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Dragon Interview: Head of Planning Explains Planning Process Changes
Published on: 26 Oct, 2026
Updated on: 27 Oct, 2026
New rules affecting the way planning applications are dealt with come into force this Saturday (October 31). Already the last Planning Committee meeting under the old rules has been held in Guildford.
So why are the changes, imposed by central government, being introduced? They are likely to affect us all at some stage, in one way or another, and already many have expressed major concerns.
The Dragon NEWS invited the Head of Planning at Guildford Borough Council, Claire Upton-Brown, to explain, but remember it is not her policy, she is just responsible for administering them.
Please watch…
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Responses to Dragon Interview: Head of Planning Explains Planning Process Changes
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PM You say you're worried about the reaction in Surrey to council reorganisation. How many Labour MPs does Surrey elect? Angela Rayner: None, ever. PM Next item!
Mike Forster
October 27, 2026 at 10:42 am
Speeding up the planning application process is admirable but it does seem this will be at the the detriment of comments and objections by inerested parties being fully considered under this new process.
What is highly important is that the decision process remains open and transparent and that there is no opportunity for contentious applications being reviewed without full deliberation and appreciation of local concerns.
Angela Richardson
October 27, 2026 at 4:34 pm
Whatever happened to officers advise and politicians decide?
The interview was very helpful and informative. My biggest concern is what appears to be less scrutiny on applications where GBC is the applicant. A footpath is generally a smaller scale issue. A massive development on land owned by GBC is of a different order. The general public needs reassurances that large applications will still go to committee. GBC officers shouldn’t be able to mark their own homework or take decisions were no one can hold them to account.
Saving time and money is important but there is always a limit. Planning decisions have enormous impact and are worth time, care and attention.
This all becomes more precarious when West Surrey takes over next April and decision making on planning moves even further away.
People may have voted for change in 2024, but were these changes and the introduction of the “grey belt” designation what they really had in mind? The Labour Party may not be in contention for the local parliamentary seats but by goodness it’s worth everyone understanding what the impact of facilitating them into government has been in terms of planning. The eastern villages of the Guildford constituency keep being hit hard no matter where they turn. As a former Effingham resident they all have my deepest sympathy.
What is worse is how little these changes were flagged locally. I recall Cllr Paula Moss alerting the Editor of the Guildford Dragon NEWS to the planning decision changes in her recent interview covering her rural roar campaign.
Why did this go under the radar when Planning is such a hot button issue?
Angela Richardson is the former Conservative MP for Guildford