70 homes and access at Land South OF Junction With Sachel Court Drive Loxwood Road Alfold Cranleigh Outline planning application with all

What was proposed

The application sought outline permission for up to 70 homes, including affordable housing, with a new access, parking and landscaping after demolition.

“WA/2025/00597 – Outline planning application with all matters reserved except for access for the erection of up to 70 homes (including affordable housing), new vehicular access, associated parking and landscaping following demolition of existing Bridian Farmhouse and associated outbuildings (as amended by layout plan). at LAND SOUTH OF JUNCTION WITH SACHEL COURT DRIVE LOXWOOD ROAD ALFOLD CRANLEIGH”

“The application is an outline application with all details reserved except access. The proposed development comprises a residential development up to 70 new homes of which 21 units would be affordable units (30%).”

Officer report

The site

The 3.45-hectare site comprises mainly open fields with a house and barn, is tree-bounded, and lies outside the Green Belt and protected landscapes.

“The application site measures 34565sqm (3.45 hectares) and is located in Alfold. The site mainly consists of open fields, with a house and a barn located in the northwest corner. Existing site levels vary from approximately 57.04 metres above ordnance datum (mAOD) near the centre of the eastern site area, down to 53.31mAOD at the southwest corner of the site.”

“The site is located outside of the Surrey Hills National Landscape (formerly AONB), the Metropolitan Green Belt and the High Weald National Landscape (formerly AONB). The site is approximately 6 miles from Cranleigh,7 miles from Billingshurst and about 13 miles from Guildford, a larger town with extensive shopping, educational, and transport facilities. Billingshurst and Guildford provide direct train services to London.”

Officer report

Earlier applications

Earlier proposals included refused applications for eight homes and up to 120 homes, while certificates were granted for continued occupation and builders-material storage.

“Reference Proposal Decision WA/2019/0487 Certificate of Lawfulness under Section 191 for continued occupation of Bridian Farm in breach of condition 2 in the second schedule of HM/R4043 (agricultural occupancy restriction). CERTIFICATE GRANTED 26/06/2019”

“WA/1995/1331 Application for a Certificate of Lawfulness for the continued use of land and buildings for the storage of builders materials. CERTIFICATE GRANTED 16/09/1996”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval because housing supply benefits and sustainable-location benefits outweighed limited countryside and local character harm, with conditions and legal obligations.

“The site is located between Alfold and Alfold Crossways and is a sustainable location in terms of proximity to some services and facilities. All other harms/matters can be mitigated by S106 planning obligations and conditions to ensure policy compliance. The proposal would make a significant contribution to market and affordable housing supply which carries substantial weight.”

“Weight of representations against the development are considered but given the housing land supply position and that conditions and S106 obligations can mitigate harms (except for loss of countryside and some localised character harm, both of which carry limited weight) there is no overriding harm that would be sufficient to outweigh the requirement of the titled balance which is to grant planning permission.”

Officer report

Consultation responses

The parish council strongly objected, while consultees generally raised no objection subject to conditions, mitigation, contributions or affordable housing secured by agreement.

“No objection subject to appropriate mitigation (provision of on-site greenspace and condition)”

“No objection subject to affordable housing being secured at outline stage in S106 legal agreement…”

Officer report

Who spoke

Objectors, supporters, the parish council representative and three councillors made representations under the public speaking scheme.

The committee debate

After debate, a councillor proposed refusing the application and another councillor seconded the alternative recommendation.

“Following the debate, Cllr Graham White then submitted an alternative recommendation to refuse the application and Cllr Phoebe Sullivan seconded.”

Minutes

The vote and decision

The committee voted eight to two to refuse permission, citing wastewater capacity and missing legal-agreement contributions for infrastructure, public realm and affordable housing.

“Lack of S106 contributions In the absence of a Section 106 Agreement to secure the provision of a healthcare contribution, highway infrastructure, mitigation and contributions and suitable management arrangements for the public realm areas in the site, the proposal fails to mitigate the impacts of the development and ensure that the development is provided with the necessary infrastructure to create a sustainable community, contrary to the requirements of Policies ICS1 and…”

“Lack of Affordable housing In the absence of a Section 106 Agreement to secure the provision of policy compliant affordable housing the proposal fails to create a sustainable, inclusive and mixed community, contrary to the requirements of Policy AHN1 of the Waverley Local Plan (Part 1) 2018, Waverley’s Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Policy Document Update, March 2023 and the NPPF.”

Minutes