Letter: When Will Guildford Borough Council Grasp The Nettle On Planning?

Published on: 12 Jul, 2018
Updated on: 12 Jul, 2018

From Michael Aaronson

In response to: Planning Inspector’s Comments Are Food For Thought

It would be nice to think that Gordon Bridger’s wise words will be heard and acted upon. However, when the planning inspector overseeing the examination of GBC’s proposed Local Plan, alongside his comments about the town centre, challenged the council to bring forward more houses into the early part of the plan period, what did the council do?

Instead of coming up with a more creative solution for town centre rejuvenation and redevelopment it fell back on the easy option of taking yet more slices of green belt land – where houses can be built quickly (and at great profit to developers). GBC’s proposals include a sudden 10% increase in the number of dwellings in Flexford/Normandy by means of a “village extension” to be planted on a site that has not featured in any version of the plan since 2013 and has therefore not been the subject of any public consultation.

This would have an obvious adverse impact on a community that already struggles with an overloaded transport and drainage infrastructure, as well as on the adjacent Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

And Flexford/Normandy is not the only village that will lose out as a result of these last-minute proposals. When will the council grasp the nettle of whatever it is that is stopping it from giving us a town centre we can all be proud of, while at the same time protecting our precious countryside?

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