CHIDDINGFOLD Baptists have lost their latest bid for a new church in the village after the district council rejected planning permission for the building. The Baptist church had submitted fresh plans for a church near the doctors' surgery in Ridgley Road, but a Waverley Borough planning committee voted against permission last week, despite council officers' recommendations for approval. Villagers had lodged 42 objections by letter, with 45 supporting the plans, the committee heard. But the site would have been in Green Belt land. The Baptists' search for a new site goes back eight years and the present chapel, in Woodside Road, is too small for the congregation. Seven other sites had been investigated, in and around the village, but the church said this was the only option. They had previously applied to extend the current church but were refused permission because of lack of parking and say in any event the chapel would still be too small. Officers said in their report, although the site lies outside the village settlement boundary, it was nevertheless well related to the village. The Baptist's had demonstrated "very special circumstances" in that it would provide a much- needed new church that would serve the village, and the groups it supports in the community. They were "satisfied with the applicant's argument that there is no appropriate alternative site within the village". But Alistair Hunter, speaking for objectors at the meeting, said: "Many of those objecting to this application are actually sympathetic to the challenges faced by the local Baptist Church. "However we have serious concerns about the tactics being used to try to push through this application and the separate, but related, proposal for housing next to the site. "There is a risk that because the applicant is a religious organisation the background information provided to support the application may not be subjected to robust challenge. Specifically, the number of church attendees shown in the officers' report is significantly overstated, undermining the entire justification for approval." The objectors' main concern related to the site being in the Green Belt and the threat to trees and wildlife. "The development would create an island of public buildings, separated from the village by fields, but for how long?" Another major concern was road safety, traffic and parking problems. Although a doctors' surgery had been built nearby, five years ago, an exception had been approved for that because it benefited everyone and was supported by a huge majority. Mr Hunter said: "Contrary to the report, residents living nearby reported regular attendance at the present church was under 30." Mr Hunter added: "We do not need another village hall at the expense of the Green Belt." But Chiddingfold Parish Council supported the revised plan. Parish Council chairman Christine Tebbot said the church had consulted fully with the community and had now addressed the main concerns. There had been considerable changes to the size, design and layout. The parish council had consulted with the community and plans had been on display, most recently at the annual parish meeting. The council commissioned consultants to advise on traffic management issues near the doctors' surgery recommendations were being planned in partnership with the highways local committee. The church minister Rev Tim Langdon said the church building initiative was called 'Project Generations' recognising the building was not just for the present congregation but for future ones, in a building more appropriate to the needs of the community, not just church goers. The church was active in a number of village groups including a recent counselling scheme. The revised design was now 37 per cent smaller, the manse had been omitted, there was increased car parking space and the building was energy efficient with facilities for the disabled. Rev Langdon said: "This is not a commercial scheme it is based on the needs and the desires of the community." He told the Herald this week: "The decision was very disappointing and frustrating, but the church would take time to consider whether to appeal. "There is a six month time limit to lodge an appeal and we need time to give ourselves some space to just be a church." He added: "There were comments made at the meeting which doubted the integrity of the figures given, to which the church had no comeback because of the way the planning system worked. It is very annoying."
