Link Project Update

The team continues to make progress on two fronts:

Preparing the Planning Application - a Bat Survey and Archaeological ‘desktop review’ have been completed with work underway on the various plans and documents for submission in April. We hope for a response from Waverley Planning in June. A successful application is a prerequisite for our grant applications.

Preparing our application to YourFundSurrey for upwards of £1m. All readers should have seen the flier (if not, they are available in both churches) asking for an indication of support for our application. With responses well into three figures we will, by the time you read this, have submitted our initial application to YourFundSurrey.

We met with Waverley Council officers on 14th March to understand the process for applying for funding from the Community Infrastructure Levy. The new developments in and around Haslemere will further increase the need for community space and the services provided by Crossways and Citizens Advice.

We continue to engage with the community, most recently at the Annual Town Meeting on the 9th March when we received overwhelming support and encouragement from councillors and attendees (“keep going, this has to happen”) and at the Great Green Get Together at Hasleworks on 18th March - we will be doing everything possible to make the building Green (and WARM for those have found it a bit chilly recently!).

As each day goes by the case for creating additional affordable community space grows, with evidence emerging that council-owned space is being let on increasingly commercial terms. Our charges will reflect the type of user, with charities being charged different rates from commercial activities. More information, Q+A and updates can be found on the parish website www.haslemereparish.org/link

So the team is busy moving the project forward - please keep us and the project in your prayers and don’t hesitate to ask us any questions or indeed how you can help us transform the Link.

Andrew, Cathy, Debbie, Gareth and Stephen