London Calling…

Andy Smith, Surrey branch director of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), finds that the London Mayor’s approach to housebuilding is significantly better than that of some local authorities here in Surrey

- Andy Smith

IN NOVEMBER, Guildford Borough Council published the final iteration of its much criticised Local Plan, in which – despite overwhelming opposition and tens of thousands of letters of objection from local residents – the council proposed a large scale rollback of the Green Belt including the loss to development of precious farmland at Blackwell Farm on the Hogs Back and at Three Farm Meadows, Wisley (see Surrey Life, July and November 2017) where, under the plan, it is envisaged that thousands of new houses will be built. The plan was voted through by the majority of councillors of all parties except the Guildford Greenbelt Group and a handful of ‘rebels’ from the main parties.