Local Plan Consultation: Thousands Have Their Say – Party Leaders and Campaigners React

Published on: 11 Aug, 2016
Updated on: 13 Aug, 2016

Thousands of residents have taken part, once again, in the public consultation on the revised draft Local Plan.

Guildford Borough Council estimate that it has received a similar number of responses to its previous public consultation in 2014 – when it had almost 20,000 comments from around 7,000 respondents comprising: residents, businesses, community groups and stakeholders. That response was considered to be one of the largest received by any local authority, nationally, in a Local Plan consultation.

In reactions to the news given by local political leaders and spokespersons from campaign groups, two main themes have emerged: the first is a re-emphasis of need for infrastructure improvements commensurate with any new developments displaying some scepticism, despite assurances, of what will be achieved; the second is a claimed lack of vision within the draft plan.

Council leader Paul Spooner.

Commenting on the level of response, Cllr Paul Spooner (Con, Ash South & Tongham), leader of the council, said: “We wanted to reach out to as many people as possible and will review every comment, so they can all easily be shared with the independent planning inspector and published for everyone to read.

“We are at a very important stage in developing our new Local Plan. It’s crucial to make sure the plan we submit for inspection tackles local issues as well as balancing community needs across the borough. A key factor is to ensure suitable infrastructure, particularly transport, is in place to support future housing, employment and leisure opportunities for local people.

“We have made it clear for a long time that we can only deliver the new Local Plan in full if the necessary transport improvements are achieved. We are working with partners such as Highways England and Surrey County Council on their significant infrastructure projects, which they must complete to enable our proposed plan. Working together is the right way forward to protect our borough and help our communities and economy thrive.”

The council leader also confirmed that following the Brexit vote, and the publication of the new 2014-based and household projections, the council will revisit both the Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) and the Employment Land Needs Assessment (ELNA) before submitting the Local Plan to the Secretary of State.

Cllr Spooner concluded: “This will ensure the evidence underpinning the Plan is robust, up-to-date and accurate. ”

Opposition leader Caroline Reeves.

Cllr Caroline Reeves (Lib Dem Friary & St Nicolas), leader of the opposition at Millmead, was broadly in agreement with the council leader’s statements. She said: “The Lib Dem message on the Local Plan has always been very clear that development anywhere cannot go ahead without the infrastructure to support it, particularly with regard to transport, so we agree that this is important and we urge that the work on this is published as soon as possible.

“The housing number produced by the SHMA is not necessarily the same thing as the housing target, since infrastructure constraints and green belt considerations must be taken into account.

“However it is very important that the SHMA is updated to take account of Brexit and the new household projections, so that the whole council can make an informed judgement about the housing target in the Local Plan proposed for submission.”

Leader of the Guildford Greenbelt Group Susan Parker.

Cllr Susan Parker (GGG, Send), leader of the three-member Guildford Greenbelt Group, was more sceptical: “It’s good that the evidence base is being reviewed, but the Local Plan should be changed to reflect comments people have made.

“It’s meaningless to say that infrastructure is a key factor in the Local Plan. Any infrastructure won’t be planned, much less built, within the time scale of the Local Plan.

“Guildford Borough Council needs to review the proposed housing numbers to ensure that our existing infrastructure and our environment can cope with proposed changes. We must not create a disaster in the meantime.

“Lewis Carroll described the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party where there is jam tomorrow, and never jam today. Of course, he wasn’t talking about traffic jams but even so, in Guildford, it is always jam today.”

George Dokimakis speaking on behalf of Guildford Labour said: “It just feels we are going round and round in circles with the Local Plan. Another consultation and another similar response.

“This plan has been years in the making but it feels like it is taking us nowhere. There is no coherent and holistic vision for Guildford.

“The Tory group’s approach makes me question their motivation. We are at risk of losing Guildford’s individual identity and just becoming another commuter belt town.”

John Rigg, GVG Chairman

John Rigg, the chairman of the Guildford Vision Group (GVG) which has instigated much of the “Masterplan” work in Guildford, said: “We need a local plan that works. In terms of the town centre, GVG’s primary focus, is to protect Guildford from bad development and a bad future. There’s nothing in the plan.

“The town needs a vision. We have one, but the council has yet to formally adopt it. There’s nothing in the plan.

“Town centre housing can be either wonderful or dreadful in contributing to a successful town – the plan sets no regime for quality. There’s nothing in the plan.

“One world-recognised ambition for any urban plan is a successful transportation hub. There’s nothing in the plan.

“Pedestrianisation is proven in 200 UK towns, with another 75 towns following suit. It is the most universally adopted town planning change. There is no ambition in the plan for any town centre pedestrianisation, even with our appalling record of fatalities and accidents, especially around the gyratory. There’s nothing in the plan.”

Tony Edwards, Wisley Action Group spokesman.

Tony Edwards, spokesman for the Wisley Action Group which is against development of the former Wisley Airfield site, was also critical: “Cllr Spooner states that he plans to re-visit the Strategic Housing Market Assessment [SHMA], following Brexit.  But housing need is a key foundation of the Local Plan so, without further consultation with ratepayers, the entire consultation process would be seriously undermined.

“It is, perhaps, unsurprising that there have been a similar number of responses to the draft Local Plan as last time – with, no doubt similar objections to what is clearly a very similar proposal, albeit with an increase in the contentious number of  green belt sites threatened with losing their status and protection.

“Cllr Spooner regularly repeats his mantra that he is ‘listening’ to rate payers. Unfortunately he then appears to ignore what they say.”

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