Fringe Box

Socialize

Twitter

Anonymous Leaflet Fuels Residents’ Fear of Green Belt Development

Published on: 29 Sep, 2013
Updated on: 30 Sep, 2013
Nearly 300 Fairlands residents attended to hear councillors address there concerns about development in adjoing fields. From left to Right: Clls David Elms, Bob McShee, Monika Juneka, Stephen Mansbridge, Iseult Roche, Fairlands Assoc. Dep Chairman. Terry Butler can be seen standing just in front of the stage talking to an attendee in the front row.

Nearly 300 Fairlands residents attended to hear councillors address there concerns about development in adjoining fields. On stage, from left to right: Cllrs David Elms, Bob McShee, Monika Juneka, Stephen Mansbridge, Iseult Roche, Fairlands Assoc. Dep Chairman. Assoc Chairman, Terry Butler, can be seen standing just in front of the stage talking to an attendee in the front row.

Angry residents, concerned by rumours of development plans for green belt fields adjoining Fairlands estate, confronted local councillors on Friday night (September 27) in a packed community hall.

An anonymous leaflet, distributed locally, had generated many of the fears expressed that development plans were already under way.

The councillors present (all Conservatives were: council leader Stephen Mansbridge; lead councillor for planning, Monika Juneja; and Worplesdon councillors David Elms, Bob McShee and Iseult Roche; found it difficult to persuade many in the audience that the current exercise was only consultation.

Cllr Mansbridge was shouted down after speaking for several minutes, explaining the background and aims of the Local Plan, which the consultation will inform. A member of the audience called out: “Get on with it. This is nothing to do with what we want to hear!”

Monika Juneja made several attempts to tell the meeting that while sites across the whole borough, as well as those near Fairlands Estate, have been identified as possible development sites, all that was intended, for the moment, was to gather information from local residents about the sites and their suitability for development.

At first, residents in the audience seemed unconvinced, reporting stories of mysterious developers speculating by buying up some of the fields that had been identified in council documents. But, eventually most in the audience seemed to accept that Guildford Borough Council was only consulting at this stage.

Cllr Juneja encouraged them all to participate over the next two months. She said: “Please have your say. … If none of you want any development then say so.”

In a show of hands, only two out of an estimated audience of nearly 300 indicated that they were in favour of any development at all.

The meeting had been organised by the Fairlands Association and was chaired by its chairman Terry Butler.

Stephen Mansbridge at Holy Trinity Hall explaining his vision for Guildford to The Guildford Society audience - Photo Mike Sleigh

Councillor Stephen Mansbridge  – Photo Mike Sleigh

After the meeting Cllr Mansbridge said: “It was good to meet with the Fairlands residents and be given the chance to put the record straight about what the council are actually doing at the moment.

“I hope they now understand that we want to consult them, and all other residents of the borough, so that their views are properly represented.

“We wanted to make it absolutely clear that someone had been alarming residents by giving them an impression that there was to be a development. As far as we know this is just foundationless scaremongering.”

Further details on the Local Plan consultation can be found on the council website: at 25 Swan Lane, where the council has a temporary shop acting as an information office and; events due to be held at some local supermarkets.

Were you at the meeting? Were your questions answered and have your fears been allayed? Please use the ‘Leave a Reply’ feature below to have your say.

Do you have a copy of the leaflet circulated? If so, please send to mgilesdragon@gmail.com

Share This Post

Responses to Anonymous Leaflet Fuels Residents’ Fear of Green Belt Development

  1. Trevor Harris Reply

    September 30, 2013 at 9:43 am

    Beware. Guildford’s planning committee is perceived as weak by many people. I have heard that people are going ahead with building work without planning permission and then applying for retrospective planning. Often the council just gives in and rarely enforces planning regulations.

    As we have seen in the proposed Ash Development how the planning committee just gives in to the bullying tactics of the developers. Cllr Mansbridge has been very critical of the committee in the Ash case.

  2. Sheila Podmore Reply

    October 6, 2013 at 2:35 pm

    Trevor Harris is right in his concern of the double standards shown by local councils. It was only three years ago that Michel Harper’s annex was bulldozed down by the council for being one meter wider and four meters longer than approved, at a farm in Shamley Green.

    Perhaps everyone who has built first and then applied for retrospective planning permission should be re-examined, developers included.

  3. Amos Ankrah Reply

    October 7, 2013 at 9:34 pm

    I am not convinced by this so called “consultation process” at all. I believe that if the council has its eye on certain locations then it will push for them to be included in the plan moving forward.

    Ultimately Fairlands is an ideal location for expansion: a defined settlement exists there already, there are good transport links into Fairlands and new development would potentially create some good resources in the village.

    The landowners seem willing to sell too. The flooding in the area is not serious and could be fixed with adequate drainage. The electricity problems could be alleviated with more modern infrastructure. The council are looking to remove Fairlands’ Green Belt status.

    Even if Green Belt status were not removed, the council would look for special dispensation for affordable housing should Fairlands be included in the Local Plan.

Leave a Comment

Please see our comments policy. All comments are moderated and may take time to appear. Full names, or at least initial and surname, must be given.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *