An appeal has been dismissed following an avalanche of local opposition to a scheme that could have signalled the end of The Sayers Croft Rural Centre.

Waverley Planning officers recommended last year that a scheme for five self-build homes near the famous Sayers Croft Rural Centre in Ewhurst be approved, but councillors turned it down.

However, as the WW predicted, the determined owners of Sunnybrook on Ewhurst’s Cranleigh Road have tried, tried, and tried again and would not be deterred from building on the site pictured below. 

One green field in Ewhurst was saved once again from development.

Government inspectors have dismissed the latest appeal and refused five self-build properties, which Alfold’s Cllr Kevin Deanus described as…

“Mansions”

Below is Waverley’s decision in June 2024.

Waverley Planners throw out a Ewhurst housing scheme

WA/2024/00268 (3347221) linked to WA/2023/01924

Considering the main issue, the inspector considered whether or not the site would be suitable for the proposed development, having regard to the development plan’s spatial strategy for the supply of housing and the character and appearance of the area; and the effect of the proposed developments on the setting of the Grade II listed building ‘Combined Dining Hall and Kitchen at Sayers Croft’ (the Dining Hall).

The Inspector’s Conclusion:

 The site would be suitable for the proposed developments, given the housing supply and the area’s character and appearance.

However, the scheme would considerably diminish the verdant character and openness of the area around the Sayers Croft Dining Hall, bringing the urban form of Ewhurst further into the Dining Hall’s remaining undeveloped setting.

He said the harm to the significance of the Dining Hall would be less than substantial. The scheme’s public benefits must be weighed against this, and there is a strong presumption against allowing development that would be harmful to the setting of a Listed Building.

The benefits of self-build would be limited to the first occupier, whilst the harm would be permanent to the setting of the listed building. The small windfall site would make a valuable contribution to the housing supply, but as outline permission with individual lots, there is little guarantee that the plots would be built out quickly.

Given the harm that would arise to the setting of the Dining Hall, the proposed developments would conflict with the development plan when read as a whole.

Appeal Dismissed 

He dismissed the appeal – despite recognising that the council couldn’t demonstrate a five-year housing supply- because of the clear reason that harm would be caused to the nearby Sayers Croft Rural Centre’s Dining Hall.

The Planning Framework, which protects assets of particular importance, provides a clear reason for refusing the development. In this case, the harm to the significance of the Dining Hall does that in respect to both appeals.