Statement from Frimley Fuel Allotments Trustees

Statement from Trustees

Frimley Fuel Allotments welcomes today’s announcement by Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust identifying part of our landholding at Pine Ridge as its proposed location for a new Frimley Park Hospital. 

As trustees of a local charity, we have a legal responsibility to ensure that the assets entrusted to us are managed in a way that delivers the greatest possible long-term benefit to our charity objectives and thus the community and purposes we serve. The opportunity to support the delivery of a modern replacement hospital for local people, benefiting future generations, is one that we believe deserves serious consideration. 

The need for a new Frimley Park Hospital is well understood. Local people rely upon these services every day and access to modern, high-quality healthcare is fundamental to the wellbeing of the local and wider community. Helping to facilitate that objective is entirely consistent with our charitable purpose and our longstanding commitment to serving local residents. 

All net proceeds received by the Charity from a future sale of land would remain within the Charity.  These shall be used entirely to enable much needed extra funding for our vital local charities and community groups as well as greater support for local residents experiencing need, hardship and distress in accordance with the Charity’s constitution.  We know that many local charities are very worried about their long-term future in uncertain times and local demand for our funding already exceeds what our Charity income is currently able to provide.   

We are pleased to be working constructively with Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust as it undertakes further technical assessments and engages with patients, residents and stakeholders on its proposals. We would also like to recognise the positive and constructive approach taken by Crown Golf, which has been a valued tenant of the Charity for many years. Pine Ridge Golf Club will continue to operate as normal while the Trust undertakes its engagement programme and further technical work. 

The Trust’s initial proposal would relate to around 20% of our wider landholding and today’s announcement marks the beginning of a process of engagement. There will be extensive opportunities for local people to understand the proposals, ask questions and help shape the future of the site. 

Alongside the provision of a new hospital, we believe there is an opportunity to create wider and lasting benefits for the community. Importantly, no areas of protected woodland, including the SANGs, currently open to the public would be affected by the hospital proposal. We also see significant opportunities to enhance the woodland areas, improve biodiversity, strengthen environmental stewardship and create improved walking and cycling connections for local residents. 

We recognise how strongly local people feel about this area and share their desire to see its unique character protected and enhanced. We are committed to ensuring that environmental stewardship, community benefit and long-term sustainability remain at the heart of future plans. 

Should the proposals ultimately proceed, they would not only help secure first-class healthcare facilities for future generations but also create a lasting legacy of community benefit through the Charity’s continued support for local charities and local people. 

We look forward to participating in the engagement process and working with local communities, public bodies and other stakeholders to help realise a positive vision for the future. 

The Trustees 

Frimley Fuel Allotments