ELSTEAD and Weyburn’s Neighbourhood Plan, setting out a community-led blueprint for development in the area, has hit a “brick wall” amid an ongoing row with Waverley Borough Council over the allocation of housing sites.

Work began on the Elstead and Weyburn Neighbourhood Plan in November 2014 and the plan’s steering group says it has made “good progress” in putting together a first draft of document, which it hopes to put out to consultation in April.

This will cover development policies relevant to the village and also a range of programmes which are designed to enhance the facilities and environment of the parish, some of which could be funded from proceeds of the community infrastructure levy (CIL).

However, the draft plan will not include strategic sites for housing, as identified by villagers, because of a conflict with Waverley’s now-adopted Local Plan which seeks to build the homes elsewhere.

It comes just weeks after Farnham Town Council was forced to embark on an early partial review of its own Farnham Neighbourhood Plan after Waverley upped the town’s housing target as part of major modifications to the borough’s Local Plan.

Addressing the issues encountered in the village, Elstead parish council clerk Juliet Williams told the Herald: “We had planned to cover sites for housing in the draft plan. Much to our regret, however, we will not now be able to do this.

“The reason is that, after several lengthy meetings with their officials, we have effectively encountered a brick wall in the form of Waverley Borough Council’s planning department.”

Mrs Williams added the steering group’s aim had been to work closely with Waverley in the identification of suitable sites to accommodate the balance of the 160 new dwellings - a minimum of 67 dwellings - which the Waverley Draft Local Plan Part 1 (LPP1) allocates to the Elstead and Weyburn Neighbourhood Plan Area.

“Waverley want these additional dwellings to be built on two sites off Hookley Lane (the Croft and 4 Trees),” she continued.

“But the NPSG, in the light of the views expressed by parishioners at the public meeting last July, believes that it would be entirely wrong to locate all of this new development off Hookley Lane on sites which are remote from local services and which would generate large increases in traffic along a narrow dead-end road.

“The NPSG has moreover identified a much more suitable site at Sunray Farm which is capable of accommodating over half of the additional dwellings required under LPP1.”

It is also more accessible than either of the Hookley Lane sites, she said, and, as it is previously developed land (a former poultry farm with several redundant old buildings), its use for housing would be less damaging to the Green Belt than either of the alternatives, which for the most part are open sites.

“It also commands wider local support and would ensure a balanced pattern of development across the village,” the parish clerk continued.

“We do not believe Waverley planners have given these arguments proper attention. But without their support, or at least acquiescence, we cannot go ahead in the Neighbourhood Plan with the identification of the sites which we believe are the most appropriate and which generate local support.

“Regrettably, therefore, we have concluded we will have to remove site allocations from our Neighbourhood Plan if we are to make any further progress with the project. This does not however mean we must calmly accept Waverley’s choice of housing sites.”

But Mrs Williams said the steering group has vowed to “vigorously promote the sites which we believe are best for the village”, with the support of David and Jenny Else, Elstead’s borough councillors.

“We are setting up a small group to formulate our arguments and response, membership of which will be open to anyone wishing to participate,” she added.

Anyone interested in taking part in the process is asked to contact Juliet Williams, by calling 01252 703943 or email [email protected]