Guildford Vision Group Accuse Council of Avoiding Meeting on ‘Masterplan’

Published on: 5 May, 2012
Updated on: 6 May, 2012

Today (May 5) in an open letter to Council Leader Tony Rooth, the newly formed Guildford Vision Group accuse the borough council of: “seeking to avoid engagement with the community” which, they say: “is difficult to see … other than as a material disservice to the various stakeholders in Guildford.”

The letter continues: “…in the absence of any response [to the group’s meeting requests] to date it might reasonably be deduced that your intention is to adopt the inadequate and in our view flawed Master plan (in its new guise as an Interim Town Centre Framework) without leading master planners, economists and traffic engineers undertaking a complete, proper and holistic exercise.”

The letter has been distributed widely. Signed by the group’s director John Rigg it states: “I am sending a copy of this open letter to Anne Milton MP, to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, all Borough Councillors, local County Councillors, all of our members and to the Surrey Advertiser and Guildford Dragon in the hope that any fears we may have about this process will be prove to be misplaced, but in recognition that all the indications to date are not positive.”

Angela Gunning, Leader of the two member Labour Group said: “The letter to Tony Rooth expresses clearly the real concerns of the well-informed residents (who have set up GVG) for the future of Guildford. I sincerely hope we will listen to them, and invite them to contribute to the revision of the Masterplan, for the benefit of today’s Guildfordians and those who live and work here in the future.”

The Council Leader, Tony Rooth, Cllr Jenny Wicks (Lead Councillor for Planning and Development) and other members of the opposition parties have all also been asked for comment. These will be published as they are received.

A full copy of the letter can be seen below.