WAVERLEY’S blueprint for future housing development suffered a setback on Budget Day with the government decision to ‘call in’ outline plans for 1,800 new homes at Dunsfold Park.

A cornerstone of the borough council’s draft Local Plan to meet increased housing targets is to build 2,600 houses at the airfield by 2032 and if Secretary of State Sajid Javid rejects Dunsfold Park’s application at a public inquiry, alternative sites will have to be found for around 10,000 new homes required.

Town MP Jeremy Hunt and Guildford MP Anne Milton backed the outcry led by campaign group Protect Our Waverley against building 1,800 houses at the airfield and lobbied the Communities Secretary to call in Waverley’s decision to grant consent in December.

“I am pleased that there will now be a full public enquiry following the decision by the Secretary of State to call in the Dunsfold application,” Mr Hunt said. “This will address the concerns of many Dunsfold residents, who understand the need for more housing but are worried about the implications for local infrastructure.”

POW chairman Bob Lees said: “We, and the thousands who protested against this proposal, are delighted. It is absolutely right that an independent view be taken of this application. The site was found to be unsustainable in 2008 and is still unsustainable.

Responding, Dunsfold Park said it respected the Secretary of State’s decision to ‘call in’ the planning application and “will continue working with all stakeholders as the situation develops”.

Waverley leader Farnham councillor Julia Potts said she was “very surprised and disappointed” as the decision appeared to tick all the boxes in the government’s housing white paper, which supports brownfield development.

Paul Wenham, Waverley’s executive director. said: “The council is seeking advice as to whether there will be any potential impact on the timing of the Local Plan public enquiry.”

Friends of the Earth planning expert Kathy Smyth said:“I find this decision baffling. It certainly has the potential to cause planning chaos locally.

“Farnham’s Neighbourhood Plan, which is now going to a referendum, is consistent with the emerging Local Plan which relies on Dunsfold for some housing so that would probably need reviewing. All these things take time and during this time much of Waverley would continue to have no little or no protection against smaller scale developments like the recent ones around Cranleigh which make no or minimal infrastructure contributions.”