WAVERLEY Council has reported that Farnham residents have been responding positively to the booklet they sent out last week detailing proposals for a scaled–down scheme to redevelop East Street. Many comments have already been received and the deadline to return the comments card in the reply- paid envelope provided with the booklet is September 28 Richard Gates, leader of the council, said: "I would urge anybody who has not yet responded, but who feels that they have a comment to make, to send their remarks back to us as soon as possible. "Every single comment will be read, as residents' views have been instrumental in pursuing a revised scheme and we believe that further input is vital in making sure this development is right for Farnham." The content of the booklet is available on Waverley's website as are the answers to some of the questions that Waverley is frequently being asked. Pressure group East Street Action said this week that the new plans are moving in the right direction, but more work will need to be done to make the development "right for Farnham". The group welcomes the loss of the underground car park, the smaller cinema, the removal of the mill-style apartment block in the "green lung", and the provision of a new Gostrey Centre. They have also commented that illustrations in the brochure suggest that the architectural style will be more acceptable to the people of Farnham, that there will be no formal landscaping in Brightwell Gardens, and many of the mature trees will remain. But chairman Ann Thurston added: "Although the number of flats is to be reduced from 294 to about 230, the development is still very large and one that Farnham will find great difficulty in accommodating. "Additional vehicles will add to existing traffic problems and will increase pollution in the town that already exceeds statutory levels." East Street Action estimates that the reduced scheme would still lead to a shortfall of 148 public parking spaces and also finds the suitability of a multi-storey car park in Farnham is questionable. East Street Action also finds it difficult to envisage how 230 residential units can be fitted into the available space. "With Brightwell Gardens and the green area down to the river discounted, the residential density would be about 100 units per hectare. This is a very high-density development which is not in keeping with the adjacent conservation area. The number is way above recommended guidelines," they commented." The pressure group ended its comments with a pledge to work with Waverley, "providing the scheme is right for Farnham".