As developers prepare their Barristers, expert witnesses, and planning briefs to fight Waverley Planning decisions at imminent appeals, they may be in for a horrible shock.
Confident that the borough council does not have a five-year housing supply, developers are gearing up for major appeals, including several in the eastern villages. Some, including Alfold and Haslemere, will be played out in December and the coming months before Government Inspectors.
In September, developers Bewley Homes eager to build in Badshot Lea, Farnham told a Government Inspector that Waverley’s HLS was less than the necessary 5-years and was in the region of 4.2 years. However, a robust Farnham Neighbourhood Plan was enough to see-off developers. Is it time for the people of Waverley to come to the aid of Farnham?
If a Government Inspector had allowed Bewley Homes to build 140 homes in Lower Weybourne Lane, Badshot Lea it would have sent an Exocet missile through Farnham’s Neighbourhood Plan. It could also have heralded open season for other developers to build in Farnham.
Here’s what Cllr Andy Macleod – Portfolio Holder for Planning told the council at its Executive meeting last night:
The fact that this 5 year housing supply statement is now published on the Waverley website is most welcome. But you can bet your bottom dollar, that the developers that continually hover over Waverley like predatory vultures, will be honing their hooked beaks and beady eyes in order to scrutinise this statement and it’s supporting documents. The smallest loopholes will be exploited by their legal teams with gusto (and deep pockets)
They wont care if their planning applications are refused, because they will bet that the Inspectors will overturn refusal at appeal.
So I hope Waverley has got the stomach (and cash) for some robust confrontations. (remembering that Inspectors have not always agreed with Waverley’s housing supply calculations) But nevertheless, well done those at Waverley Towers!
What nonsense. It will take a primary school child to pull this apart. Including Dunsfold (when will this deliver) and numerous sites without permission. I’d guess that this will be down back to 4 years before long..
No doubt developers are lining up to pull this housing supply statement to shreds. We have begun our own investigations. Watch this space.
They can fly a 5-year supply flag from Waverley towers but their battlements are manned by the wet-behind-the-ears planners who leave the drawbridge down and send invites to developers to lie their way in, whilst Officers are preoccupied cutting and pasting the BS for their useless Powerpoint presentations.
We have started to wade through the documentation and have more holes in it than a kitchen colander. So watch this space.