For those who have just come off the Moon – the NIMBY’s, aided and abetted by MP ‘Mistress’ Anne Milton and Jeremy Shunt, ignored and over-ruled the democratic decision of Waverley Planners, and the public to build on the largest brownfield site in the borough at Dunsfold Aerodrome!
In doing so – they have (a) delayed the local Plan (published yesterday) (b) have cost Waverley taxpayers £1m in officers times, legal and experts fees and (d) have seriously delayed much-needed private and social housing. It has also forced the hand of Waverley planners into allowing unsuitable and unpopular developments on floodplains and in the countryside throughout the borough, and in particular in the East in and around Cranleigh.
Now the East of the borough could get the best, or perhaps the worst, of both worlds!
Yesterday a Government Inspector approved Waverley’s Local Plan – which has been a decade in the making. However, past failures have resulted in a huge loss of potential benefits that may have accrued under (CIL) The Community Infrastructure Levy.
And.. our message to The Scotsman…
Here’s the Inspector’s report in full.
In conclusion, the allocation at Dunsfold Aerodrome is a key part of the sustainable growth strategy for the Borough. It provides an excellent opportunity to meet a significant part of the housing needs of the Borough, including affordable housing, on a brownfield site. It is a good example of proactive planning to achieve coordinated, well-designed sustainable development and it offers opportunities for comprehensive urban design and master planning and social and transport facilities that smaller peripheral greenfield sites cannot usually offer. Subject to MM22 and MM23, the Dunsfold Aerodrome allocation is sound.