WAVERLEY Borough Council has hit back at the latest comments made by an opponent of the project to regenerate Farnham's rundown East Street area. Michael Murphy, of East Street Action, last week suggested that it was time to call a halt to a dream that had become a nightmare and announced that the pressure group was holding an open meeting on the issue on April 20. Replying in a statement this week, Waverley Council stressed that since the original idea to regenerate the area was conceived, the council has ensured that Farnham's residents have been given many opportunities to provide their views at every stage of the process. This approach, said the council, enabled an initial planning brief to be written which incorporated the desires of the people of Farnham. Since the initial planning brief, there have been extensive consultations with the Farnham community which led to changes to the masterplan. In July 2004 there was a further independent questionnaire by NOP World which enabled members to make an informed decision when giving approval to the masterplan for the East Street area. Christine Pointer, Waverley's chief executive, said: "The biggest advantage of encouraging community involvement through consultation is that the make-up of the final development will be something that has been influenced and shaped by local people. That is why it is crucial that we consult upon ideas and options at every stage of the process with a wide cross section of people, including the apparent minority of residents with strong negative views. "I personally have been encouraged by many who are looking forward to the development happening as soon as possible because they see it as only being a good thing for Farnham. "We believe that the proposed development is not a 'nightmare' but will be a vital contribution to the regeneration of this part of the town and will ensure that Farnham remains competitive with its neighbours as well as providing facilities, services and housing which will continue to make Farnham an attractive and sustainable place to live and to visit. "To most people, the development will be an important contribution to the town's future to ensure it remains a vibrant place to live and work." The statement said that although from the early stages, residents have provided a clear steer on what they would like to see included in the area, Waverley recognises that aspirations change and that to ensure the final development caters for all ages and interests, it is vital that every chance is taken to consult upon ideas and options. The findings of previous consultations have provided invaluable information and have led to some key amendments. Two key areas of concern related to heights of buildings and the number of residential units. In response, the masterplan was amended to reduce the height of the development proposed to be four-storey from 41.8 per cent to 25.5 per cent and the number of residential units has been reduced by 13 per cent. The next stage is the planning stage. The council is about to embark on an innovative approach to the planning negotiation - to allow local input before the application is submitted. The forum will be meeting in public to ensure that as much information as possible is in the public domain in advance of the formal planning process, which will then follow as speedily as possible. Christine Pointer said: "By encouraging the whole of the community to have their say, I am confident that we can create a final development that is attractive and vibrant and that it will provide for the needs of future generations too."