Its often very frustrating that individual responses to planning applications don’t seem to carry much weight with the Local Planning Authority. When these objections are channelled into a formal group (such as a Neighbourhood Residents Association) they can have more weight, and enable campaigners to be represented at meetings and appeals. When an interest group commissions legal opinion, then the results can be very interesting.
Our Woking Guildford & Waverley Friends of the Earth group, of whom I am a member, were not convinced that the threat of flooding in Cranleigh was being correctly assessed in the current planning application to Waverley for 425 homes on fields south of the Downs Link in Flood Zone 2 and 3. Their concern was so strong that they commissioned an independent flood consultant Wallingford Hydro Solutions to examine the developer’s own Flood Risk Assessment which downplays the risk from flooding on the site, resulting in this report: Berkeley Homes Cranleigh – FRA review
Guildford Woking and Waverley Friends of the Earth lodged a letter of objection to this development, with no less than 10 significant points, which seemed to subsequently make the planners put back their target decision date so that this work could be responded to.
The Environment Agency had not objected when consulted in June, but have lodged this new advice to Waverley after reviewing the Friends of the Earth objections. In particular safe access and escape routes from the site in times of flood had not been demonstrated. The EA have now objected to the application and recommend refusal.
I think this is an excellent result – not only focusing on the flooding issue, but swaying the Environment Agency to revise its view.
This shows that clubbing together for specialist advice or legal opinion can pay off for objectors. If anybody would like to contribute to their work, GWFoE have a donation button here!