PLANS for 189 new homes adjoining a green burial ground on land between Hale Road and Farnham Park have been submitted to Waverley Borough Council.

Landowners PLOT (Farnham) LLP says at least half of the houses on the 28 acre site to the rear of the Farnham House Hotel will be two-bedroom or less, including 57 ‘affordable’ homes.

It also promises a creche or nursery, children’s play area and an on-site Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) to offset the development’s impact on the heathland surrounding Farnham, protected under European law.

The site will be accessed from both the Six Bells roundabout and the A325 Hale Road, and is significantly smaller than the 300-home development proposed by PLOT last year.

Dominic Fryer, speaking on behalf of the landowners, said: “This is a good site for new homes for Farnham. It is very well screened and in a sustainable location.

“We believe that, on balance, the benefits that will be provided with the new development as well as the dwellings, including 57 affordable homes, will really contribute positively to the community here.

“Of course, we recognise new housing in Farnham, particularly on greenfield sites, is a sensitive topic. However, when we surveyed people in the area well over half of them supported the principle of a residential development on the site.”

PLOT’s plans met a frosty reception at last week’s meeting of Farnham Town Council however, criticised by neighbours of the site as well as councillors including Surrey County Council cabinet member and representative for North Farnham, Denise Le Gal.

The site was given a lowest possible ‘red’ ranking in Waverley and Farnham council’s recent assessments of potential sites for housing, and Mrs Le Gal believes the planning authority should stick to its guns.

“I am 100 per cent opposed to this development for a number of reasons,” she said.

“My main concern is for the safety of children walking to school, particularly those walking towards William Cobbett School in Weybourne, as there is nothing in place to ensure they have a safe crossing.

“There are many other sites that would be suitable for development in the area but lets please not destroy this beautiful habitat. This is a beautiful, peaceful resource and if development goes ahead it will be lost forever.”

Jack Wingfield, speaking on behalf of a group of neighbours objecting to the development, raised the additional issue of a historic covenant which residents believe restricts any house building on the land.

He told councillors: “An indenture raised on May 23, 1898, when Mr John Ormond sold the land to Mr MA Rice, required that ‘the said Mr Rice will not at any time hereafter obstruct the view of Crooksbury Hill, Hale Church or Moor Park House, from the southern corner of the Hop Kiln and Store’ (now The Oast House).

“This was extant, still with restrictive covenants, when Regent Memorial Limited transferred the title to Rheno Property Holdings on August 21, 2013.”

Mr Wingfield also criticised the proximity of the proposed homes to existing dwellings - as little as two metres in places - and their potential impact on the congested local road network.

To view or comment on the application, visit www.waverley.gov.uk/planning and search for reference WA/2015/1328. The latest date for comments is currently given as Friday, August 21 with a likely committee date of September 30.

More information can be found on the project website www.haleroadhomes.co.uk.

• Plans are also progressing for a non-denominational burial ground of 14,000 plots in the northern section of the Hale Road site.

The so-called Farnham Park Cemetery is owned and managed by Birmingham-based Regent Memorial, which acquired the three-acre site to provide an initial 3,000 plots for all faiths.

Farnham Park Cemetery is yet to have its first interment, but is expected to attract clients from across the UK via Regent Memorial’s main office in Birmingham.

Henry Anderson, co-director of Regent Memorial, said: “With pressure on space for burials and exorbitant fees, there has been virtually no choice for families, which is what Regent Memorial aims to provide.

“Some local authorities are even charging premiums for non-residents but at Farnham Park, we have a universal cost structure. We believe it to be the most affordable cemetery in London.”

For more information, see the website www.regentmemorial.co.uk.