WAVERLEY Borough Council is to be asked if it can justify claims that people in Farnham want to see the current East Street redevelopment proposals progressed through a planning application and eventual construction. In a formal question to East Street portfolio holder Chris Mansell at next week's meeting of the full council, campaigner Jeremy Hyman will call into question the assertion that the public wants Waverley to "get on with it". According to Mr Hyman, his pressure group CEASE surveyed people who attended eight Crest Nicholson Sainsbury's exhibitions concerning the proposals in 2003 and found "overwhelming concern that the proposals were excessive". He will also draw attention to the East Street Action petition presented in 2004, which contained 1,913 names and addresses of people opposed to the scheme. "Members might like to believe that the Farnham public want you to 'get on with' providing a scheme that 1, features a car park entrance ramp in a big hole right outside Falkner Court's front door (and on the historic flood level) and 2, creates a titanic and perhaps outmoded block that contains at least 80 (affordable?) flats on the two upper floors." Mr Hyman's question, detailed on the council agenda, will go on to refer to "the sacrifice of Brightwell Gardens and bowling green, Borelli Walk, six acres of land at Riverside, our theatre..." And he also claims the sacrifice of part of Farnham Park for a 285-500 space car park will be another requirement - an apparent reference to Waverley's suggested "mini-plan" to encourage dog walkers to use the park. The mini-plan is being proposed in a bid to solve the current "impasse" that is preventing developers building houses within 5 km of the Special Protection Area for the Dartford warbler at Hale. "Does the portfolio holder have any evidence that would justify (and quantify) recent claims that there are other people in Farnham that, with full knowledge of the proposals before us, would endorse the progression to the planning stage and construction?" Mr Hyman will ask. "We cannot find any, so would you please investigate the true level of public support and report back, with the evidence, before the required approval to proceed to planning is considered?"
