New Neighbourhood Areas Announced for Lovelace and Send

Published on: 9 Jul, 2015
Updated on: 12 Jul, 2015

Guildford Borough Council (GBC) has now designated two new neighbourhood areas: the Lovelace neighbourhood area covering Lovelace ward (Ripley, Ockham and Wisley parishes), and Send neighbourhood area covering the parish of Send.

The Lovelace neighbourhood area was designated following an application from Ripley Parish Council and a consultation from 16 February to 29 March 2015. The Send neighbourhood area was designated following an application from Send Parish Council and a consultation from 1 – 29 June 2015.

Designating these neighbourhood areas means that Ripley and Ockham parish councils in Lovelace, and Send Parish Council in Send, will be able to work with their local communities to produce a Neighbourhood Plan and/or a Neighbourhood Development Order.

Wisley does not have a parish council, but people that live, work or do business in the area can still get involved in neighbourhood planning activities. Neighbourhood Plans and Development Orders can help bring forward developments the community needs, and enable the parishes to have a greater say in what development looks like and where it goes.

Cllr Paul Spooner, (Con, Ash South & Tongham) lead councillor for planning, said: “The approval of Lovelace and Send neighbourhood areas is great news. These are the sixth and seventh neighbourhood areas to be designated in our borough and will offer residents the chance to get involved in planning and have a say on how their local areas grow and change.”

Cllr Colin Cross, (Lib Dem, Lovelace) said: “I am very pleased that after a lengthy delay, GBC finally approved the application and therefore rejected the objections of the would be Wisley Airfield developers ,Wisley Property Investments Ltd.

“It is a good sign and hopefully indicates that we are now playing on a level playing field.”

The Localism Act 2011 introduced new rights to help communities shape development in their local areas. Neighbourhood plans and orders can set planning policies and grant up front permission for developments that the community wants to see go ahead. They must take account of national policy and help meet the strategic needs of the wider local area.

Share This Post