THE future for Crest Nicholson's East Street redevelopment looked more precarious than ever this week, as Conservatives on Waverley Council delivered a bombshell in advance on next Wednesday's special executive meeting. Group leader Richard Gates indicated that the Conservative group will be voting against voluntarily extending the contractual longstop date "in the current circumstances". Only if the executive, which will be considering specialist legal advice, unearths some significant new facts, will their stance be reconsidered. Contacted by The Herald, Independent group leader Victor Duckett said he takes the same view, adding up to a strong possibility that the longstop, currently December 31, will not be extended. In that case, either Waverley or the developers could walk away from the contract, though decisions would still need to be taken over whether the current planning application would proceed to a conclusion. "The backstop date is part of the contract, placed there for good reasons," Mr Gates said. He claimed the ruling Liberal Democrats have "procrastinated and dithered" for three-and- a-half years when they should have negotiated a way out with the developers in June 2003. The statement came as a complete surprise to council leader Gillian Ferguson. "I am astonished that the Conservatives have put out something to the press, yet we have had no indication of what line they might take through the proper channels, ie their scrutiny committees. "I hate to think it is a bit of a game with them." Miss Ferguson said Lib Dem councillors had not accepted Waverley officers' advice to extend the longstop and were clearly minded not to do so, but added: "We need to hear the legal advice and so does every councillor." Paul Callcutt, a director of Crest Nicholson, arguing for an extension to be granted, attributed the slow progress of the scheme to the developers conducting more public consultation than on any scheme they had ever been involved in. "We have done this willingly, understanding that the resulting delay was for the benefit of all concerned. "Having received the landowner's consent to the masterplan and now lodged a compliant planning application, then surely it would be perverse if time was not allowed for these proposals to be properly considered." Mr Callcutt warned: "A decision to refuse a limited extension could set back the East Street scheme for many years and destroy all the hard work put into this project by all parties. It would, he said "allow the few people who object to the scheme to stall the improvement of this run down area for a considerable period of time and we question whether it is really the right course of action for the town." • Waverley Council has explained the removal of a comments book packed with adverse public comments about the plans from an exhibition at the locality office. The council said that now the formal consultation process has commenced, comments will be invited on separate forms which will be returned to its officers on a daily basis. • Farnham Town Mayor David Attfield has organised a meeting at Church House Thursday, November 2, at Church House to hear Farnham residents' views on the outline planning application. Mr Attfield explained: "Farnham Town Council is not the planning authority, it is a consultee just like the residents of Farnham. However, I felt that this issue was so important to the people and future of Farnham that their views on this first stage of the development should be heard. "I will then personally pass these views on to the environmental services committee before it considers the comments it will be forwarding to the planning department at Waverley Borough Council. Those who want to speak at the meeting should contact Wendy Coulter on 01252 823191 or e-mail [email protected]">[email protected] to be allocated a slot.
