The householders of Bartholomew Close are outraged after losing their fight against the development of two new homes in the corner of their close, on a plot of land which, before it was sold, was part of a back garden.
They are angry that after sending in 17 letters of objection, the only letter read out at the meeting of the southern area development control sub committee last Wednesday was a statement by the developers in support of the development.
Waverley councillors agreed by a narrow majority to permit the plans for two three-bedroom homes linked by two garages.
Neighbours, who have written to MP Virginia Bottomley, the chief executive of WBC Christine Pointer and Haslemere's Surrey county councillor Christine Stevens over the matter, were out in force on Monday.
Armed with letters which spelled out "No Eyesore" and standing where the homes are due to be built, resident Michael Clark declared:
"We are not going down without a struggle."
Mr Clark, who bought his home on the private estate 26 years ago and attended the meeting with his wife Jean, claimed that councillors "had only heard one side of the argument and that the homes would stick out like a sore thumb".
"The access is very difficult and the new homes will be in front of the back door of number 17 as well as overlooking other gardens in the close."
He also claimed that planners had taken no notice of restrictive covenants on the land which included not being able to build anything in a garden without written permission from neighbours.
He was also unhappy that a substitute member of the planning committee, David Inman, who represented Alfold and Dunsfold and who voted for the planning permission to go ahead, may not have local knowledge about the proposal.
Peter and Janet Slight, who live at number 17, the house most affected by the development,attended the meeting.
The couple, one of the first to move into the close when it was built in 1972, claimed that some information given at the meeting was incorrect.
"We were told at the meeting that 18 garages were approved in 1973 which would have caused considerably more traffic, but it was in fact only nine," Mr Slight claimed.
He is concerned that not only will the development be within feet of his back door and boundary, but it will bring more danger with cars trying to access the narrow drive causing additional hazard to the many children who play in the close.
Paul Tiller, who moved into the close last year, claimed that Waverley had "ridden roughshod over the residents of Bartholomew Close" and branded the decision to allow the two homes to be built as "vandalism".
"The developer can appeal if the decision goes against him, but we have no visible right of recall," said Mr Tiller.
Councillors at the meeting were split on the plans with James Mackie saying that he still felt it was "an over-development in a very tight area".
"Access is narrow and difficult in a pretty restricted area," he said.
"It is another example where Haslemere Town Council has objected and the developers have come back with a small scheme," he continued.
Other councillors also had similar concerns over the development but permission was finally granted on a vote of four for and three against.
Waverley's director of planning and development Stephen Thwaites told the Herald this week that"it was aware that the residents were unhappy and were complaining".
"We need to look into their complaints and respond formerly," he said.
"The planning matter was handled in the normal way and it is our procedure to have substitute members," said Mr Thwaites.
"In terms of the overall principle of the development, it followed national planning polices which are moving planning authorities to make the best use of urban land. It can be difficult and contentious fitting new developments within existing settlements but that is the national policy and we are having to work with it," said Mr Thwaites.