Worplesdon Council’s Offer to Make ‘Horse Field’ a Nature Reserve Rejected by GBC

Published on: 27 Nov, 2025
Updated on: 27 Nov, 2025

By Martin Giles and David Rose

An outline proposal by Worplesdon Parish Council for land off Salt Box Road, adjacent to Whitmoor Common, to be made a nature reserve has been rejected by council officers at Guildford Borough Council.

Map of the area of the ‘Horse Field’ marked in red. Guildford Borough Council.

The council wishes to sell the “Horse Field” (as it now appears to be known as) as part of its plan to raise £20 million in capital receipts by the end of March 2027. The valuation of the land has not been made public.

It bought the 19.4-acre field in April 2021 with a view that it could be used as a burial site. The council’s report as to the proposed disposal [sale] of the site states: “Environmental Services have confirmed that plans to develop land for burial ground use had to be abandoned due to higher than anticipated capital cost”.

The so-called ‘Horse Field’ off Salt Box Road, Worplesdon, photographed by The Guildford Dragon NEWS in September 2015, when it appears it was being surveyed, the reason unknown.

For many years it was privately owned and known locally as Dolly’s Field. It was rented out to people who kept their horses there, stabled in a number of outbuildings on the northern side bordering Whitmoor Common.

Council officers are recommending that decisions on the sale are delegated to council directors, who would be seeking the best financial return. The report, destined for the council’s Executive Committee, was reviewed by the Overview and Scrutiny meeting last week (November 18).

Officers had been asked to assess the financial advantage of a solar farm at the site but it was reported that a desk-top study had shown there would be risks, the pay-back period would be 11 years and the solar farm idea was not, therefore, supported.

However, Worplesdon Parish Council wants to take ownership under “community asset transfer” arrangements and expressed an interest shortly before the Overview and Scrutiny meeting was held.

The leaflet that has been circulated by Worplesdon Parish Council inviting people to support its proposal to buy the “Horse Field”. It reports feedback is 96 per cent of respondents support its outline proposal for the site.

The parish council has been circulating leaflets in the area, including the Whitmoor Common car park off Salt Box Road and houses nearby including Grange Park. The leaflet asks people to share their thoughts and support for the parish council’s vision for the field, if it were able to buy it.

The parish council requires feedback now, as its deadline is by midnight this Friday, November 28.

The “Horse Field” is a haven for wildlife as this photo of a green woodpecker shows. It was taken by Malcolm Fincham for his regular Birdwatcher’s Diary reports on the Dragon.

Worpledon Parish Council’s clerk, Gaynor White, told the borough council meeting that Surrey Wildlife Trust has suggested that a nature reserve should be created to protect Whitmoor Common’s fragile habitat, its flora and fauna.

Cllr Catherine Young (R4GV, Clandon & Horsley) chairing the meeting, said she found Ms White’s statement quite compelling.

Cllr George Potter (Lib Dem, Burpham) had another concern: that the case for a solar farm had not be sufficiently examined, especially as it would help GBC meet its Climate Change objectives.

Roe deer in the “Horse Field”. Photo by Malcolm Fincham.

On Friday (November 21), parish clerk Gaynor White revealed that within two days of the meeting GBC officers had rejected WPC’s expression of interest. She told The Dragon: “I was very surprised to discover that the ‘Horse Field’ in Salt Box Road was being put up for sale by GBC without the parish council being informed.

“GBC have said that they do not have a legal duty to tell the parish council, but I think there is, at least, a moral duty to do so. Couldn’t we, as the parish council, be given first refusal, especially as we are being told by the National Association of Local Councils that more services will be devolved to parish councils, under the Local Government Reorganisation?

“We have had more responses on the subject since I spoke at Millmead on Tuesday, and there remains 96 per cent support for our outline proposal.

Wintering redwings in the ‘Horse Field’. Photo by Malcolm Fincham.

“Regrettably, yesterday we received a letter saying GBC had refused our community asset transfer request, citing lots of different reasons, including that it’s not currently used as a community asset.

“Consequently, I have written to GBC asking whether, in principle, they would be willing to sell the field to the parish council because we’ve already successfully purchased two parcels of land from them.

“It seems that GBC is so desperate for money that it doesn’t consider the potential community value of an asset.”

Small copper butterfly photographed by Malcolm Fincham in the “Horse Field”.

Since the field was grazed by horses, it has become a haven for nature. It regularly features in the Dragon’s Birdwatcher’s Diary column by Malcolm Fincham.

Birds that can be seen there include green woodpeckers, a variety of thrushes, finches and other small birds. ere are also deer, rabbits, foxes, various species of butterflies and wild flowers.

Guildford Borough Council’s Executive is expected to consider the officers’ recommendation to sell the land on at its meeting scheduled for December 4.

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