Tag Archives: Lightwater

Looking into deep holes is fun for some

The some in this case is me. Yesterday on my familiar long walk from Lightwater to Deepcut, I encountered engineers having dug a deep hole to expose one on the Esso pipelines.

Talking with helpful engineers, I learned that the uncoverd pipeline was the original pipeline carrying heated heavy fuel oil from Fawley Refinery to Heathrow. The covering around the pipeline has, in places, cracked and allowed water onto the pipeline potentail causing rusting. The plans are to replace this 10 inch pipeline with a 12 inch pipeline.

The pipeline exposed at this site is deeper than elsewhere, and has a slight bend in it to account for the rise in the land.

One humourous story I learned was that, and this isn’t recent, a digger found a 500lb unexploded bomb in his digger bucket. We laughed, and imagined the digger driver making a rapid exit from his cab.

Unsheduled conversations, like these, are an enjoyable part of my life.

A changed treescape

The area in Lightwater where I live is blessed with many mature trees. Many of them are of less common varieties, about which I’ve reported on in my Tree of the Week series.

I really must stop with the whole something of the week series. Tree of the week has reached the magnificent number of three.

There are – now were – three large evergreen specimens not too far from me, about which I’d intended to write about. Two are now been cut down and the other severely pruned.

I’ve not enquired as to why the trees were removed, it could be that they blocked the light to a number of properties. Lovely though the trees were, homeowners must be entitled to remove and or prune the trees. In the years that we’ve lived in Lightwater, these trees have grown substantially. Sadly, I’ve not any photos of them earlier than 2008. I hope the homeowners have plans to replant the area.

Housing proposed for Tesco Express site

Tesco applied for planning permission to develop 89-91 Guildford Road in Lightwater in 2010. Yes, it was that long ago. You can see the history of the site HERE.

In June of this year Tesco cancelled their planned development for a Tesco Express format convenience store, and put the land up for sale. The purchaser of the land has a planning application 18/1009, for the erection of 3, three bedroom and 2, two bedroom houses together with associated access, parking and landscaping.

The site plan, see below, makes maximum use of the available space for housing. It’s pleasing that the development is for housing and not high density flats.

I still wonder about the provision for parking in the development. With 13 bedrooms and just 10 parking spaces I think parking pressures are obvious. Being generous in the likely occupation, I could easily see 16 people in the properties. With five properties and perhaps as little as two visitors by car that makes a need for 18 potential car parking spaces. It’s easy to imagine the parking overflow to elsewhere in the village centre.

I have no fundamental objection for housing on the site, even though my preference would have been for more retail/food outlets in the village – maybe a bistro or suchlike. I think fewer properties on the site would therefore be preferable. Click on the image to link to the planning application.

Drizzle doesn’t stop the fun at Lightwater’s Christmas Fayre in the Square

Today was Lightwater Christmas Fayre in the Square. Always well attended, with craft stalls, carol singing, youth dance and music. This year was no different. There were plenty of visitors who braved the little drizzle. They enjoyed the hot mince pies, courtesy of Lightwater Co-op, and mulled wine from the Lightwater Business Association’s tombola stall. A packed Randalls Coffee and Wine Bar was the place to gather hot refreshments of coffee, hot chocolate, or tea.

The performances of the local school choir, and small brass band were enjoyed by the visitors, and were rewarded with sweets from Father Christmas. For those visitors needing something more substantial than a mince pie, rice, curry, and samosas were available from Rano’s stall.

Surrey Heath Mayor, Cllr Dan Adams, opened the fayre, with All Saints’ Church choir and others concluding the fayre with carol singing. Another successful Fayre for Lightwater, despite the drizzle in the early morning.

Coming soon, curry and Punjabi platter nights at Randalls

Chatting with the hosts of Randalls Coffee and Wine Bar, at Lightwater’s Christmas Lights Switch-On, we learned from them about an upcoming exciting Saturday night feature.

In the New Year, Randalls will host a monthly curry and Punjabi platter evening. The food is prepared by mum Rano and her team at her home in Lightwater – real freshly prepared dishes of home-made curry and Punjabi cuisine.

We’ll be customers, and may see you there in the New Year. Click on images to expand.