Opinion: Many Will Want Their Views To Count As Draft Local Plan Enters New Phase

Published on: 24 Jun, 2014
Updated on: 24 Jun, 2014

The debate over the council’s draft Local Plan is set to continue and promises to be the hottest topic of its kind in Guildford for years.

Hard on the heels of the news that the full council approved the document for public consultation at its meeting on Thursday last week (June 19), comes the borough’s About Guildford newspaper that has been dropping through letterboxes this week.

‘Your borough – your future’ screams the headline on the front page. Its lead story contains a quote by the lead councillor for planning, Monica Juneja, who says: “We want everyone to be part of an informed discussion on the future of our borough. Guildford has a range of voices – families, students and young people, business leaders, older residents and key workers – we will listen to you all in this process.”

Four further pages of this edition of About Guildford are given to the Local plan, with another page headline that reads: ‘Residents’ concerns over Green Belt will be taken into account’.

The Guildford Dragon NEWS advises its readers to take a good look at the borough’s newspaper, and then form your opinions and let the council (and us) know your views. You can find out more on the council’s website, click here.

But, as many residents know, there is division among councillors at Millmead. A press statement from the Guildford Lib Dem group says that its councillors have “condemned the draft Local Plan rushed out to consultation by Conservative lead councillors” and that “in its current state it is not fit for purpose. The Conservative majority on the council, supported by Labour councillors, pushed through the decision to put the flawed version out to consultation.”

The Lib Dems point out that the draft proposes a housing target of 652 new homes every year, a total of 13,040 to be built by 2031. More than 4,000 new homes are proposed for Guildford’s urban area, and more than 1,500 for Ash and Tongham. They add that round 7,000 new homes would be built on land currently in the green belt.

Lib Dem councillor Julia McShane (Westborough) said: “We need enough homes to meet the requirements of our communities in both the town and the villages, but it is far from clear the draft would achieve this. There are too many let-outs for developers in the wording: we could end up sacrificing green belt land and tolerating over-development in our town without providing the affordable housing people need.”

Lib Dem Group Leader Cllr Caroline Reeves (Friary and St Nicolas) said: “Lib Dem councillors have worked hard during the run-up to the preparation of the draft Local Plan to support the efforts of planning officers to prepare the evidence base and to make sure the consultation on options reached as many people as possible. We are very disappointed at the political decisions made by the Conservative administration in the last few weeks of preparation of the draft.”

Kelly-Marie Blundell, Lib Dem parliamentary candidate, added: “The Conservatives dithered for years before authorising the preparation of the Local Plan, and now they are rushing ahead with consultation on the draft without paying proper attention to the views of all councillors. This should be Guildford’s Local Plan, not the Tory Local Plan.”

In a press release, the borough council reminds residents: “The draft Local Plan is a framework for how our borough will develop up to 2031. It covers affordable housing, the economy and employment, infrastructure, the green belt and more. It is based on the latest evidence, follows national planning guidance and includes possible levels and locations of future development. The document incorporates recommendations made by the joint scrutiny committee in May. The Executive backed the draft Local Plan for public consultation earlier this month.”

There are a number of pressure groups fighting to preserve the green belt. The Guildford Greenbelt Group (GGG) has been quick to issue a detailed press release with its latest views. It is disappointed by the decision of the full council not to amend the draft Local Plan.

Many fear the green belt around Guildford is under threat.

Commenting on last Thursday’s meeting, the GGG observed: “Councillors were given the opportunity to challenge the public speakers. This was a useful dialogue, but it became unpleasant when councillors attacked a young student who lives in the borough, but is at university elsewhere. She explained that she did not want to see the countryside destroyed in order to build homes for the young because she loved it and thought it was beautiful. She also said she did not think that potential affordability would be increased by building more homes. Councillors asked deliberately technical and intimidating questions that they had not chosen to ask more experienced speakers. Then several councillors said that they wanted to ignore what she had told them because they intended to build houses for young people anyway.”

GGG’s statement continued: “After a long debate of more than four and a half hours, councillors voted 27 to 14 to approve the plan going to consultation. The debate was at times bad tempered with councillors protesting that their opportunity to express their views was limited and that the Executive members were being given too much opportunity to respond. Councillors were not given the opportunity to make factual corrections to statements made by the Executive. Most councillors agreed that the housing numbers were too high and most said that they would not support the plan in its current form. But many councillors voted for it just the same, following the instructions of the Executive committee.”

The chairman of GGG, Susan Parker, makes the point: “We will of course comment on the draft Local Plan, and we will provide resources on our website for people to use to help them comment too. We won’t tell people what to say, but can help them make points that will be relevant in planning terms. We can also give information about the planning process and the rules that are applied. Everyone should comment on the draft Local Plan, even if they have commented before.”

Without doubt, whatever is finally decided, it will not please everyone. And for all the shenanagens at Millmead, it may be the central government policy of encouraging growth in the South East and elsewhere that has the major influence on what happens in Guildford borough, because all Local Plans have to be approved by the unelected Planning Inspectorate.

However, residents do have the opportunity to do two things: firstly, have your say on Guildford’s draft Local Plan during the consultation process – whether you express a view from a personal viewpoint or for your community. And secondly, use your vote when it comes to the next council and general elections.

Share This Post