Gordon Road

H I N C H L E Y   W O O D
E								C
S								H
H								E
E								S
R								S
								N
O X S H O T T

March 2025

GREAT TEAMWORK BRINGS NEW LIFE TO CORNER SITE

The residents of Gordon Road woke up two years ago this month to the sound of a chain saw and were dismayed to see the beautiful 120-year-old Red Oak tree, on the triangle of land at the junction of Gordon Road and Albany Crescent, being taken down because it was found to be diseased.

It left a large stump surrounded by old tarmac, blighting the entrance to the road. Surrey County Council said the stump would normally be left to rot away and the pavement repaired around it, but the residents of Gordon Road saw an opportunity – to make a garden.

With the enthusiastic support of everyone involved, Surrey Highways Department was asked if a new tree could be planted within a community garden, paid for by the residents, and a “garden committee” was set up. Mark Sugden, Claygate’s County Councillor, a keen gardener himself, took up the case and, with some lobbying and the commitment of funds at his disposal, Surrey Highways was persuaded to remove the stump and the old Tarmac, re-lay the pavement, including edging stones to define a triangular bed, and plant a new tree. With advice from Vanessa Relleen, one of Claygate's tree wardens and a trustee of Claygate Village Association, a maple was chosen.

Five months later, the stump had been removed, the new tree planted in a prepared tree pit, and the area repaved, with edging. But the massive oak roots remained in the ground making further planting impossible and the project came to a halt. After six more months of debate, Surrey agreed to remove the roots, too.

The soil, having been under tarmac for generations, was impoverished and full of crushed stones and it took a huge amount of digging and sifting, and the addition of one tonne each of topsoil and soil improver, plus compost and fertiliser, to make it plantable by summer last year. Even then, nothing was simple: the corner was owned by Surrey Highways and a “licence to cultivate” was required, at a cost of £88 and a requirement that the licensee provide public liability insurance of £5m, totally beyond residents' resources. But Claygate Village Association came to the rescue by volunteering to be the licensee: it already had liability cover for its various activities.

To avoid missing the bulb planting season, a work party of children from Rowan Preparatory School enthusiastically planted a sackful of daffodils and snowdrops in October, but time was now running short to buy other plants and get them in the ground before the cold weather. Rachel Jones, a local garden designer, contacted her wholesaler and, just days before torrential rain and a cold snap, residents dug in the plants.

It took 18 months and a lot of perseverance and is a great example of a community pulling together: Councillor Sugden navigated Surrey bureaucracy and the preparatory work, as well as providing finance; Gordon Road residents chipped in most of the cost, with additional sponsorship from Rowan School; and the CVA provided public liability cover.

The garden committee thanks Surrey County Council for its co-operation, and all those who made it possible. The garden will be maintained by the garden committee with the assistance of other residents.

The committee comprised Ken Kilmister (Chairman of Claygate Gardening Society), Jenny Gray, Colleen Rose, Hilary Goodban, Kathryn Adams (with generous digging and planting help from Mark and Anne Good, Roger Hargreaves, Roman Shapiro, Thiery Limouzin and Tim Lovett (non-resident!).

source: Claygate Courier, March 2025 issue, page 14

2024 Planning Applications

№ 4A

ADDRESS: 4A Gordon Road APPLICATION NUMBER: 2024/1636 PROPOSAL: Part two/part single storey side/rear extension, conversion of garage into living space, solar panels, rooflights and alterations to fenestration. CPC VERDICT: No Objections. No Comments. EBC VERDICT: Grant Planning Permission. 3 x standard conditions. 1 x Obscure Glazing

VIEW DETAILS

№ 16

ADDRESS: 16 Gordon Road APPLICATION NUMBER: 2024/1931 PROPOSAL: Hip-to-gable roof extensions incorporating front, side and rear roof windows to provide rooms in the roof space. CPC VERDICT: No Objections. No Comments. EBC VERDICT: Grant Lawful Development Cert - Proposed

VIEW DETAILS

Historical Notes

The Foley Estate

The arrival of the railway stimulated the development of housing in Claygate. One of the village's largest landowners, the Hon Fitzalan Charles John Foley, later the 6th Baron Foley, parcelled up for sale in 1885 the area which is largely encompassed by Church Road, Vale Road, Hare Lane and the railway. This area was divided up into 258 plots. Many of the plots had 25 foot frontages and cost £50, as it was expected that the main development would comprise small suburban villas. In fact only a limited number of these smaller properties were built, mainly along Vale Road and the northern end of Gordon Road, as many purchasers bought two or more adjoining plots on which they built one large house.

The development plan was also altered in a number of other respects:

• Abrook (not Arbrook) Lane which was an old lane to Arbrook Farm was not developed.
• Fitzalan Road was confined between Beaconsfield and Foley Roads and not extended to Church Road.
• Plans to build St. Johns Road on the east side of the railway, Charlotte Road, St. George's Road and St. James's Road on the west side, were not executed.
• The proposed level crossing halfway along Gordon Road did not materialise, but a bridge over the railway off Claremont Road (the proposed name was Charles Road) was constructed.

It would seem that Fitzalan Foley misjudged his market who in the main built large Victorian houses, most of which still remain to this day although there have been several casualties along the way. Perhaps it is not surprising that the size and quality of houses that were built were rather better than originally envisaged.

• Firstly, there was the attraction and influence of nearby Claremont.
• Secondly, the terms of sale tended indirectly to encourage such development:
  • For example, no private dwelling houses could be erected on plots 1 to 19, 40 to 46, 71 to 146 and 161 to 209 inclusive of less value than £300 for a single house or £500 for a pair of houses.
  • For plots 20 to 39, 47 to 51,56 to 70, 147 to 160 and 210 to 258 the minimum values were £500 to £800 respectively, and for plots 52 to 55 £300 for a house or shop.
  • The excavation of clay and other soil was prohibited except for the purpose of erecting the building, as also were the manufacture of bricks and other industrial activities.

Thus although the original development plan was not realised in its entirety, nevertheless by 1914 the basic pattern of housing envisaged by Fitzalan Foley was established along much of Gordon Road and Beaconsfield Road, and also along part of Foley Road and Claremont Road. The houses on Foley Road near the junction with Coverts Road that back onto the recreation ground were originally built to accommodate some of the living-out domestic staff of Ruxley Lodge when it was owned by the Foley family.

Newlands College

Newlands College, a preparatory school for boys and girls with a kindergarten section, was founded by Mr and Mrs Albert Hill at Weston Green in 1927. The college moved to 'Elmside', Gordon Road, in 1938. Leo Constantinides, who joined the school in 1928, took over as headmaster from Mrs Hill in 1952 and continued in that capacity until the lease expired in 1973 when he retired and the school was closed. Elmside was subsequently demolished and a pair of maisonettes built on the site.

Rowan Preparatory School

Rowan Preparatory School for girls was founded by Miss Katherine Millar in 1936 with seven pupils at Rowan Brae in Gordon Road. It has grown significantly since those days and presently comprises the Lower and Middle Schools of Rowan Brae, and the nearby Upper School of Rowan Hill at Fitzalan Road which opened in 1944. The school caters for girls from 3 to 12, with the object of preparing the older girls for Common Entrance and scholarships to public schools, also for boys from 3 to 5 years of age. It was then owned by the Rowan Preparatory School Trust Limited.

Further Information

• Gordon Road in previous years