WAVERLEY councillors have consented to the biggest planning application in the borough’s history, for 1,800 new homes at Dunsfold Park aerodrome, the home of BBC’s Top Gear.

The decision by Waverley Borough Council’s joint planning committee (JPC) has huge ramifications for the countryside surrounding Farnham, potentially reducing the pressure to build on greenfield land surrounding existing settlements to meet the borough’s identified housing demand.

There is far from unanimous support for the application, however, and JPC members only narrowly voted in favour of their officers’ recommendations to approve the scheme by 10 to eight after a heated four-hour debate.

The plan by Trinity College, Britain’s biggest landowner, for the largest residential development in the borough for 100 years also triggered more than 5,000 objections and is opposed by 14 parish councils.

But getting consent is crucial to Waverley’s draft Local Plan, which has now been submitted for public examination, as it allocates 2,600 homes for the airfield to meet its increased housing target of 10,000 by 2032 and avoid building on greenfield sites.

It will mean the current runway – home of the famous Top Gear track - will be dug up, forcing the show to find a new home.

Campaigners, who have urged Communities Secretary Savid Javid to call the application in if approved, are now waiting to hear if it will be the government rather than Waverley that makes the final decision.

JPC member and Tory Haslemere councillor Stephen Mulliner said: “We need vigour to reach a reliable conclusion. A JPC decision is not a substitute. The decision should be taken following the fullest possible examination. This application is clearly premature.

“I feel we should not grant planning permission until, and if, the Local Plan inspector after intense scrutiny decides it should remain in the Local Plan.”

Agreeing it was premature to determine the application, Farnham Residents’ councilor Jerry Hyman said: “We are looking at an application for 1,800 houses, where planning officers have confirmed it could increase to 2,600 but there is no assessment of the extra 800 houses. We can’t take 1,800 in isolation, knowing we may have more. Can’t we defer the decision.”

Waverley’s head of planning Liz Sims said: “I understand there are some clear concerns but this application has to be seen in the terms of the Government presumption in favour of granting permission. Officers consider any harm is outweighed by the benefits and permission should be granted.”

The aerodrome is currently home to Dunsfold Business Park, which accommodates more than 100 businesses employing over 800 people.

Under the approved plans the business park, currently Waverley’s largest employment site, would be expanded to create new jobs.

Welcoming Waverley’s decision to grant planning consent, Dunsfold Park chief executive Jim McAllister said: “This is a very positive decision for Waverley – the development will provide homes for young families currently priced out of the area, direct development away from green fields, create new jobs and deliver a range of new community facilities and infrastructure improvements.

“We look forward to working with Waverley Borough Council to progress the detail.’’

Protest group chairman Bob Lees said: “Protect Our Waverley is obviously very disappointed the JPC voted the way it did, but we are not surprised. It was a close-run thing at 10 for and eight against, and this shows there is far from unanimous support among councillors for this flawed application.

“The council have only just approved the Draft Local Plan, which relies heavily on Dunsfold, and a number of councillors played on this, even though the two should not be linked. Waverley should properly have listened to the voices of reason and deferred a decision until after the Draft Local Plan had been through its examination in public.

“Nevertheless, we were prepared for such an outcome and, following legal advice, now have a very strong case that clearly demonstrates how the council have acted unlawfully in their handling and consideration of this application.

“At this point, POW will be pressing Sajid Javid to call the application in so it can be – as one councillor put it –‘forensically examined’ and a proper and fully informed decision made.

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“The battle is far from over and this is just the opening skirmish.”