BATTLE lines will be drawn tomorrow (Wednesday) when Dunsfold Park’s outline ‘masterplan’ to build a major new settlement of 1,800 new homes will be determined by Waverley’s joint planning committee.

The application for the largest brownfield its under single ownership has divided the borough.

On the one hand, the scheme has triggered thousands of objections because it is “unsustainable”, seen the launch of dedicated protest group ‘Protect Our Waverley’ and a combined protest by 11 parishes.

On the other hand, supporters have called for even more houses – 3,400 or more – to be built in order to reduce the number allocated to green field sites elsewhere in the borough in Waverley’s draft Local Plan.

Borough council officers have recommended it should be approved, subject to airfield owner Trinity College Cambridge agreeing to fork out hefty mitigation payments, including £7.6 million to Surrey County Council, £3.3 million to Glebelands School, Cranleigh, £780,000 to Waverley to replace Cranleigh Leisure Centre, and £200,000 to Surrey Police.

To get the green light, Dunsfold Park must sign up to a raft of binding legal agreements within six months of the decision, and make staged payments according to the number of houses built. If the legal requirements laid out are not met, the recommendation is to refuse the plan.

If approved, the residential scheme will include 30 per cent affordable housing, a community centre, a health centre, a primary school, a care home, shops and cafes. The three runways, including the ‘Top Gear’ track, will be removed and a ‘runway park’ will be created, dividing the new settlement from the existing business park that will be expanded.

Recommending the application be granted, Waverley officers said: “The social and economic benefits of the scheme are considerable. The need for new housing in the area is undisputed and in Waverley, the expectation is for brownfield sites to be developed ahead of additional green field sites.

“The limitation in terms of taking advantage of existing sustainable transport modes and loss of an undesignated piece of countryside comprising brownfield land, with limited harm to the wider landscape, would be outweighed by the significant social and economic gains identified.

“Officers consider the adverse impacts identified would not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the scheme.

“Nor do specific policies in the framework indicate that the development should be restricted.”

Protestors have objected approval is already a “done deal”, following Waverley’s decision to approve a draft Local Plan for around 10,000 houses to be built by 2032, with 2,600 allocated for the airfield.

If the plan is approved, objectors are banking on the application being ‘called in’ by Communities Secretary Sajid Javid and determined by him following a public inquiry. The scheme can only be called in if Waverley approves the application and the 11 parish councils fighting have called on Haslemere MP Jeremy Hunt to speak to the Minister.