THE official deadline for comments on Dunsfold Park’s application to build a 1,800-home new town on the current home of BBC’s Top Gear - with huge potential ramifications for Farnham - will expire on Friday, February 5.

Fewer than 200 comments had been received on the deeply divisive planning application as The Herald went to press, and campaigners both for and against are urging as many as possible to make their views known.

In comparison, Dunsfold Park’s last ‘masterplan’ application for a 2,600-home eco-village on the 600-acre aerodrome south of Godalming in 2009 received 2,970 comments, 97 per of which objected to the development.

Responding to the latest application, newly formed protest group Protect Our Waverley has warned towns across the borough including Farnham and Haslemere will not be immune to the “ripple effects” if the major development is agreed by Waverley planners with the possibility of  thousands more houses built on the airfield to meet increased government housing targets.

However, many others have urged the plan be supported, including Waverley Lib Dem chairman Stewart Edge who said last week “every house not built at Dunsfold Park will be built elsewhere in Waverley”.

Alan Gavaghan, chairman of planning watchdog the Farnham Society, also joined the debate this week, criticising the Protect Our Waverley group for claiming to represent people across the borough.

He said: “The campaign group to oppose any housing development at Dunsfold Aerodrome has every right to campaign to protect what they regard as the interests of their local area.

“However, to call their group the ‘Protect our Waverley (POW) Campaign’ is to say the least curious. 80 per cent of the members of the public, who responded to the public consultation on the Local Plan, supported the option of 3,400 homes at Dunsfold Aerodrome.

“Thus POW will be seen by many throughout the borough to be a rather inappropriate title for a very local campaign group with a very local agenda, which is so out of line with public opinion in Waverley.”

Mr Gavaghan added that should the anti-campaign succeed and housing development is thwarted at Dunsfold Aerodrome - “Waverley’s only large and available brownfield site” - it could result in up to 5,000 houses being developed on greenfield sites across the borough.

The South Farnham Residents Association has also written to Waverley in support of the Dunsfold Park application, again promoting its capacity to relieve the pressure to build on greenfield sites across the borough.

Its chairman, Zofia Lovell, said: “Government and policies now support development on brownfield sites and clearly this site fulfils that remit. Waverley cannot demonstrate the ability to provide numerous brownfield sites and are currently relying on development on greenfield sites throughout the whole borough.”

Following requests to extend the deadline for comments on Dunsfold Park’s application beyond February 5, a Waverley spokesman said: “Waverley Borough Council always follows statutory guidelines when dealing with planning applications. The minimum consultation period is 21 days, however the council will continue to accept responses up until two working days before the committee meeting.

“Due to the scale of the application, the deadline for responses will allow the case officer enough time to put together the application report before the Joint Planning Committee, which is likely to be several months away.

“However we would encourage the public to get their comments in before the deadline to ensure their comments are considered as part of the officer’s case report.

“The themes from the overall consultation will also be duly considered by the statutory consultees and therefore there needs to be enough time for the statutory bodies to work with the issues raised.

“Comments received after the deadline will not necessarily be included in the officer’s report and will feature in a supplementary report.”

• The application proposed by Dunsfold Airport Ltd and Rutland Ltd comprises 1,800 new homes, space for new businesses, amenity space and supporting infrastructure including a new primary school and health centre.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

To comment on the application go to Waverley’s homepage on www.waverley.gov.uk and follow the Dunsfold Park link, or email comments to [email protected] or write to Planning Service, Waverley Borough Council, The Burys, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 1HR.