A SECOND speculative application to build up to 46 new homes at 35 Frensham Vale in the countryside between The Bourne and Frensham has been dismissed by Waverley Borough Council.

Council planning officers first refused Bargate Homes’ initial outline planning application to build on the greenfield site in January 2015 citing its detrimental impact on the countryside south of Farnham and high risk of flooding.

The developer instantly appealed for the Secretary of State to overturn the council’s decision, but following written representations a government inspector sided with Waverley and dismissed the appeal.

This prompted Bargate to submit a fresh application in July this year, with a number of concessions including relocating the proposed access to a section of the site deemed to have a low risk of flooding.

However, responding last week, Waverley’s head of planning Elizabeth Sims retained concerns about the proposal’s impact on the countryside and once again threw out Bargate’s plans - setting an important precedent for similar speculative applications across the borough.

Significantly, Mrs Sims’ decision notice gave substantial weight to the emerging Waverley Local Plan and Farnham Neighbourhood Plan - both of which dismiss the site’s potential for housing.

Although both local planning policy documents are yet to be formally adopted, they have both recently undergone their final stage of public consultation and are clearly already being deployed by council officers in combatting unwanted development.

Citing the two emerging plans, Mrs Sims said: “The proposal, by virtue of the number of dwellings, scale, urbanising impact and harm to the landscape character and harm to woodland, would cause material and detrimental harm to the verdant rural character of the area.”

Whether the plans, at their current stage of development, warrant such weighting is set to be determined by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in a separate appeal against Waverley’s refusal of planning permission for 157 homes in Waverley Lane in the new year.

Bargate Homes has until the end of April to appeal once again against Waverley’s decision.

But, with communities secretary Sajid Javid expected to announce his landmark Waverley Lane ruling ahead of this date, Bargate Homes may choose to await his decision before announcing further action.

The role of Waverley’s Local Plan in determining the fate of the land at 35 Frensham Vale was not lost on campaigners the Frensham Vale Action Group, whose members account for many of the 133 objections against Bargate Homes’ latest plans.

Chairman of the group, Joe Michel, told The Herald in the wake of Mrs Sims decision: “Local residents in the Frensham Vale neighbourhood have been under an onslaught from developers seeking to exploit a weakness in the planning framework as this beautiful precious corner of Farnham does not enjoy the protection of neighbouring rural and semi-rural areas.

“Frensham Vale Action Group is an organisation of over 250 local people who have come together to campaign to nurture our environment for the benefit of all.

“The ill-conceived scheme at 35 Frensham Vale would destroy the unique peaceful woodland environment. The latest planning application is one of a long series of thankfully failed attempts and is even more damaging than those before in terms of flood risk and road safety.

“Residents are relieved that Waverley have refused permission for the scheme and are grateful for the strength of support from across the local community.

“We also recognise the importance of the Local Plans being implemented for Farnham and Waverley as they provide much-needed long-term vision which directs development to sustainable locations and protects piecemeal destruction of the greenfield environment.

“We live in limbo and recognise that our predicament will only be resolved once the Local Plans have been adopted and we urge local representatives to conclude these as soon as possible.”

Bargate Homes’ proposed scheme is just half a mile from CALA Homes’ 43 home development at Baker Oates Stables in Gardener’s Hill Road - for which an outline application was granted on appeal last December and a detailed application is to be debated by Waverley’s joint planning committee next Wednesday (November 16) - and directly opposite another developer, CEG’s proposed 120-home ’hamlet in the woods’ still pending a decision by the borough council.

For more information about the Frensham Vale Action Group visit www.frenshamvale.info.