Letter: Council’s New Planning Document Will Not Safeguard Guildford

Published on: 2 Sep, 2012
Updated on: 10 Sep, 2012

From Gerald Bland

Guildford Vision Group

The interim Guildford plan, a completely new document, runs to 184 pages and was first made available to the public on 20th August. In the absence of the council holding any meetings or producing literature explaining the plan it’s unsurprising that the importance of the plan is only now beginning to be appreciated – the slides for GVG’s public meeting can still be seen on our website http://www.guildfordvisiongroup.com.

Rather than the the town being ravished by developers, as some allege, if the plan is not adopted on 6th September the reverse is true. Can TGDN readers point me to any provision in that plan which safeguards sites whilst the evidence base is finalised?

As one councillor said to me earlier this week the plan to be adopted on 6th September is the council’s ‘Asset Disposal Plan’. I would ask all Guildford residents to please ask their ward councillors to identify the site specific safeguarding provisions and, in the absence of a satisfactory reply, please come along to the Executive meeting on 6th September.

GVG are not against the sustainable development nor are our criticisms of the new plan any reflection on the competence and professionalism of council officers. Getting the best for our town is not simple.

If you need a heart transplant you don’t go to your GP, you go and see a heart surgeon and his hand picked team – and they would get you and your family together, explain the options, the risks and benefits their skills could deliver so you, and not them, could make informed choices. It would be a collaborative process. GVG seek no more: an outcome that ought to resonate with a Tory Council in this era of localism and community empowerment.

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