THE Waverley borough councillor responsible for planning has this week hit back at claims action should have been taken earlier to control development in Hindhead. Patrick Haveron, who is planning portfolio holder for Waverley Borough Council (WBC), spoke out over concerns about the future of development in Hindhead, speculative planning applications and Waverley's timescale for preparing a 'Planning Statement' for the area. Last week David Smith, chairman of the Haslemere Society, backed calls for a "masterplan" to control development in Hindhead and urged Waverley Borough Council not to grant permission for developments in the Hindhead crossroads area until the plan had been put together. He expressed concern that developments in Hindhead were being considered by Waverley Borough Council on "an ad hoc basis and without the benefit of a comprehensive development plan for the area". Mr Smith criticised Waverley Borough Council for not being "ahead of the game" and said the creation of a 'planning statement' for Hindhead was a "reactive instead of proactive exercise". He also said a quick 'planning statement' without consultation was "not acceptable" and suggested that if WBC did not have the expertise for the "vital task" planning consultants should be used. Mr Smith's comments followed repeated calls for a scheme to manage the future development of Hindhead, as work on the £371 million A3 tunnel scheme begins. Haslemere Town Council and John Gibson, who is campaigning to save Undershaw, author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's former home in Hindhead, also expressed support for a scheme to control the regeneration of Hindhead. But Mr Haveron this week defended Waverley Borough Council's approach and reassured the Haslemere Society and residents that permission would not be given for ad hoc development in Hindhead. He refuted the Haslemere Society's claim that Waverley was in a reactive position, and that work on a planning policy position could have been undertaken previously. He said: "The Secretary of State's decision on the tunnel was only confirmed a few months ago and until that time the community was particularly divided on the STOAT (Save The Old A3) issue of whether the old A3 should be retained. "Indeed there was considerable legal energy being channelled into this position and Waverley would have had to spend time refereeing between rather entrenched views, which would not have been a productive use of officer time". Mr Haveron said Waverley had instead helped to create the 'Hindhead Together' steering group, which aims to make the most of the potential benefits from the construction of the A3 tunnel. Mr Haveron went on to say: "We need an effective vehicle to channel the respective ambitions and aspirations of residents and businesses alike. "Indeed there is a particular role for the Haslemere Society and the town council in delivering strong local leadership, with Waverley reflecting this, health check style, in the planning policy statement". Mr Haveron said Waverley had prepared an interim planning statement as informal guidance, until a further document 'Hindhead Together – Vision and Plan' is produced in around two years time. He also moved to reassure Haslemere residents, permissions will not be given for ad hoc development at Hindhead. He said The Highways Agency would object to any new development accessing onto the A3 until the tunnel has been completed. Mr Haveron added that all residential dwellings would have to mitigate for their impact on the Wealden Heaths Special Protection Area, which covers a one kilometre zone from the Devil's Punch Bowl. He said development within this zone could be "premature" before the work to reunite the commons at the Devil's Punch Bowl has taken place, following the closure of the old A3. Mr Haveron told The Herald: "My position is that all major developments in Waverley should be subject to pre-application advice and discussions, preferably with members, in the shape of a public forum. "I can confirm that no developers have approached Waverley for discussions, but have put in planning applications on a speculative basis. "It is highly unlikely that any of these will be successful, and that Waverley's role will be to manage, or limit developers expectations until both the Vision document is in place and much more of the tunnel is complete". In a letter to The Herald this week Undershaw campaigner John Gibson, welcomed the Haslemere Society's call for a comprehensive development plan for Hindhead. However, in his letter Mr Gibson said he felt the Haslemere Society had been "rather incongruous" to suggest Waverley planners would need the help of planning consultants. Mr Gibson says: the completion of the tunnel was still four years away which he felt "should be ample time for an overall development plan to be in place long before the road (the old A3) is stopped off". In his letter Mr Gibson also said: "For the society to state that Waverley should have a comprehensive plan already in place, in the real world is slightly unrealistic". He also welcomed recent steps taken by WBC to secure Undershaw and prevent the building from further deterioration.
