IT appears to be a long string rejections for Wates Development, which has vowed to appeal to the Secretary of State after being thwarted again - this time for two separate planning applications for 157 new homes on either side of Waverley Lane, also known as Compton Fields.

The application for 59 homes and 98 homes, which is a mix of one to five-bedroom homes, has been refused by Waverley Borough Council planning officers under delegated powers – which meant that neither of the applications were put before the planning committee for discussion.

Alongside this refusal, a previous application by Wates for 157 new homes was dismissed by Waverley’s head of planning, Matthew Evans, back in July, on the basis that the application would harm the character of the area.

A spokesperson for Wates Developments said: “We are naturally disappointed that further applications for up to 98 and 59 new homes at Compton Park have been refused by Waverley Borough Council.

“While smaller developments, the applications still committed to the 14-acre ‘SANG’ park as well as contributions to local schools and highway improvements.

“The council readily accepts that it does not have the required five-year supply of housing land. We remain very positive about the merits of the applications and the benefits that the development would bring in terms of much-needed new homes, including affordable homes.

“The matter will now pass to the Planning Inspectorate for a public inquiry, where the assessed impact of the proposals can be judged independently against its benefits.”