Woodcote (Epsom) Residents Society

Demolition of Farm now speeding up. The first grain silo has been destroyed – but our whitethroats, stonechats and owl are hanging in there for now.

West Street is to be closed on Thursday 30 May 2024 for new signage to be put in place. Make sure you check your travel plans to avoid getting caught up in the delays.

You have until 18 June 2024 to submit a bid for funding for a local community infrastructure project.

More details and the application form can be found here together with details of how projects are selected.

Epsom’s beacon will be lit as part of the national chain to commemorate the 8Oth Anniversary of the D-Day landings.

7pm for entertainment and refreshments

9pm for Ceremony and Beacon lighting.

You can read about the national event at www.d-day80beacons.co.uk

The Regional Director of Network Rail has confirmed that replacement of the bridge was proceeding and would be completed before the end of the year. However there is a lot of piling and preparatory work to be done on the site and he has committed to consult residents about the impact of this shortly

We will be working to ensure the Common is reinstated properly and without delay as soon as the compound area is no longer required for the bridge works.

Epsom Downs Consultative Committee – 25th March

At the meeting on the 25^th March two issues dominated the agenda: the question Langley Vale residents had asked us to raise on the overgrown vegetation encroaching on your gardens, and the maintenance of the Downs more generally and the condition of the new notice boards.

Maintenance of the Downs

We understand that the vegetation encroaching into your back gardens from the Downs was cut back within days of our informing the Streetcare Manager following our July Open Meeting at Langley Vale Village Hal. To help with and improve the grass cutting going forward the Council is in the process of purchasing its own flail cutter.  This issue is now on the Streetcare Manager’s radar but if there is an issue this year you just need to let us know on info@woodcoteepsomresidentssociety.org  or make contact any of our Councillors/Committee Members and we will get in touch with the Streetcare Manager again.

Issues with the Listed Wall and the state of the trees in Warren Wood at the back of properties on the upper part of Beaconsfield Road were raised and it was agreed to investigate.

Information Boards

On the information boards we are looking for volunteers to help us rub down and varnish the boards ahead of final versions of the content being mounted. We noted that the current content was temporary while final content is being agreed with the EU funders and completed.

It would be fantastic if some of you would be willing to help with this specific task. If you can help, please get in touch on info@woodcoteepsomresidentssociety.org  and we will let you have further information. 

There is also an ongoing review of the existing signage to ensure there isn’t too much of it and what there is isn’t contradictory.

Volunteering

The Council is eager to welcome more volunteers to help with implementing the 2023-2028 Downs Habitat Management Plan which you can find here. It was stressed that the plan is quite prescriptive to balance biodiversity with the racing industry but that it is a live document and can change if issues are raised that need to be addressed.  Current issues being actioned were Ash Dieback; the planting of new trees; and improving the grassland management including looking at the feasibility of re-introducing sheep grazing on Juniper Hill.

Again if you would be willing to volunteer on the Downs please contact us on info@woodcoteepsomresidentssociety.org  or make contact any of our Councillors/Committee Members.