FARNHAM'S Conservative Parliamentary candidate Jeremy Hunt has strongly spoken against a draft local plan currently being consulted on by Waverley Borough Council. The Local Development Framework, which will be finalised next year, provides policy guidance to Waverley's planners deciding whether or not to grant planning permission to new developments. It is also used by the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol when deciding on appeals to planning decisions. However, the draft of the new plan is of great concern to Mr Hunt, who believes it tips the balance much too far in the direction of development. "Currently Waverley is building more than 200 new dwellings every year and no one is asking whether this rate of development is sustainable. The assumptions behind the draft suggest that there is no alternative to continued large-scale development, despite the enormous pressure this puts on local roads, schools and hospitals," he commented. He is also pressing strongly for Farnham to be excluded from the Blackwater Valley sub- region, which within in the South East is designated as an area where housebuilding could be increased significantly beyond current rates. "We live in a beautiful part of the country, but it has never been more under threat from government housing targets. Waverley's local plan needs to be quite explicit about what development will and will not be allowed, and the current draft fails to do that. Ducking this decision will dangerously compromise the ability of local people to fight for what makes the area special," he warned. As part of his research into the views of local residents on the draft plan, Mr Hunt held public meetings in Farnham, Haslemere and Frensham. He was also due to be holding a further meeting in Churt yesterday (Thursday). Mr Hunt has written to Steve Thwaites, director of planning at Waverley, outlining his concerns. He has also copied his letter to all councillors. His arguments against the current draft are as follows: • There is an assumption that extra housebuilding on a substantial scale is required, when many local people believe it is not. • Extra housebuilding is unlikely to meet the lack of affordable housing, which should be tackled from the demand end rather than simply by building new houses. • He challenges the housing targets imposed by SEERA in the new South East Plan as being inappropriate for Waverley/South West Surrey. • He points out specific concerns about unpopular developments being turned down by Waverley but being upheld on appeal. He strongly urges Waverley to word its framework more tightly so that its decisions are more likely to be upheld on appeal. • He calls on Waverley to consider lowering the threshold at which affordable housing should be included in developments.
