habitats and SACs are designated to protect habitats and non-bird species.
The ‘capacity’ of a SANG is how many dwellings/units it can mitigate for. SANGs are generally provided at a ratio of eight hectares per 1,000 new residents, therefore one hectare can allocate 125 residents. The specific allocation will depend on the number and size of housing units.