Wisley Letter To PM Urges Greater Green Belt Protection In Any Election Manifesto

Published on: 11 Sep, 2019
Updated on: 12 Sep, 2019

Harvest time at “Three Farms Meadows”, the former Wisley airfield.

A letter claiming the ousted Tory Guildford Borough Council “demonstrated itself to be a complete shambles” while “undermining central Government planning policies and trust in our democratic system”, has been sent to the Prime Minister by The Wisley Action Group [WAG] and Ockham Parish Council [OPC].

The letter suggests, as the “prospect of an early General Election hovers over Parliament”, Boris Johnson might reflect on some of the key reasons why Tory heartlands such as Guildford suffered a massive swing away from the Conservatives at the May borough elections.

“The defection was largely towards residents’ parties which have emerged in the wake of decisions by Conservative councillors to ignore the party’s manifesto with plans to withdraw green belt status from massive swaths of land in favour of large-scale, inappropriate development,” says the letter, signed by Helen Jefferies of WAG and Malcolm Aish of OPC.

In a clear reference to the owners of green belt land at “Three Farms Meadows”, the former Wisley airfield, the joint letter points to the lack of legal verification and accountability of offshore investors that allow undeclared individuals and companies to hide their true legal status and shareholders.

Mr Aish said: “Our letter is intended to spotlight some of the major failings of the previously Tory-controlled council in Guildford and urges the PM to ensure Conservative councillors across the country adopt a more reasoned and responsible attitude to planning and development following a national policy of genuine green belt protection in any future Conservative party manifesto.”

We have tried to obtain a local Conservative Party response to the announcement from OPC but the invitation was declined. The Conservative Group at GBC has a policy of not communicating with The Guildford Dragon NEWS.

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