A RESOUNDING vote of 40 borough councillors in favour ensured Waverley’s blueprint for development until 2032 will now be submitted for public examination on time.

But not everyone was convinced the plan was sound. Many members of Waverley’s full council backed the document – despite their reservations – just to ensure it was submitted before the new year deadline when the Government has threatened to take over any plans not submitted by that date.

Five members abstained in the recorded vote with Farnham Residents’ Jerry Hyman the only member to object. Two meetings were scheduled as Waverley raced against the clock to approve a draft plan to build just under 10,000 houses by 2032. If adopted, its supporters claim it will “put Waverley back in control of development”.

At the executive, which started at 5pm, members, with the exception of Alfold’s Tory councillor Kevin Deanus, who abstained, agreed part one of the Local Plan with proposed modifications should be submitted.

They also authorised Waverley’s head of planning services Liz Sims, in consultation with Tory leader Julia Potts, to make any necessary changes to the schedule of modifications arising from the updating of the evidence base prior to submission.

Miss Potts told executive members: “We need to move forward, we need to make sure the plan is submitted and the plan is if we gain agreement this evening, that will happen before Christmas, and we can then move on,”

“We are hopefully then in control and we can have a say, and map out a future for Waverley for all our towns and parishes, because we have a number coming along now with their Neighbourhood Plans.”

Haslemere’s Tory councillor Carole King said: “Waverley as a borough is unusual in that it has four main centres of population, which breed their own problems because we’re never all going to agree. The plan covers a huge variety of topics and subjects, some dear to some people’s hearts, some not so dear. We could go on and on and on for ever and never ever get it all right.

“I think the time has now come when we have to just submit it and let the inspector get on with doing his job.”

An extraordinary council meeting followed at 7pm, when members also spoke passionately to urge the plan should be submitted as basically sound and evidence-based. But several warned Waverley might have a rough ride at the public inquiry examination.

Haslemere Tory councillor Stephen Mulliner said: “We must make sure the plan stands. We will face more challenges than many. At the examination we will be asked to make changes to enable the inspector to be content.

“I hope we prepare as thoroughly as we can to give the best account.”

One key area of concern voiced by council members was the damning conclusion of the expert report recently commissioned by 11 joint parish councils from ministerial housing advisor Neil McDonald.

Mr McDonald concluded the target housing figure of “at least” 519 houses a year by Waverley consultant G L Hearn, on which the Local Plan is based, was too high and should only be 400 per annum.

Another cause for concern was the infrastructure delivery plan, still in progress, and its current absence of mitigating measures to deal with the increase in traffic on already congested roads when many thousands of houses, many concentrated at Dunsfold Aerodrome, are built.

Solitary objector Mr Hyman shared concerns on transport, and was also worried the plan might not comply with the government habitats directive and air quality legislation.

Urging the need to have a Local Plan in place, Godalming Tory councillor Tom Martin said: “It’s imperative we have a Local Plan that enables us to build housing for the people who live and work here as our children continue to be forced out of the borough.

“Part two will do far more to address infrastructure but we can’t have part two without part one. Revisiting housing figures is a vicious circle that will never get us to examination. We should avoid ever-decreasing circles of evidence gathering and bureaucracy.”

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Summing up before the vote, Miss Potts said: “We employed G L Hearn to do the work and we cannot continually challenge that. We need to move the plan forwards. We are very much in the hands of developers and we need to lead. This is our best chance to grasp the nettle and become the leader.