Glimpsed views, village greens and a sewage pumping station led Waverley councillors to defer a vote on the finer details of controversial plans for up to 146 homes in a leafy corner of South Farnham.

Developers were accused of “heritage washing” when plans for housing either side of Waverley Lane came before the council’s planning committee.

The committee was discussing reserved matters of appearance, landscaping, layout and scale on an already approved application to develop the site close to Old Compton Lane.

Outline permission was given on appeal in July 2023 and Miller Homes began work last month by removing hedging to provide access, with many complaining about the extent of the work.

David Neame, of planning agents Neame Sutton Ltd, said the removal accorded with the outline permission. He added they had incorporated independent recommendations to improve the site, one of which was to have a ‘village green’ as an open accessible space at the front of both sides of the development.

“It’s not a village green – it’s an extended verge,” scoffed Cllr Jacquie Keen, while Cllr George Murray described it as a ‘pastiche’ rather than a genuine community asset.

He said: “It risks becoming a form of ‘heritage washing’ invoking an idea of a traditional village green without delivering its function or its spirit.

“Will cricket be played on it? Will there be a maypole? I think this is highly unlikely.”

The village greens were also intended to make the development more obvious and therefore slow traffic on Waverley Lane. But speakers consistently reminded the chamber the openness contradicted one of the main reasons the Planning Inspector had approved the development.

The proposed greenery and screening meant there should only be “glimpsed views into the site” from the road.

“The move from filtered glimpses to open designed views is deliberately intended to give the development greater prominence,” claimed Cllr Mark Merryweather.

The need for a sewage pumping station, given the size of the development, was also debated with several speakers saying its impact on neighbouring homes had not been fully assessed.

“It needs further investigation by officers,” said Cllr David Munro, who also proposed deferment until officers had more information on road safety and the visual aspects of the development.

The proposal was seconded and the vote was carried by seven votes to one with one abstention, and it will return to committee in two to three months.