Emerging from the dark - new life for Heather Farm

On Wednesday evening I visited the site of the old mushroom farm at Heather Farm on the Chobham Road. Horsell Common Preservation Society, owners of the land, have drawn up plans for a wetland area, dog walking and an alternative access to the countryside.

The site has a chequered history. There was a mushroom farm in operation until around 2006 when the main supermarkets moved their business to overseas suppliers. Much debate over the future of the site followed. Woking Council proposed an energy from waste plant for the site. This facility was planned to use pyrolysis and in-vessel composting to give, potentially, a more environmentally friendly way of disposing of non-recyclable waste than traditional incinerators.

The energy plant proposal was not popular with either residents in the immediate vicinity or the wider Woking population. Eventually the plans were dropped. But Woking’s plans led to interest from Surrey County Council who added the site to their Waste Plan. Heather Farm was designated a site for an energy from waste site. In parallel the owners of the land sought to achieve planning permission for light industrial use or storage on the site.

Fast forward to 2009 and McClaren sought further building on their site to house the building of a new road car. HCPS had a covenant over the site. Agreement was reached that Heather Farm be bought by McClaren for HCPS in order that the land be returned to nature. In return McClaren were able to go ahead with their new facility.

I was amazed at the area of the site. Last time I was there, a little after the mushroom farm closed, the site was covered in concrete. There was a concrete surface over much of the site and many concrete buildings. All of this is now cleared, bar the main administration building which will be kept.

HCPS hopes to set up a wetland area, taking advantage of the natural features of the site, a dog walking area and the site will fulfil the role of Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG), drawing visitors away from sites with protected species to less sensitive locations. The remaining building will be used for wildlife or nature charitable organisations, with some space for HCPS. It is also hoped to create a visitor centre where young people can learn about the natural environment.

HCPS have made much progress in the last year. It is fantastic to see this site slowly returning to nature. A planning application setting out the future of the site is anticipated in the summer.