Send Proposal Refused by Planning Committee Following Fierce Objections

Published on: 6 Mar, 2026
Updated on: 7 Mar, 2026

View of London Road (B2215) in Send. Google Street View

By Emily Dalton

local democracy reporter

Plans for a major industrial building near the Surrey village of Send have been thrown out in the face of fierce local opposition. Fears centred on the village’s main street being “manifestly unsuitable” for heavy vehicles.

The proposal included eight commercial units built at Burnt Common Nurseries off London Road (B2215) in Send, creating around 7,300 square metres of industrial and warehouse space as well as around 60 jobs.

Councillors turned down the controversial scheme at a Guildford Borough Council Planning meeting on March 4. The majority of members agreed London Road’s current infrastructure was not suitable to carry heavy vehicles through the quiet villages.

Residents in the semi-rural villages of Ripley, Send and Clandon mounted intense opposition against the scheme. They said the development could bring a surge in HGVs and heavy traffic to a road network they claimed is already stretched.

Send resident Phil Rance objecting to the proposal.

Phil Rance, who lives in Send, told the planning meeting: “Every journey passes across the roundabout.” He said: “HGVs already accelerate past bus stops towards the A3 which I can tell you first hand is terrifying.”

Rance added that the traffic impact does not account for around 500 planned homes at Garlick’s Arch. He said residents are being asked to accept the scheme “in the name of economic development.”

“Thousands of people will live with the consequences of this decision.”

Cllr Howard Smith

Councillors echoed the residents’ fears during the course of the debate. Cllr Howard Smith (Lab, Westborough) said the scheme appeared to mean “way too much increase in traffic”.

Cllr Joanne Shaw

Cllr Joanne Shaw (Lib Dem, Merrow) said although Surrey County Council highways officers had not objected, the situation still “doesn’t feel okay”.

She said: “We all know the volume of traffic there and it is only going to increase.”

Cllr Pat Oven

Cllr Patrick Oven (GGG, Send & Lovelace) argued the road was “manifestly unsuitable” for the volume of HGVs the site could generate. “That B-road is effectively the village’s main street,” he said. “It’s completely unsuitable for taking 44-tonne lorries night and day.”

Some councillors instead suggested limiting hours of operation or lighting to reduce the impact on nearby homes.

But planning officers said the council’s hands were largely tied because the site is already allocated for employment use in the Local Plan and no highways objection has been raised by Surrey County Council.

Planning documents say the development would help meet demand for employment space in the borough while delivering dozens of jobs and biodiversity improvements.

Despite the economic benefits, residents insist the development risks fundamentally changing the character of the area and worsening traffic through the surrounding villages.

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