OUT NOW – WAVERLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL CONSULTATION ON THE PRE-SUBMISSION LOCAL PLAN PART 1: STRATEGIC POLICIES AND SITES
The Pre-Submission Local Plan Part 1: Strategic Policies and Sites setting out the planning strategy for Waverley up to 2032 was published on 19 August 2016.
This shocking plan proposes 1,520 new houses in Cranleigh with an additional 2,600 on Dunsfold Aerodrome, and a further 335 in surrounding villages.
That’s a total of 4,455 houses in and around Cranleigh.
Please make sure that you add any comments you have about this plan before 5.00pm on Monday 3 October 2016.
After the October deadline, Waverley Borough Council wants to submit the Local Plan Part 1: Strategic Policies and Sites and associated documents to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government later this year, for examination, any comments you submit will be included.
REMEMBER NO COMMENT MEANS SILENT CONSENT
We believe the Local Plan is fatally flawed.
We do not think that dumping 45% of the total housing allocation in Cranleigh, where there is no identified need for this level of housing is sound.
We do not think that the transport assessment has looked at the impact this will have on our local roads, or taken into account safety for road users.
We do not think that the impact on our rivers, streams, biodiversity and air quality has been adequately taken into account.
We do not think that the community engagement with residents on this plan stands up to scrutiny. The consultation was limited to a 4 housing scenario proposal in September 2014, which only had 4,265 responses (taken as a percentage of Waverley residents this would be 3.5%). How many respondents were actual residents of Waverley is unknown as well as their location in the borough.
The Cranleigh Society will be submitting a comprehensive response to the Local Plan.
However, please also submit your comments about the plan. We cannot stress enough how important it is for you to have your say.
This plan hugely affects Cranleigh, the consequences of the unprecedented growth in housing over the plan period will make way for Cranleigh New Town.
If you say nothing this will be taken as implied consent to the dumping of 4,455 new houses, equivalent to another settlement the size of Cranleigh, on your doorstep.
Add your Comments
You can add your comments to the Local Plan in the following ways: –
- Online Consultation Website:
You can view the documents and comment online, via the Waverley Borough Council website at http://consult.waverley.gov.uk . To submit comments, you must first register on the website. If you have done so already, then you can use your existing username and password.
- Download a Representation Form:
You can also download the local plan document and representation form by visiting http://www.waverley.gov.uk/newlocalplan and following the link to the Local Plan consultation. This can be filled in electronically and emailed back to Waverley Borough Council at planningpolicy@waverley.gov.uk. You can also print the form and send it back to Waverley at; Planning Policy Team, Planning Services, Waverley Borough Council, The Burys, Godalming. GU7 1HR.
- View the documents and collect a paper copy of the representation form
The Waverley Borough Pre-Submission Local Plan Part 1, the Sustainability Appraisal Report and other associated submission documents are available for inspection at the following locations, where you can also collect paper copies of the representation form:
- Planning Reception, Council Offices, The Burys, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 1HR. Monday-Thursday 9.00 am -5.00 pm, Friday 9.00 am – 4.00 pm. (Excluding Bank Holidays)
- Farnham Locality Office, South Street, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7RN. Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm (closed each day 12.30pm to 1.30pm) (Excluding Bank Holidays)
- Godalming, Farnham, Haslemere, Cranleigh and Bramley libraries. Please see www.surreycc.gov.uk/libraries for their opening times.
ADD YOUR COMMENTS BEFORE 5.00pm on Monday 3 October 2016.
I notice that Farnham Residents challenged the ruling party at their recent Borough and County Council by-elections and won 3 of the 4 seats contested. Can Cranleigh, which is being similarly dumped on, do something similar if/when the time comes?
The Parish Council is doing its best for the residents but the real power is held by Waverley and they are the culprits.
The Farnham by-election we understand was due to the resignation of Councillor Paddy Blagden (Town and Borough Councillor) and Councillor David Munro (Borough and County Councillor). Our borough elections aren’t due until 2019!
The Local Plan Part 1 Appendix A, Key Diagram of Waverley Borough (Draft) shows two railway lines running north/south, one through Farnham and the other through Godalming to Haslemere. It omits the transverse line connecting Shalford with Guildford and Dorking, presumably because it lies within the Guildford area. Nevertheless the proximity of the area north of Wonersh to this line suggests that there could be the possibility of some housing allocation there, as it also has access to the A281.
There is no railway link to either Dunsfold or Cranleigh, only a network of B roads and one A road the 281 and yet there are 4,455 new houses allocated to these areas. Cranleigh alone is allocated 1,520, that is 45% of the total. Despite the view of the Governments’ Planning Inspector, the area south of Cranleigh is subject to flooding and the clearing of the drainage ditches is not the answer! Additionally, the state of Cranleigh Waters viz a viz the sewage works is well known.
The area south of Godalming has access to Milford Station, as well as the A 283, yet the total new build allocation to that area is a mere 380 houses. This seems to me to be disproportionate in the extreme.
I cannot comment on the process that has produced this total number of houses by Waverley, other than to say that the disposition across the Borough seems to be arbitrary at the least and the total number excessive. Waverely made one consultation proposal in 2014 which showed 4 housing scenarios which received 4,265 responses – that is about 3.5% of Wavelrey residents. That does not amount to a serious attmept at public engagement!
The 3.5% may not even all be Waverley residents! Perhaps you might like to submit an FOI request and find out?