ELEVEN parish councils within Waverley, Guildford and Chichester local authorities have joined forces to request Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, call in the application for 1,800 new homes at Dunsfold Park.

If the SoS agrees the request, he could inform Waverley Borough Council (WBC) that if it is minded to approve the plan, it cannot be permitted without his consent.

Eight Waverley borough councils - Chiddingfold, Hambledon, Dunsfold, Hascombe, Bramley, Alfold and Wonersh - have been joined by Shalford within Guildford borough, together with Loxwood and Plaistow with Ifold in Chichester district.

Calling on Mr Clark to intervene, the councils warn: “While the application is for 1,800 dwellings, the application makes clear that it is specifically designed to ensure the expansion of Dunsfold Park for up to 3,400 dwellings over the period of Waverley’s impending new Local Plan.

“It should not be left to Waverley Borough Council to decide this planning application without an overriding Government framework, similar to that which applied to eco-towns. The promotion of new settlements of the right size in the right locations will be damaged if an inappropriate settlement is allowed. This is of national importance.”

The parish councils took concerted action because they consider the Dunsfold proposal breaches policies of the extant Local Plan; flies in the face of previous decisions that Dunsfold Airfield is an isolated and unsustainable site; pre-empts the ability of WBC to determine in its imminent new Local Plan the extent of its housing needs, whether to meet them in full and where to meet such needs; has significant effects beyond Waverley in Guildford and West Sussex; would result in very large amounts being required to be spent on infrastructure and other services; and raises issues and effects beyond the borough that should be aired at a public inquiry and not be left to WBC to decide.