We have been living next to the Lye for ten years, and enjoy the
village enormously. There is a great community spirit and nearly
every one that you meet is friendly and caring.

When we first moved here, in 1996, there was a cricket pavilion, and
the Lye was often used for matches at weekends and in summer
evenings.

Since we have been here, we have seen the removal of the pavilion,
the resurfacing and renovation of the car park, and the
refurbishment of the playground. All of which have made small
differences to village life, but none of which has had a major
impact.

The biggest impact that we have seen, and I would welcome the views
of others, is that there has been an increase in anti-social use of
the Lye. It seems to me that the young people who have nowhere else
to go, who frequent the playground, car park and surrounding paths
of the Lye are showing ever less respect for their environment,
neighbours and even the police.

So often, in the mornings, we see not only broken glass on the
playground, but branches of trees maliciously damaged, and a general
littering, despite the presence of many litter bins (which
admittedly are often full to overflowing).

What I find even more frustrating, is that the anti-social behaviour
is no longer limited to the night-time. More and more young people
are gathering during the daytime, often intimidating others.

Any proposed developments of the Lye should consider very carefully
the impact on the village, and should endeavour to keep the area a
place of peace, quiet and tranquility. I fear that the council plans
to turn St Johns into a centre for sports and leisure activity,
which will exclude those who wish to use the area as a haven for
rest and relaxation, a chance to reflect on the natural beauty of
the Surrey countryside.

What do others think?