Waverley Conservative Council group expressed grave concerns following the
issue of Waverley’s updated Five Year Housing Land Supply numbers in
November.
Waverley’s biggest development, Dunsfold Park, has been removed from the
housing supply numbers - which means Waverley’s Housing Land Supply now
stands at just 2.68 years.
Coupled with this in December the Labour government confirmed it was
doubling Waverley’s housing targets to over 1,400 homes per year. If these
increased targets are applied Waverley’s deliverable housing supply drops
even further to just 1.4 years.
Dunsfold Park gained planning permission in 2018 for 1,800 homes and
includes the requirement for substantial upgrades to local infrastructure and
services.
Waverley’s Five Year Housing Land Supply Position Statement says Dunsfold
Park has been removed “until there is more certainty about the timescales
for delivery of housing on the site.”
Jane Austin, who leads the Conservative opposition on Waverley Borough
Council and represents the ward of Bramley & Wonersh, said:
“These housing supply figures are utterly dire and will mean more
opportunistic development in inappropriate locations. The Lib-Dems have
kept this news very quiet - residents deserve to know what is happening.”
“We may as well just hand over the keys to opportunistic developers for any
of the borough’s green fields without some kind of national planning
protection over them. I am extremely concerned about what this means for
Alfold and edge of town sites across the borough.”
“The Lib Dem’s have for years ducked making difficult decisions about our
housing land supply across the borough and so now we have a planning free
for all.”
Surrey County Councillor for Waverley Eastern Villages, Kevin Deanus, responded to
the news:
“Since Dunsfold Park gained planning consent in 2018 not one home has
been constructed. Meanwhile local villages like Alfold have doubled in size.
Major planning permissions in the local area have been granted dependent
on infrastructure upgrades delivered via the Dunsfold Park permission."
“We now have raw sewage coming out of the ground in Alfold and huge
pressure on local roads and infrastructure. Local people are despairing.”
“It is bitterly disappointing that Waverley’s Lib Dem led-administration did
not see fit to update local people about this major news. This is a complete
mess. Waverley residents deserve better.”
