WAVERLEY councillors have granted Brightwells development partner Crest Nicholson permission to build a larger temporary construction access bridge connecting the East Street redevelopment site to the A31 Farnham bypass - controversially using a ‘haul road’ along Borelli Walk.

The decision, agreed by Waverley’s joint planning committee on Wednesday last week, gives Crest leave to construct a two-lane, 12-metre wide prefabricated steel bridge across the River Wey and Borelli Walk - replacing the single-lane, five-metre wide bridge approved in 2012.

The bridge forms a pre-commencement condition of Crest’s 2012 planning permission for Brightwells, demanded by councillors to take construction traffic away from the town centre.

Addressing committee members last week, Waverley leader and Upper Hale councillor Julia Potts said the bridge “has always been a red line and remains that today”, while planning officers also “reminded” councillors that, as the principle of taking construction access from the A31 has already been established, it would be “unreasonable” to reject Crest’s latest application, resulting only in a less desirable construction access and increased tailbacks on the A31.

The majority of councillors accepted this view and many, led by Haslemere councillor Stephen Mulliner, sought to curtail the ensuing debate - in particular the exhaustive objections of Farnham Residents member Jerry Hyman, who expressed concern at the proposed lane closures on the A31 to facilitate the bridge works, and a potential clash with the 2021 opening of Brightwells.

Alarm was expressed, however, after it was revealed that Crest now proposes building the bridge using a temporary ‘haul road’, complete with a site office and protective matting, alongside the picturesque Borelli Walk from South Street - despite the developer itself admitting in 2012 that the haul road would have a “highly damaging impact” on the character and amenity of Borelli Walk and South Street.

Waverley’s joint planning committee failed to stipulate how the bridge should be constructed in 2012 - allowing council planning officers to establish the haul road’s “acceptability” through the discharging of conditions under delegated powers.

This prompted derision among several councillors at last week’s meeting, with Carole Cockburn, leader of Farnham Town Council and a member of both the 2012 and last week’s planning committees, taking particular umbrage that this key decision had been taken without councillors’ express consent.

She told members: “When this came forward and I saw that as a result of the discharge of a condition the haul road along Borelli Walk was established my heart did sink. I’ve got no problem with a two-lane bridge at all, in fact I wonder why it wasn’t done before. But when we granted consent for the bridge [in 2012], I think we all imagined that it would be built from the East Street site - I don’t think any of us imagined that we would go down Borelli Walk.”

Mrs Cockburn added Borelli Walk holds special significance in the town, not only because it is “one of the most attractive walks in Farnham” - as stated on Waverley’s own website - but also because it was opened in 1953 to honour the great 20th century town architect Charles Borelli.

It also possesses several commemorative benches and ornamental trees donated by members of the public - many of which are set to be removed or “pruned” to make way for the haul road, and sits opposite Homepark House, a block of sheltered flats located just 30 metres from the proposed bridge.

“I’m sorry, I cannot believe this is acceptable, I really can’t,” Mrs Cockburn continued. “Yes you can re-plant the trees, but if somebody has donated the tree in memory of somebody, a special person, and we’re going to hack it up to bring a couple of lorries down there - I just cannot support this.”

Bramley councillor Maurice Byham shared Mrs Cockburn’s concern that the “desecration” of Borelli Walk had been agreed behind councillors’ backs, while John Ward, a former Mayor of Farnham, added: “The whole point of this bridge was to avoid destruction of Borelli Walk. The haul road is an appalling idea, it should not be considered and I would beg councillors to throw this out.”

Almost 40 trees have already been cut down to make way for the bridge, but officers reassured members that only one further tree - a cedar - is set to be removed in Borelli Walk, with several others including two lime trees flanking South Street set to be pruned and protected with temporary fencing, and three hawthorns coppiced.

Council leader Miss Potts added the commemorative benches would be “safely stored” and reinstated following the works.

The Borelli Walk access would be in place for the duration of the bridge construction period, “a maximum of 40 weeks”, including an initial six weeks to construct the bridge and a further 11 weeks to remove it.

Crest predict an average of three HGVs will use the track daily throughout the bridge works, and a condition of its consent stipulates that any lane closures on the A31 “shall not take place before 9am or after 5pm Monday to Friday”.

The bridge itself will remain in place for the four-and-a-half year construction of the Brightwells scheme.