For the last two years a small group of local business people has been in dialogue with Tandridge District Council ('TDC') to try and find a resolution to the problem of Caterham's notorious 'eyesore', the old Rose & Young building in Croydon Road. The group encouraged developers to come forward following assurances from TDC that they would pursue a Compulsory Purchase Order if necessary to secure the site for new developers. Building contractors, GB Development Solutions ('GBDS') came forward at the beginning of the year stating they had a scheme they wanted to progress for the site, comprising a four-storey block of flats. However, the Rose & Young group have learned that a planning application has still not been submitted to TDC by GBDS.

Following our lead article last month about the hundreds of new dwellings planned for Caterham, local property developer, Nigel Greenhalgh of Village Developments, wrote a letter to The Caterham and District Independent. Mr Greenhalgh says in the letter that he agrees wholeheartedly that Caterham has been given the lion's share of development, whilst Oxted gets away with contributing very little, and no releases of Green Belt.

Mr Greenhalgh owns Green Belt land in Oxted, similar to the land in Whyteleafe Road, Caterham, that used to be Green Belt but is now earmarked for development.

With regard to the Rose & Young site, Mr Greenhalgh outlines a proposal that could resolve the problem, saying: "We of course have a vested interest, but there is no doubt that our site in Oxted is the most highly sustainable site in the district. However, despite offering considerable incentives, including providing funds to buy the Rose & Young site for a car park, funds to decommission the gas holder in Oxted, provide a car park in Oxted for commuters including contributions towards education, libraries etc., the idea of development is resolutely dismissed by Mr Evans (Head of Planning at TDC), and the Oxted councillors. We also proposed to provide the land free of charge to the Council and they hold it as leaseholders, such that we could provide market housing for sale to young people at 30% less than the prevailing market."

Mr Greenhalgh went on to provide some worrying statistics.

• Tandridge propose to build in the next 15 years no more than 1,500 houses.

• The amount of affordable housing provided in 2006/7 was 256 (mainly coming out of sites released in the Green Belt e.g. Kenley Aerodrome in Caterham).

• The amount of affordable housing calculated to be required in the Housing Needs Survey produced by the council is 449 per year.

• The number of households on the council's waiting list - 1661. At eight units per year, most of them wil be dead before they will get a home!

Mr Greenhalgh concluded: "To meet the needs of the community in Tandridge, the percentage of Green Belt would have to drop by just 1.5%. The phobia surrounding the Green Belt has unfortunately been used as a political football instead of a grown-up debate. It cannot be right that young people and families are forced to move out of the area, taking cheaper homes in other areas, or being forced to commute long distances." Chris Windridge, Chairman of ABC (A Better Caterham) said: "With the local elections coming up, Caterham residents need to urge their councillors to address this situation more robustly. Residents should be urging the council to consider releasing land from Green Belt in order to take the pressure off Caterham for housing and get the Rose & Young site developed at the same time."