Waverley Council is first in Surrey to produce new Planning Strategy (South West Surrey Liberal Democrats)

South West Surrey Liberal Democrats <info@swsurreylibdems.org.uk>

Waverley Council is first in Surrey to produce new Planning Strategy

January 4, 2006 12:00 AM

Waverley Borough Council is the first local authority in Surrey, and one of the first in the country, to approve an important planning document that will shape the future of its borough, and the lives of each of its 116,000 residents.

Waverley councillors recently endorsed the borough's Core Strategy, which sets out the vision and overall strategic and sustainable framework for the way the borough will be planned up to 2018.

The Core Strategy is the first in a number of comprehensive documents which will make up the Local Development Framework (LDF) for Waverley, the system which will replace the borough's Local Plan. It looks at the key issues impacting the borough from a planning and development point of view, with the aim of securing the long-term sustainability of the borough. These are explored through 21 broad policies, including: housing, employment, transport, leisure and community services issues. It also looks at factors such as the urban character and landscape of the borough.

Councillors believe that future development of the borough should be located primarily on previously developed land at sustainable locations in Farnham, Godalming, Haslemere and Cranleigh. In addition, development that is appropriate to the needs of rural communities will be permitted in rural settlements and, very exceptionally, limited development to meet the essential and proven housing and community needs may be permitted adjacent to the main settlements and rural communities.

The Core Strategy was developed following two periods of consultation with local residents, businesses and other relevant parties including: the Government Office of the South East (GOSE), the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and Surrey County Council. The document is now being made ready to submit to GOSE and it is anticipated that a full public examination will be held in the summer.

Lib Dem Councillor Patrick Haveron, Waverley's portfolio holder for planning and major projects, believes that the emphasis of the LDF is on strengthening community involvement in the planning process. He says: "The Local Development Framework system will affect every single resident and business in Waverley. These new policies place a higher value on involving the community in shaping the area where they live. The new framework will provide strategic policies to secure the economic, social and environmental well being of Waverley and enable us to ensure that planning guidance reflects the borough's key priorities. In addition, as it is evidence based, the Core Strategy gives us a stronger remit to respond to government schemes such as the allocation of housing numbers in the borough.

"Being the first council in the county to produce and approve our Core Strategy has enabled us to work very closely with GOSE throughout the development of this important document to ensure it meets the needs of our unique borough. I am delighted to say that they have congratulated Waverley for the progress we have made and the work done so far. However, the work has only really just begun and we have now started work on the next important document, the detailed Housing Development Document."

The Housing Development Document aims to address issues including: affordable housing, density of housing and meeting the needs of specific groups within the community. A paper outlining the issues and options available to Waverley on housing development will be published during spring 2006.

The Core Strategy for the Local Development Framework Plan for the borough of Waverley will be ready to be viewed on www.waverley.gov.uk/ldf in the new year. Copies will also be available at Waverley's locality offices and from libraries.