Letter: Borough Council Recognises the Concerns About Building Heights

Published on: 23 Sep, 2024
Updated on: 23 Sep, 2024

From: Fiona White

lead councillor for Planning at GBC and Lib Dem borough councillor for Ash Wharf

In response to: Building Heights Policy – Evasion and Confusion Must End

I was very surprised to read the letter from Cllr Richard Mills [Con, Castle] on the subject of a heights policy in Guildford.

Cllr Mills is a member of the Local Plan Panel. The Local Plan Panel is made up of representatives of all political groups on Guildford Borough Council and is consulted on all proposed changes to planning policies and SPDs. It is also being consulted on the government proposals for changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

The Panel met in December of last year to discuss whether there should be a heights SPD in Guildford. Cllr Mills was present and is well aware of the conclusion of the panel.

For the record, I have also had a meeting with representatives of the Guildford Society together with the assistant director of Planning at Guildford Borough Council to talk about the same subject and I am very grateful for the background information and examples of such policies elsewhere that the Society provided to us.

I made the council’s position on a heights SPD clear in response to a question at our full council meeting on July 23. The response is too long for me to replicate it here but readers can find the whole wording here [see page 6].

The important elements of that response are that the council recognises the concern about the impact of tall buildings can have on local character, important views, heritage assets and our landscapes. I confirmed that we will be progressing with a heights SPD and that officers hoped to bring forward a draft to the Local Plan Panel by the end of this year.

I would also like to point out that the Planning Policy Team at Guildford has also had to take time to respond to other important policy issues such as beginning the work to review the 2019 Local Plan and responding to the government’s consultation on the draft NPPF which is likely to have a major impact on all parts of Guildford.

There has been a meeting of the Local Plan Panel to discuss those responses and again, Cllr Richard Mills was a part of that meeting. Perhaps he has forgotten his involvement in these meetings.

Responses to Letter: Borough Council Recognises the Concerns About Building Heights

Nigel Keane Reply

September 24, 2024 at 1:43 am

An answer worthy of Sir Humphrey Appleby.
Richard Mills Reply

September 25, 2024 at 2:02 pm

I am grateful to Cllr White for her confirmation that a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) on building height will be presented to an internal panel of councillors by the end of December. That is good news, so far as it goes, but three considerations are now critical.

We currently have an ineffective Heights SPD operated judgmentally on the basis of views. Residents will naturally assume that what is now intended is regulating height by some more effective and readily understood measure such as number of storeys. With careful drafting it should be possible to secure this as supplementary guidance within existing policy. Cllr White will no doubt let us know if that is not the intention.

It is also important that the draft presented to the Local Plan Panel should not be subject to confidentiality restrictions. A formal and time-consuming public consultation process is unnecessary at that stage but on a matter such as this councillors on the panel will need freedom to consult external experts and interested local organisations.

Finally, time is of the essence. If there is a significant risk that hard-pressed Council staff will be unable to meet the December deadline, Cllr White should follow the suggestion of the Guildford Society and appoint consultants to prepare the draft.

Richard Mills is a Conservative borough councillor for Castle Ward.