Runnymede District

Within the Borough of Runnymede, there are many historical areas including parts of Windsor Great Park and the region alongside the Thames where the Magna Carta was signed.  When looking at Runnymede on a map, it looks largely green with seemingly small, scattered residential areas.  However, many of these green regions are under increasing threat of development, along with other areas within the South East of England.  The north-east side of our Borough abuts Staines and of course, Heathrow Airport and so is affected by all the planned alterations to the terminals and runways.  We have two major motorways running through the Borough, the M25 and the M3, both of which are extremely busy and traffic volume is likely to increase as the airport gets larger.  The new AirTrack rail link from the airport is also set to spread through parts of Runnymede.

Many parts of Runnymede are under pressure for minerals extraction, particularly the area around Virginia Water and Egham.  This same area is also under threat of a waste transfer station and/or incinerator.  Other regions such as Addlestone and in particular, Rowtown, seem to be a major target for housing developers.  Rowtown is on a hill and just outside the SPA (Special Protection Area) for the major commons in this region, such as Chobham, Horsell and Wisely. Developers are targeting the larger Victorian homes for demolition in order to build smaller properties or blocks of flats.  Many of our areas are losing their identity as well gardens for wildlife, in order to fuel the housing boom.

Other areas of our Borough – in particular Chertsey – are affected by flood plain.  Much of Chertsey has been ‘revitalised’ with new homes being built which should be capable of withstanding flood water, should the rivers (in particular the Thames and Bourne) rise in the future.

Much of our Borough is worth preserving. The green areas are mainly farmland, which offers habitat for wildlife.  The Meads at Chertsey is a large area of meadow land with the Thames on one side and the River Bourne on the other.  There are many species of birds found on the Meads, in particular the Skylark.  St Anne’s Hill at Lyne is another beautiful region where visitors can stand at the top and look towards Wembley Stadium, or watch the aeroplanes taking off and landing at the airport.  Chobham Common is a large area, part of which is within Runnymede and offers recreational space to residents.  The historical areas, such as Windsor and Virginia water, attract visitors to our Borough.  Most of these areas are already protected but the smaller areas of natural green space, such as parks and open areas also need protection.  These small green regions mean local people do not have to travel to make use of recreational areas and are just as important as the larger, protected areas known for their history.

Our Borough offers a wide variety of homes from small flats to large mansions but the green spaces in-between mean that all of us, are able to access local recreation areas and see nature in all its splendour.  We can watch the seasons change in woodland areas, see new born animals in the Spring, hear a wonderful variety of birdsong, observe a large variety of birds from skylarks to kingfisher.  Also if we are very lucky, we can see moles and weasels, rabbits and deer all within our local open spaces.  We have an abundant history with Royal Connections in areas such as Windsor, Virginia Water and Chertsey, where there is an old Monastery and a museum, which gives visitors an insight into the history of the region. Every part of our Borough is worth preserving, not only for our wellbeing and recreational needs but also for the wildlife which share this area and make it an area worth living in and preserving.