A Cranleigh developer granted planning consent in 2016 – wants more?

 

The huge development of 265 homes on land in Alfold Road isn’t enough for the developers of the Knowle Park Initiative (KPI)- they want even more?

The latest phase of the development by A2 Dominion includes homes in  Knowle Park, off Knowle Lane and homes in Alfold Road.  The third phase of the 265 homes is the subject of a planning application which goes before Waverley Planners tomorrow Wednesday.

In line with ‘Your Waverley’s Local Plan which inflicts more than 40% of the borough’s housing on the eastern villages, the latest scheme (Phase 3) increases the number of homes in the former lettuce nursery by 5% – a further 36 homes giving a total of 310 homes. Some in three-storey apartment blocks, like this.

The town of Farnham on the A31/A3 and with a main-line railway station will take 25% of the borough’s allocation. Haslemere, with its railway station, is fighting against taking its allocation, due to environmental constraints.

Alfold has already taken consent for 500 homes and 2,600 are earmarked for Dunsfold aerodrome.  Dunsfold Gipsy sites are also growing exponentially and Waverley Planners have granted consent for an extension to the traveller sites for well over 150 families. There appears to be no end to the amount of development impacting the east of the Waverley borough.

An officer’s report states that objections from the Environment Agency must be satisfied before consent can be given tomorrow when the reserved matters application will be considered by the eastern planning committee.

The Environment Agency  has raised objections to the proposed scheme on the following grounds:

Objection 1 – No Flood Risk Assessment had been submitted. To overcome the objection an FRA is to be submitted that confirms no flood risk and reduced flood risk overall.

-Objection 2 – Opportunity missed to protect and enhance the water environment. Biodiversity assessment has not considered enhancements to the Cranleigh Waters. A scheme should be submitted demonstrating how the Cranleigh Waters and Littlemead Brook will be restored and enhanced.

The Environment Agency has yet to respond to the FRA, in the absence of any response Officers have recommended approval subject to confirmation of no objection being received.

Surrey Wildlife Trust has confirmed it has detailed proposals for the restoration of Cranleigh Waters, which run alongside the western boundary of the Alfold Road nursery site. Due to the flashy nature of the river on this clay catchment, much of the course has been modified to help convey flood flows. As a result, the river is over wide and over deep in parts and unable to support the natural processes which are necessary to maintain instream habitat and species communities.

As a result, the river is currently failing Water Framework Directive targets for dissolved oxygen and macrophytes (aquatic plants). As hosts of the River Wey Landscape Partnership, SWT is working towards achieving a good ecological status across the rivers and streams of the Wey Catchment, in line with the objectives of the Water Framework Directive.

The partnership is a collaboration between SWT, the Environment Agency (EA), water companies, local authorities and local interest groups.

The principle of residential development on the application site for up to 265 dwellings has already been established, and planning officers are accepting the current uplift in housing by 36 units, and are recommending approval.  They say Policy SP2 establishes the Spatial Strategy for the borough, focusing on development at the four main settlements, which include Cranleigh, and strategic sites, including the development of the land South of Elmbridge Road and the High Street, Cranleigh, which includes the application site, the wider area is to deliver ‘around’ 765 dwellings.

In their report they say this comprises:

That makes 979 homes all in the Elmbridge Road area by our reckoning.

The officers argue that the increase in numbers is only ‘moderate’ and the housing allocation was only a minimum number anyway. So Cranleigh’s share has to go up by another 59 homes during the Plan period (2032) this figure will likely be reached long before the end of the planning period.

WHY THE EASTERN VILLAGES?

SIMPLE.

Waverley doesn’t have a 5-year-land supply – it only has 4.3 years – so in simple terms Cranleigh and the eastern villages are stuffed!

To refuse the scheme would most likely result in an Appeal and a Government Inspector will impose the increase.

However, an extension of 13 homes to the existing development on the opposite side of Cranleigh by Cala Homes in Amlets Lane Cranleigh – has been languishing in the bowels of Waverley Towers for well over a year! Wonder why?

According to our records, the lettuce nurseries once provided major Supermarkets including Waitrose & Sainbury’s with a local supply of lettuces and locals with many jobs.

As one local said: “Planning – what planning?”


The applicant has stated that the rationale behind the submission is linked to the change in market demand that has been highlighted by the demand for 2 and 3-bed homes rather than 4 and 5-bed homes in phase 1 since sales commenced. People looking to move within or to Cranleigh clearly have a stronger preference for 2 and 3-bed homes. A2Dominion has as a result reviewed the unit mix on Phase 3 and is seeking to reduce the number of 4 and 5-bed properties, which was higher than the mix in Phase 1 and 2.

3 thoughts on “A Cranleigh developer granted planning consent in 2016 – wants more?”

  1. The Environment Agency has raised the growing problem of pollution to Cranleigh Waters with Waverley Borough Council several times in the past decade, but Waverley has shown no interest at all to engage with the problem.

    A very good suggestion by the Environment Agency to introduce reed and alder beds upstream to even out flow was just met with apathy by Waverley.

    The proposal by Surrey Wildlife Trust to restore Cranleigh Waters to a “V” shaped watercourse is a really good initiative, but that alone won’t mitigate the flashy nature of Cranleigh Waters. This is because the increase in pollutant outflow from Cranleigh Sewage Works in Elmbridge Lane caused by recent housing development has meant that in summer months there isn’t any longer enough dilution rate from fresh water upstream to meet growth, and that is what is causing fish stock depletion downstream.

    So before approving any more housing, Waverley just needs to ensure that the advice from the Environment Agency to improve summer months flow is properly carried out. Simple!

  2. Glad to hear that they A2 Dominion see there is a shift in demand with people wanting 2 and 3 bedroom houses as it may make it easier for me to sell my turn of the century 3 bed in alfold road as after 43 years here Waverley really are taking the ++++ in what they have done to Cranleigh in particular us that live over the hill to the east. Now fed up with the dust and construction traffic from 5.30am onwards all day shame on you planners and those who should have been responsible for the 5 year plan..

    1. You must be fed up to the back-teeth nitram with the misery you have been forced to endure. It would appear to us here on the other side of the borough that you are being shafted by landowners who have claimed to the planners they want to improve Cranleigh. What they are doing is systematically ruining the rural feel of a once lovely village and turning it into Cranleigh New Town – minus the infrastructure and road and transport systems that make it sustainable. Sadly, West Cranleigh has become a dumping ground because it is on the other side of the tracks. We are sorry that after 43 years in Alfold Road you feel the need to get out. How could anyone blame you? Good luck and we hope you find greener pastures.

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