NOTHING is black and white in planning – except at Farnham College perhaps, where plans to build 14 homes hang in the balance after neighbours claimed to have found evidence of a well-established badger sett.

Guildford College Group won an appeal to overturn Waverley Borough Council’s refusal of planning permission in 2016, allowing it to build 14 new homes on the site of the college’s tennis courts, with a new access on to the A287 Firgrove Hill.

However, serious concerns have been raised that the imminent construction work could illegally disturb a badgers’ sett, which neighbours believe is located under the college’s soon-to-be-demolished tennis pavilion.

According to Firgrove Hill Badgers, a group set up to prove the presence of a sett, badgers have been photographed in Fairholme Gardens, backing on to the college grounds, “almost every night” for the past three years. And should the development go ahead, there are concerns the badgers could be forced on to the A287.

The college’s 2014 planning application stated no setts were identified on the site during an inspection by Surrey Wildlife Trust.

And a Waverley spokesman reiterated this week it was “not aware of any badgers” on the site.

However, responding, Steve Williams, Waverley’s portfolio holder for the environment, said: “I would be seriously concerned if any development in Waverley resulted in interference with a badger sett as badgers are a protected species. I am asking our planning department to look into this particular report as a matter of urgency.”

A Farnham College spokesman added it would be “undertaking further investigation into the reported presence of a badger sett on the site... to ensure the college and the developer of the site comply with relevant legislation, prior to the proposed redevelopment.”

The Protection of Badgers Act 1992 makes it illegal to interfere with a badger sett.