Letter: With Goodwill the North Street Application Could Be Suitably Amended

Published on: 19 Jan, 2023
Updated on: 20 Jan, 2023

The developer’s model of the proposal for the North StreetRegeneration, project “The Friary Quarter”.

From: Liz Hogger

Lib Dem borough councillor for Effingham

in response to: Lib Dem Councillor Needs to Be Better Informed

I think Cllr Bigmore is overlooking the fact that there is a difference between the council’s aspirations for the North Street site (providing more homes including affordable homes, an improved bus station, and enhancing and protecting the character of our town, as well as bringing economic benefits) and the actual planning application brought forward by the developer (negligible affordable homes, a reduced bus station that the County Highways Authority objected to, and excessively high buildings which harmed the character of the town and the historic environment).

I hope the council will now use its landholdings as leverage to encourage the developer to amend the planning application to remove these shortcomings, rather than going to appeal.

This ought to be possible if there is goodwill on all sides.

Responses to Letter: With Goodwill the North Street Application Could Be Suitably Amended

Bibhas Neogi Reply

January 19, 2023 at 11:14 pm

Not being a resident in Guildford Borough Council area, I had restricted my comments generally on the traffic issues. However, I reiterate my comments in https://guildford-dragon.com/opinion-after-wednesday-can-guildford-really-afford-the-lib-dems-any-longer/#comments

Party political mud-slinging is not going to give any answers to this development. Solutions are needed and I believe more consultation on aspects that were cited in the reasons for refusal would find an acceptable outcome for all with compromises where necessary.

Cllr Joss Bigmore perhaps used the wrong terminology when explaining the expenditure carried out by the council. The council was not “promoting” the scheme but “evaluating” it using resources procured by the council. Cllr Liz Hogger would have been aware of the need for the council to spend funds in assessing issues for which in-house expertise was not available.

I hope the developer re-examines the objections, consults and reviews the application. A great deal of effort, time and money has been spent preparing this application and it would be a shame to throw all that away.