Summary of Public Meeting held 20th March 2026
Well over 100 people packed into Elstead Village Hall during the evening of Friday 20th March to attend a public meeting entitled ‘the future of healthcare provision in Elstead’. Organised by Elstead Parish Council (EPC), the meeting was led by Cllr Jane Jacobs (EPC Chair) supported by Cllrs Pat Murphy and Andy Goundry, Cllr Gemma Long (WBC Ward Cllr), Dr Sarah Hargrave (partner at Springfield Surgery), Sue Gowar (Chair of Springfield Surgery Patient Participation Group) and Guil Strathalmond (Stakeholder). EPC Cllrs Andy Hampshire and Richard Muir were also in attendance. Cllr Jacobs welcomed all to the meeting and explained that “we are here to discuss the Future Provision of Healthcare IN Elstead and not just the future provision of Healthcare FOR Elstead.” Cllr Jacobs added that following a recent public exhibition held by a developer, Elstead Parish Council was aware that there might be some misunderstandings and wanted to bring residents up to speed with the current status of ‘the project’. Cllr Jacobs explained that the Sunray Farm Site was one of three approved development sites in the Elstead & Weyburn Neighbourhood Plan which was adopted in June 2024. Within its development area, Sunray Farm has an allocation of 0.25 hectare of non-residential space. The original plan for the non-residential space was the creation of a co-working hub however, the change in work practices following covid, along with the need to provide a larger surgery to accommodate current and future registered patients, meant that Elstead Parish Council was keen to champion a new doctors surgery on this location instead. Dr Hargrave explained the practice’s current situation noting that “a new building would bring enormous benefits to patients and to the wider community…. it would also give the staff and clinicians the room they need to work effectively, to support you all the best way they can ….. it would create a setting that is fit for modern general practice, now and in the future.” Cllr Jacobs confirmed that Elstead Parish Council has met regularly with key stakeholders including the NHS, WBC, Springfield Surgery Partners, Springfield practice owners and Springfield patient participation group to progress the development of a new Doctor’s Surgery in Elstead. Based on the projected population growth and expected future development, neither Waverley Borough Council, nor the NHS are in a position to fund the capital cost of a new Doctor’s Surgery namely because their funding rules can only take into account future growth and cannot correct a pre-existing problem. One of the other reasons that the NHS is unable to fund a new Doctor’s Surgery in Elstead is that there is a proposal to build a new Medical Centre in Milford and the NHS is already involved in this project. On this point, Cllr Jacobs highlighted the lack of direct public transport link between Elstead and Milford meaning that residents without access to a car will have difficulty in accessing GP services there further emphasizing “the need for the provision of medical facilities IN Elstead and not…
