There has been some concern about the notice posted by Surrey County Council at the Glebe Field, regarding The Diocese of Southwark’s Landowner Deposit. Please note this is not related to a planning application and has been issued as one of six landowner deposits for land owned by the Diocese in Surrey.

Issuing a “Deposit” or “Statement” is a systematic practice carried out by many large landowners from time to time to prevent the future registration of Village Greens or claim additional rights of way across their land. Interested parties have one year from the publication to apply to register a village green.

This particular “Deposit” includes six pieces of land owned by the Diocese in Surrey.

Please find below the various documents that accompanied this Land Deposit.

You can find out more about Land Deposits on the Open Spaces Society website, HERE.

It is important to note:

• The Glebe Meadow (recreational space with the football pitch by Panda/Limpsfield Fitness) and Glebe Field (the field behind Detillens Lane) are privately owned pieces of land. They are owned by the Diocese of Southwark and are not Commons land.
• They are also not in the Green Belt.
• In order to give them some protection against development, Limpsfield Parish Council went though the legal process to designate The Glebe Meadow and Glebe Field as Local Green Spaces (in 2019). As Local Green Spaces, they are afforded the same protection as Green Belt. Any planning application would therefore need to demonstrate exceptional circumstances.
• Designation of a Local Green Space can only be made during the Neighbourhood Plan or Local Plan process and does not expire. It can be un-designated in a review or renewal process of a Neighbourhood Plan or Local Plan.
• There is a Public Footpath running through The Glebe Field and Brook Field from Detillens Lane to Granville Road. The path from The Glebe Meadow to the footpath is a permissive path, but it is not a Right of Way.
• Limpsfield Village already has an official Village Green – it is the green in the middle of Stanhopes.

Any representations or requests for further information can be made via the Countryside Access Team – between 10am and 4pm by appointment, tel: 0300 200 1003 or email: rightsofway@surreycc.gov.uk.