UPDATE 24 May 2017 – WA/2017/2160 REFUSED Berkeley Homes approval of reserved matters for Phase 1 of the site for the erection of 55 dwellings following the Outline Approval for the erection of up to 425 dwellings, a community facility and informal open space (WA/2016/1625) (as amended by plans and documents received 06/02/2017 and 08/02/2017 and letter received 17/02/2017).
UPDATE 10 November 2016 – Berkeley Homes submit Phase 1 development application Ref WA/2016/2160
UPDATE 22 August 2016 – Berkeley Homes apply to vary conditions on their planning application. This is under a new application number – Berkeley Homes application to vary planning conditions WA/2016/1625
UPDATE – Appeal Upheld, permission granted 31 March 2016
UPDATE – Appeal Decision due by 8 April 2016
UPDATE: Appeal starts at Waverley Borough Council Offices 2 February 2016 at 10am for FOUR DAYS. Public Welcome. You do not need to attend every session. Please come if you can.
The Cranleigh Society has submitted evidence to the Appeal and this has been accepted by the Inspector who has now agreed to look at the flood risk on the site and the potential misapplication of what is called the Sequential Test, this refers to the way sites are rated in terms of flood risk. The appeal documents are now available on the Waverley Borough Council website
You need to click on the Plans and Documents button. Occasionally you may get an error warning after clicking on this button, however we have found if you use your Back arrow button in your browser and then click on the same button again the list of documents usually loads.
We hope to see you at the Appeal.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2015 Berkeley Homes Appeal has now been registered with the Planning Inspectorate please submit your objections directly to them:
PLEASE NOTE DEADLINE DATE FOR COMMENTS 28th SEPTEMBER 2015
Waverley has now formally notified residents (that previously commented on the application) of the Berkeley Homes Appeal to build 425 houses on Land immediately South of the High Street Between Alfold Road and Knowle Lane Cranleigh. The appeal starting date is 17th AUGUST 2015.
You can now make further comments and submit a new objection if you haven’t written before.
You should write direct (please send 3 copies if possible) to:
Planning Inspectorate, Room 3/26, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6PN
by 28th September 2015 – quoting the Appeal reference number which is:
Planning Inspectorate Reference: APP/R3650/W/15/3129019
Application Reference: WA/2014/0912
Appellant’s name: Berkeley Strategic Land Limited
UPDATE JULY 2015 Berkeley Homes has appealed Waverley’s decision to refuse planning permission. Email or write to your MP Anne Milton and Say “Cranleigh says NO to Berkeley Homes”.
Always include your FULL NAME AND ADDRESS in your email or letter.
Anne Milton MP anne.milton.mp@parliament.uk
Constituency Address:
17a Home Farm, Loseley Park, Guildford, GU3 1HS
PLEASE COPY IN YOUR CRANLEIGH PARISH COUNCILLORS TOO
List of Cranleigh Parish Councillors:
Cranleigh East:
Stewart Stennett – stewart.stennett@waverley.gov.uk;
Jeanette Stennett – jeanette@stennetts.com ;
Rosemary Burbridge – roburbridge@aol.com ;
Gareth Emmett – gareth@cranleighscientific.co.uk ;
Howard Wagstaff – howardwagstaff@yahoo.co.uk
Cranleigh West:
Brian Ellis – brian.ellis@waverley.gov.uk ;
Patricia Ellis – patricia.ellis@waverley.gov.uk ;
David Gill – davidgill46@aol.com ;
Dominique McAll – domini.mcall@gmail.com
Cranleigh North:
Mary Foryszewski – mary.foryszewski@waverley.gov.uk
Elmbridge:
Robert Wilson – RAW@cranleigh.org
Cranleigh Rural:
Liz Townsend – liz.yourcranleigh@gmail.com
END OF UPDATE
Original Article:
Waverley Joint Planning Committee Meeting Webcast 5 Jan 2015 available here on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM0KP9x130M
After the last minute deferment in October, there was another surprising turnaround when the Secretary of State intervened in the Berkeley Homes planning application, following a request from Cranleigh Parish Councillor Ken Reed concerning flooding on The Maples site, reference WA/2014/0912. Eric Pickles directed the council NOT to grant permission on this site without his specific authorisation.
Cranleigh Society members have been working day and night for the past couple of weeks gathering robust evidence to protect Cranleigh from the inappropriate dumping of houses on our green fields – a point reiterated by the Chairman Brian Ellis towards the end of the Joint Planning Committee meeting on Monday.
The Cranleigh Community have said NO we will not bear the brunt of Waverley Borough Council’s housing target and failed Local Plan and we WILL be heard.
After a lengthy and lively debate, Members of the Waverley Joint Planning Committee proceeded by a huge majority of 15 to 5 (1 abstaining) to reject the application outright.
Thank you to our Parish Councillors Ken Reed, Mary Foryszewski, Stewart Stennett, Patricia Ellis and Brian Ellis for defending our community from this speculative application.
However this is not necessarily the end as Berkeleys may well appeal. We still need your support!
Join Us and fight for our village.
Further details of the Application can be found here.
Together We Can Make a Difference!
Dear Cranleigh Civic Society,
Thank you so much for all your hard work; and congratulations on your success at last Monday’s meeting, and particularly being prepared to use a judicial review, and seeking legal counsel. I think this pressure had an effect.
However it is still a sad fact that the planning department and five councillors were in favour of the application, and I wonder what would have happened if Anne Milton (revealed by Mary F.) and Eric Pickles had not at the last minute decided to intervene.
I would very much like to see Cranleigh Society join forces with Guildford Greenbelt Group in standing in local and national elections (perhaps as The Land Party). Once the land is gone, it is gone forever; and I feel the matter is too important to leave to our come-and-go politicians and governments.
Moreover, our political choice in Cranleigh is not good: the conservative-run council is responsible for this mess; the Liberals are far too pro-development at Dunsfold (which should be primarily a hi-tech employment site; the housing, if a large-scale housing site is really needed, should be put on Milford Golf Club and Hospital) The election will be very tight this year, probably leading to a hung parliament, then another early election. All the while a government’s majority is weak, they will not want to upset their constituents. This gives considerable power to pressure groups who are prepared to stand as political opposition; for these major national parties cannot afford to lose even 500 votes in many constituencies (i.e. you exert considerable influence by standing for election, not just by winning the election).
I understand that such a decision is a delicate one, for you would not want to alienate your current support from citizens or local councillors, but, on balance, I would be inclined to oppose councillors and MPs through forming a political party, and here in Cranleigh by combining with Guildford (it is all in Anne Milton’s constituency; and traffic on the A281 and opening of the railway are shared issues).
Whatever you choose, the very best of luck. And again, thank you for all your hard work.
Best regards,
David Harding
Thank you for your kind words of support.
We have discovered that it was our own Parish Councillor Ken Reed and not in fact Anne Milton who referred the application to Eric Pickles.
The Cranleigh Society as a civic society was set up on a non-political basis and we want to do all we can to protect Cranleigh from unsustainable and inappropriate development. We are having a public meeting, which we will be advertising soon on 19 February at 7pm in the Band Room, Village Way and we would love you to come to share your thoughts with us.