PLANS to redevelop Lower Street in Haslemere will not be considered by Waverley until July – although the council has officially had the plans 'on the table' since January. The borough council's planning committee is now set to discuss the plans, involving part of the town's conservation area, on July 2. Town councillor Brian Howard, who bought part ownership of the site about three years ago, told the Herald this week he was less than happy with delays in the planning process. The former mayor of Haslemere – who has now passed his interest in the site to his son and daughter and another partner, said: "We were told yesterday (Tuesday) that the decision is not due until July. "It is not perhaps politically wise at this stage to talk about Waverley's inefficiency, but we have done nothing but accede to pleas for extensions." A borough council spokesman said the plans were for "a very large and complicated scheme" when questioned about the length of time. Mr Howard added: "There is a law that requires them to determine an application within a fixed time from registering the plans. "There were a least two meetings with officers before submitting plans, so that they did not arrive before December 14 'cold'. "They were sent back twice because of errors, which was partly our fault, but they have had everything from mid December. Plans were registered at the end of January. Under normal rules it has to be determined in eight weeks, it can go to 13 weeks – that takes it to the beginning of April." Mr Howard said one of the reasons he bought the site was because it was important in Haslemere and he thought the town needed more shops. One of the easier options would have been to develop it just for homes, but he wanted to safeguard the site for mixed use. "The main motivation was: I have been trading in the town for 35 years; the town could do with more shops not less. It is an important site in Haslemere, which was one of the reasons I bought it in the first place." The plan includes redeveloping the old Moore and Clarke electrical shop site next to the chapel, apartments, retail, bars, restaurant, car parking and the rebuilding of the Hope Baptist chapel.
