A NEW campaign group backed by more than 20 residents associations in Farnham is calling on voters to ‘Say Yes’ in the Farnham Neighbourhood Plan referendum on May 4.

After more than four years hard work on the part of residents, councillors, businesses and societies across the town, Farnham’s community-led blueprint shaping how the town is to develop over the next 15 years will finally go to a public vote next month, coinciding with the county council elections.

If a majority of people vote in favour, the Farnham Neighbourhood Plan, which has already passed independent examination, will become one of the first in the country to be adopted, and will be immediately put into use by Waverley Borough Council to determine planning applications in-line with the community’s wishes.

As reported in last week’s Herald, a group of developers with interests in sites deemed inappropriate for development in the Farnham plan still have hopes of derailing the blueprint with a legal challenge ahead of next month’s referendum.

But, in a show of defiance, the Farnham Society this week joined together with residents associations across the town to endorse the vital planning document and call on all eligible voters to have their say on May 4.

The so-called ‘Say Yes’ campaign began delivering 12,000 leaflets through letterboxes this week - funded by three of the town’s largest representative groups, the Farnham Society, South Farnham Residents Association and Badshot Lea Community Association.

Chairman of the Farnham Society planning committee David Howell told the Herald: “The adoption of the Farnham Neighbourhood Plan will be a major and much-needed step forward, confirming that power over the development of Farnham in the hands of its residents and taken away from speculative developers.

“The Neighbourhood Plan was prepared based on the numerous workshops and consultations with the people of Farnham. The plan is by the people of Farnham, for the people of Farnham, for the generations to come.

“It is imperative that the years of hard work by Farnham Town Council, local residents associations and community groups comes to fruition. Take responsibility and have your say in how the Farnham grows. Don’t let decisions that affect Farnham and its surrounding area, be taken by others. Support the Farnham Neighbourhood Plan.”

Cliff Watts, of another group backing the ‘Say Yes’ campaign, the Badshot Lea Community Association, also spoke up for Farnham’s plan this week.

Referring to the threatened legal action by Bewley Homes, Wates Developments and Catesby Property Group as “the unacceptable face of developer activity”, he said the challenge is “driven by pure commercial self-interest and has nothing to do with the wellbeing of Farnham or its current or future residents”.

“The Neighbourhood Plan was put together with considerable local input,” Mr Watts added. “It employed the principles set out in the Governments’ Localism Act and the guidance set out in the supporting National Planning Policy Framework.

“It was then closely scrutinised by a government appointed inspector and found to be sound and fit for purpose.

“So commercial interest is now pitted against our democratically produced Neighbourhood Plan. If anybody was of the opinion that the plan was a waste of time this clearly illustrates that the developers are in fear of it.”

Farnham’s Neighbourhood Plan has also received a high-profile endorsement from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid, who, in a letter to the ‘Say Yes’ group, confirmed the adopted plan would have the power to dictate development in the town independent of Waverley Borough Council’s own emerging Local Plan, which is yet to undergo examination.

“I am encouraged by the progress that has been made with Farnham Neighbourhood Plan,” wrote the communities secretary Mr Javid.

“The Government is aware of the experience of communities who have produced neighbourhood plans, but had these undermined because their local planning authority cannot demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing sites.

“The Written Ministerial Statement of December 12, 2016 explains that, where communities have allocated sites for housing in their area through a neighbourhood plan, those plans should not be deemed to be out-of-date under paragraph 49 of the National Planning Policy Framework, unless there is a significant lack of land supply for housing in the wider local planning authority area.”

Mr Javid added the Neighbourhood Planning Bill gives neighbourhood plans “full legal effect” once they have been approved by referendum, “so the benefits of the plan are realised as soon as possible”.

A full list of residents associations backing the ‘Say Yes’ campaign is as follows: Badshot Lea Community Association, Chantrys Residents Association (RA), Crooksbury Road RA, Douglas Grove RA, Frensham Vale Action Group, Gong Hill RA, Lavender Lane RA, Moor Park RA, North West Farnham RA, Old Church Lane RA, Old Park Lane RA, Park View RA, Rowledge RA, Sandy Hill Community, Searle Road RA, South Farnham RA, Stoneyfields East RA, Upper Old Park Lane RA, Weybank Close Co operative RA and Weybourne RA.