Members of WaverleyÕs development control committee on Tuesday night agreed to ratify the decision made by Waverley councillors at their planning meeting last week to give the controversial plans the green light.
ÒOur main concern hasnÕt changed at all,Ó Mr Mulliner told the Herald on Wednesday.
ÒI am astonished that the highway aspect of the development leading onto a busy road and existing parking problems have not been taken fully into account,Ó he said.
It brings to an end a long-running saga that hit the headlines amid claims of bribery, after Waverley planners agreed to accept a £90,000 sweetener to satisfy policy rules relating to sites which had previously been used for community use.
On Tuesday night Waverley councillors heard that the money would be spent on a community project or projects which would benefit people living closest to the site.
Last week members of Haslemere Town CouncilÕs planning and highways committee once again raised renewed objections to planning permission being given to Phoenix Land Developments, for eight homes on the site of just over a third-of-an-acre, following the demolition of the old ambulance station.
Chairman Jean Arrick argued that nothing had been done to address its concerns over density and lack of parking.
ÒThe plans have been revised as requested by Waverley; the front boundary has been moved back to the vehicular site line and grass verge has been introduced,Ó she said.
ÒBut Waverley havenÕt addressed any of our viewsÓ.
James Mackie Ð who with Jacquie Keen was the only local Waverley councillor on the southern planning committee who objected to the scheme because of density and parking problems Ð referred to the £90,000 for an as yet undisclosed community project,
ÒApparently the idea of paying a contractor is not unusual in other boroughs, although its the first IÕve heard of in Waverley, and certainly the first in the area,Ó he said.
ÒThe idea is that the community in the vicinity should have some benefit.Ó
At last weekÕs Waverley planning meeting development control and policy manager John Anderson outlined the type of the projects for which the money could be used.
Among them were Woolmer Hill recreation ground, footpath and drainage issues at the Town Meadow, Sunvale cemetery, the skateboard park and work involving the Beacon Hill improvement scheme. He said that other projects were in the pipe line which could also meet the criteria.
Mr Anderson said the money could be used either for a facility in close proximity to the site, which was relevant to the proposal, or one in the Haslemere area.
ÒI think this is a fair deal in terms of the development on the site and the projects we have,Ó said Mr Anderson.