Farnham Town Council is asking for views on seven new housing sites proposed to take an additional 450 homes in the town, following an early review of the Farnham Neighbourhood Plan.

The review was announced shortly after the plan was adopted in July 2017, prompted by Waverley Borough Council’s demand that Farnham accommodates the lions share of an uplift in the borough’s housing target, imposed by a Government planning inspector, by the end of its own Local Plan in 2032.

Last Thursday, Farnham town councillors agreed to send the reviewed plan to a six-week public consultation, lasting until the end of September. The additional proposed sites are:

• The former Cobgates care home in Falkner Road, owned by Surrey County Council (approximate capacity: 60 dwellings).

• New student accommodation at the University for the Creative Arts, Falkner Road (252 student units or 217 net additional student units, equal to 72 homes).

• Centrum Business Park, East Street, currently occupied by businesses including MOTEST and the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice furniture shop (125 homes).

• 8, 10, 12, 14 Upper Old Park Lane, Folly Hill (10 dwellings).

• Kimbers Lane, the current home of Waverley Training Services owned by Waverley Borough Council (20 dwellings).

• Land adjacent to Green Lane Cemetery, Wrecclesham, also owned by Waverley (10 homes).

• Comley Reclaim and Surrey Sawmills, Wrecclesham Hill (20 homes).

Each site was promoted by its land owner following a ‘call for sites’ by the town council earlier this year. More than 70 potential housing sites were put forward as part of this process.

Assessed against the neighbourhood plan’s strict criteria, many were quickly ruled out for being too far from the town centre or at risk of flooding, for instance, with the town council then whittling down the remaining sites - focusing on locations that will minimise the use of the car and protect the spacious green setting of the town.

The review has also identified two new sites of Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) at Tongham Road, Runfold and the Runfold South Quarry to offset the impact of the additional homes on the protected heathland surrounding Farnham.

Carole Cockburn, leader of Farnham Town Council, said: “We decided to carry out an early review of the adopted Neighbourhood Plan because we want local people to be given the opportunity to have a say on the proposed locations of the additional homes.

“After so much hard work and community involvement, we also want to maintain the integrity of the policies within the plan.”

Residents are being asked to complete a short survey online at www.farnham.gov.uk/shapefarnham with hard copies can also be picked up from the town council office in South Street.

Mrs Cockburn added: “Although it is not that long ago that the Farnham electorate voted in a referendum to accept the Farnham Neighbourhood Plan, I would urge as many people as possible to complete the survey.”