Closure of Village Green Appeal

Sadly the Diocese’s Estate Office has contacted Chilworth2gether and St Martha Parish Council to advise that our cash offer to buy a portion of the Field behind the C of E Infant School has been rejected.

The Guildford Diocesan Council has decided that the current value of the field must reflect the price it paid for it. At the time it was purchased, the Field had erroneously been included in Guildford Borough Council’s Draft Local Plan, and therefore attracted rival bids that drove the price up to astronomic levels.

It is with great regret that we have come to the conclusion that, at a valuation approaching £50,000 per acre, the Field is beyond our means, and we have written to Guildford Diocese’ Estate Office to withdraw from negotiations.

As a Community it is very disappointing that we have been unable to acquire this beautiful open space for Chilworth’s use, but we must remind ourselves that we have done our best. The primary goal, to save the field from immediate housing development, has been achieved and the community has come together to support this Appeal.

St Martha Parish Councillors have met with Chilworth2gether to agree the return of monies, currently held by St Martha in a dedicated account.

Chilworth2gether will be consulting through the website and elsewhere which projects we should support instead, both with the monies it raised for the village Green project, now being returned, but also with the money kind donors have transferred to Chilworth2gether for use for other Chilworth projects.