Planning 'loophole' allows unauthorised development works

PIRBRIGHT IN 'UPROAR'

- By JOSEPH BICKLE

A PLANNING system “loophole” has allowed for a large unauthorised development including tonnes of hard standing and mobile homes to remain, despite concern from residents.

In the early hours of Good Friday (April 3), residents of Pirbright reported as many as 50 lorries arriving at a site on Gole Road to install mobile homes as well as tonnes of hard standing.

Work on the site continued across the Easter weekend, being reported to have ended late at night on Monday, April 6.

The incident left residents of the village in “shock” and “uproar” with Pirbright Parish Council calling the development an “invasion” and asking Guildford Borough Council (GBC), which is responsible for planning in the village, to take action to halt the work.

In the month since, residents have had to get used to their new neighbours on Gole Road, when it was discovered that the land's owners had submitted a retrospective planning application on April 7.

This consisted of two traveller sites, hard standing, as well as associated drainage and landscaping. Being retrospective, the application pertains to work already completed on the site.

On Friday April 10, Guildford Borough Council secured an Interim Injunction at the High Court for the development on Gole Road. This prevents any further unauthorised developments on the land.

A spokesperson said: “We've received a planning application for the site (ref: 26/P/00449). The application has been registered and validated and is open for public consultation. Residents can submit their views on the application until Sunday May 10, before any decision is made.”