The Soldiers Sailors & Airford Association (SSAFA) are buying a house close to Headley Court so that the relatives of the wounded and injured servicemen and women being treated there will have somewhere to stay, making it easier to visit and support them through their recovery. Unfortunately, around 100 local residents have submitted strong objections :(.   

The Daily Mail says :-

"The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association, which has applied to the local council to to make some alterations at the property, including installing a wheelchair ramp, had been hoping for no objections.

After all, Headley Court had been part of the area for more than 60 years.

But residents apparently do mind. They have flooded the council with almost 100 letters of protest, raising every conceivable objection to the new property being used to house families visiting soldiers.

They claimed 'additional noise' and 'huge amount of additional traffic' would ruin the peace of the private lane and warned that the value of their multi-million-pound properties would plummet.

The families 'would not be welcome', they said, and their arrival could 'destroy the character' of the area.

One resident even objected on security grounds, claiming the house could become a terrorist target, while another suggested wheelchairs would present a fire hazard.

Planners at Mole Valley District Council will consider the case on August 1 but last night serving soldiers made their views clear.

One Army officer recently returned from Iraq told the Mail: "They make me sick. It's just staggeringly selfish.

"Perhaps these people would care to come out to the field hospital in Basra and tell some young soldier having his leg amputated after a [bomb] attack exactly why his family isn't worthy to rub shoulders with this bunch in their Surrey village.

"Who do they think they are? Do they have the slightest clue about the sacrifices-young soldiers make on their behalf every day? Shame on them."

SSAFA spokesman Athol Hendry said: "These people should be ashamed of themselves. This level of hostility is incredibly disappointing and frankly astonishing.

"If you've just got back from risking your life in Iraq , you've lost two legs and you learn your young family are not welcome near the hospital where you're being treated - what kind of a message is that?"

When the Mail tried to speak to residents, none would be quoted"


I've received this from my niece, who has served in Iraq, - and she says "Having seen first hand what our boys and girls and doing in Iraq (and knowing what they are doing in Afghan), I can only be mystified by the selfish attitude of those that live in the area surrounding Headley Court. To deny those that have sacrificed serving this country the opportunity to recover with the knowledge their family are somewhere close by, and at hand, is really rather selfish at best and heartless at worst. I don't profess to understand the reasons behind why these people are opposing the family quarters but I can't fathom a suitable excuse."

Please take some time to read and sign the petition supporting Hadley Court - which is at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Headley/ - it really will only take a few minutes.

Margot

Duly signed. What selfish, inconsiderate people.

Incredible :(

Signed.  I can't believe some people and their attitudes :(

Debs

Signed here also

And me

Nothing's changed since Kipling wrote Tommy. So much for civilisation and progress. :(

I signed to and emailed it to family and friends, i cant believe how selfish people are.

Having a husband who is shortly going to Afghanistan, this is a subject close to my heart.  It is just unthinkable in this day and age that these people are so short-minded.  I just cannot comprehend their way of thinking. 

Petition duly signed.

Well I hope it doesn't work out and they get council residents instead (sorry just being sarcastic there for a moment)!!!!  The bunch of hypocrits.

I will definitely sign and got everything crossed that they get this place

Signed :(  How incredibly sad that a petition such as this is even needed. :(

Total bigots!! Signed.

Linda

Duly signed.

There is a word to describe these people it starts with w & ends in r :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Have signed

Selfish is the only word I think how would they like it if it was theyre family? Different story all together.

Signed! :)

HOW DISGRACEFUL, Sorry for the shout, duly signed by all family members, OH ex soldier.

Signed.

Signed...........They should be ashamed of themselves, Soldiers good enough to lose their lives saving our country but not to live next door too, disgusting!

Signed as well.

Val

Oh yes, loving families of wounded soldiers are a real socially unacceptable lot - argh! :-( signed

Empty Vessels make the most noise.

Signed.
(Thank-you Margot)

Signed too.

Being part of a 'social housing' development in a village
that wasn't wanted by some nimby's as we are at the end of
some posh houses gardens, I know how they feel.

IGNORANT that's what these people are!

Signed too :)

Pssssssst!..... whats a NIMBY??

Not In My Back Yard !!!!

Signed, The SAFFA sisters were great when I had my first born out in Germany...they do a wonderfull job and these boys need all the support they can get.

Signed

Nasty inconsiderate people

Duly signed.   I could see the point of the "residents" if it was somewhere for "junkies" to stay.   Its lads serving their country, those residents should be utterly ashamed of themselves.

Signed...and circulated
Charm

Signed. :-(

Signed & passed on

Sharon

Signed here too.  Nothing as queer as folk eh?

Signed. Some people are sickening. :(

Signed.

I hope the local residents who have caused this petition to be necessary are suitably ashamed of themselves :(

signed by me too

Signed - and passed on.

These kind of people really make me cross

The SSFA are a wonderful organisation.  They bought my father an electric scooter to enable him to get around as his health deteriorated.  Sadly he passed away last year, but being able to get around the village and talk to friends made all the difference to him. The lady who dealt with his case attended his funeral and kept in contact with my mum too.  They are a little known organisation and we should support them all we can.

Signed, what are some people like? Disgusting!

This matter was bought up on Sky breakfast news this morning so hopefully it will get the publicity it deserves now.

Val

There was a piece in the Telegraph this morning - haven't looked on line for any links. The planners have recommended refusal on this application and it is supposed to be heard tomorrow.  The house is 6 bedroom and hasn't been bought yet.  I did a search and found a property for sale for well over a million. I wonder if that is the one.  Surely 6 bedrooms isn't going to house many families?  The article stated that there has been a new 30 bed ward opened at this facility - there must be families travelling from all over the country to visit.  I think that we will be seeing more in the press over the next few days.

Headley Court, with all its facilities is already operational (and has been for many, many years).   The application is to buy a 6 bedroomed house in which the families of the members of the armed forces who are already patients at Headley Court can stay whilst visiting their  injured relative.

Margot

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/31/narmy131.xml

found it

This has now been taken right to the heart of the Surrey hinterland ......it is being publicised on Radio 4 Today programme as I type!

I hope the protesters are curling up inside with embarrassment!

Margot

Update

The local planners have had their meeting. None of the objectors chose to attend the meeting to voice their concerns :rolleyes:, and the application was passed unanimously. :) :) :)

Result.

I'm chuffed to bits, especially being an army wife, though god forbid that I ever need to use it!!

Just saw it on the news :) It was also on the Jeremy Vine programme on Radio 2 at lunchtime.

A victory for common sense and compassion :)

Daisy

Excellent news :D

Fantastic news :D