A MAJOR planning inquiry to decide if up to 157 houses can be built at Compton Fields either side of Waverley Lane has been adjourned until the autumn following an “unprecedented” move by Waverley Borough Council.

An outline planning application by construction giant Wates Developments Ltd was refused in July 2015 by Waverley’s planning officers, but went to a public inquiry on August 16 after the developer appealed for the Secretary of State to overturn the council’s decision.

However, last week government planning inspector David Rose agreed to postpone the hearing to allow Waverley to clarify its evidence base before reconvening on October 18.

It comes after the borough council threw a spanner in the works at the outset of the inquiry by claiming it has now identified a five-year supply of current and suitable land for residential development, which it says will put it “in a much stronger position” when defending planning appeals.

This provoked derision from Wates’ legal team whose key argument for allowing the Compton Fields development centred on the assertion that Waverley has not yet identified how it will meet its increased housing targets handed down by the Government.

As a result, Wates has questioned Waverley’s claim - criticising its approach at the inquiry as “unprecedented” and arguing that the council’s five-year supply of housing does not factor in higher-than-accepted housing demand figures.

Waverley stood its ground during the opening week of the inquiry, however, and has now published details of its new five-year housing land supply as part of the six-week public consultation on the draft Local Plan blueprint to 2032.

A Wates spokesman said: “It is unfortunate that the inquiry was adjourned on this important site due to concerns about the council’s evidence relating to housing supply and delivery.

“We continue to believe that our evidence - and that of the council - supports development of this site for much-needed housing. We are naturally disappointed by the forced suspension, but we look forward to it resuming in October.

“The need for new housing in the borough and particularly Farnham remains acute and our site represents an excellent opportunity to provide both market and affordable homes for local people.”

A spokesman for Waverley said the decision to adjourn the inquiry was agreed “by all parties” and added the timing of its new five-year housing land supply announcement was a result of Waverley and Farnham councils publishing their draft Local Plan and Neighbourhood Plan respectively, not an 11th hour attempt to unsettle Wates’ case.

Under government planning policy, the lack of both a five-year housing land supply and an up-to-date Local Plan means that planning permissions can be granted almost anywhere at appeal in order to boost the national housing stock, unless it can be shown the adverse impacts outweigh the benefits.

In order to meet increased housing targets for the borough, Waverley’s draft Local Plan provides for 519 new houses a year until 2032, which is more than double the number in its previous housing targets.

The council has calculated it now has a 5.3-year supply of housing land, which includes a mixture of sites - some already have planning permission and others are preferred sites that Waverley considers have the potential to obtain planning permission in the future.

Commenting on the latest housing supply figure, Brian Adams, Waverley’s portfolio holder for planning, said: “I welcome the update. Having a five-year housing supply puts the council in a much stronger position when defending planning appeals and allows the council to resist undesirable developments on the borough’s beautiful open spaces.

“The council is in a better position to prevent development in the borough’s countryside, which it deems inappropriate, and is committed to protecting our borough’s green assets.”

Waverley’s assertion it could now see off undesirable developments at appeal, however, has already come under fire from local environmental group Guildford and Waverley Friends of the Earth (FoE).

FoE legal expert Kathy Smyth said: “I expect to see the council’s assertion that it has a five-year supply strongly disputed by housing developers with interests in potential sites.

“One of the factors which determines the target for the number of houses required in the next five years is the number of houses which have been completed since 2013.

“Waverley’s problem is that since 2013 only an average of 250 houses per annum have been completed against a target of 519 and so there is a significant shortfall which has to be made up.

“Not only that, national planning policy says that where there is significant and persistent shortfall the so-called buffer is not an additional five per cent but actually 20 per cent.

“If that is the final outcome that would mean the housing target is actually in excess of 800 houses per annum for the next five years. So Waverley may have a five-year supply if the figure is 519 but it certainly doesn’t if the figure is higher.

“We have already seen at least one house builder advance this argument at a recent local planning inquiry and I expect to see many more make the same point in their response to this consultation.”

• The draft Local Plan public consultation continues until Monday, October 3. To view the document and the supporting evidence go the Waverley’s home page on www. waverley.gov.uk.

To make representations go to www.consult.waver

ley.gov.uk, email planning

[email protected] or write to Planning Policy, Waverley Borough Council, The Burys, Godalming, GU7 1HR.