However, Alfold Councilor Kevin Deanus is hell-bent on protecting the privacy of the homes where pedestrians will walk and cyclists will ride by. The former bobby on the beat – wants to ensure that the residents’ privacy is not impaired – as the public path will be very close to the homes of Chilton Close residents.
Catesby Estates was given ‘Your Waverley’s’ go-ahead for a pedestrian/cycle link across Council owned land at Chilton Close, Alfold in order to comply with a planning requirement that the second phase of a residential development site is sustainable and reasonably linked to the settlement of Alfold.
Phase 1 of the development of 56 homes by Cala Homes off Loxwood Road is now almost complete. Now another developer is moving in to build another 80 homes on adjoining land at Sweeters’ Copse, Loxwood Road. As you will have read in the link above, the further extension of another 80 homes was granted appeal. An appeal during which a Government Inspector slapped a very plump bill of costs on Waverley Planners for daring to refuse it! The Inspector claimed that Waverley Borough Council did not have a 5 year-land supply. Now other developers – including Bewley Homes scheme for 140 homes at Weybourne Lane, Bdshot Lea in Farnham – are claiming the same. A four-day ‘virtual’ planning Inquiry starts on March 6th.
Now its Waverley’s Turn to Slap a tidy bill on the developer.
In February 2015 Cala Homes was granted access rights over a strip of common land – for which the developer was forced to stump up some very useful cash for the council.
Now with Phase 2 on the cards following a successful appeal another developer will be shelling out an un-named sum for the right to use the footpath and cycle link through Chilton Close – a housing association development.
The council described the sum as “a substantial capital receipt.”
Said Cllr Mark Merryweather – “We have engaged with our advisors and valuers to get the maximum return and which will raise much- needed capital for our council services and facilities.
But if Cllr Deanus has anything to do with it – some of the funds raised will be coming Alfold’s way! Cllr Merryweather – the Executive for Finance tipped him the wink – that it would be remembered.
Cllr Deanus called the design of the footpath “bizarre’ as it has been designed to take users 200 yards futher away from the village shop and centre, however, he wasn’t looking a gift horse in the mouth.
His concern was the future privacy of homes in Chilton Close, as in some cases the path would be only 10/15ft from the doors and windows of some properties and along the back gardens of others.
“These are council properties and we owe them (the residents) a duty to ensure that people are not walking alongside their properties looking in.”
