Breaking News
Just as Michael Gove announced his retirement as an MP, his Ministry confirmed planning permission for the long running Wisley Airfield major housing development, off the A3 south of Junction 10 M25. Impacting quite a wide area including Ockham. Cobham and Downside, and across to Effingham and into Leatherhead.
The site was included in the Guildford Local Plan adopted as long ago as 2019, so perhaps the decision was inevitable, but Guildford Borough Council received but did not decide an application within the timescale and in 2022 this went to appeal. That appeal was decided just as Parliament was prorogued for the July 4 general election.
The site was (is) farmland, requisitioned during WW2 for a military airfield, then postwar used by the nearby aircraft manufacturers who became British Aerospace. It was never a commercial airport although there was an attempt to use it as one in the 1980s which also underwent planning appeal process – at the time the area came under the Esher MP, Lt Col Sir Carol Mather MC and public rights of way across it were restored. By the 2010s the site was being actively promoted to the local authority, Guildford Borough Council (GBC) as an out of town solution to its housing targets. Controversially, the local authority decided to include the site in its 2019 Local Plan despite local opposition including the local Parish Councils, and the (former) MP for Mole Valley Sir Paul Beresford whose constituency included eastern wards of GBC. For July 4, the area votes in a revised Guildford constituency.
Extracts and links to the case documentation :
The development proposed includes a full planning application comprising:
i) a realigned section of the proposed Wisley Lane Diversion, to include a roundabout
with a stub road as the primary access to serve the new settlement from Ockham
Interchange;
ii) a road junction access into the proposed employment area from the proposed
Wisley Lane Diversion;
iii) a new road junction as a secondary access to serve the new settlement from Old
Lane;
iv) SANG and associated infrastructure, including SANG car parks;
v) Restricted access from Ockham Lane.
- The development proposed includes an outline planning application (with all matters
reserved) for the phased development of part of a residential-led new settlement
comprising:
up to 1,730 dwellings (Class C3 use), 8 gypsy and travellers pitches, up to 100 units
of housing for older people (Class C2 use) ), a mixed-use commercial local centre
with public square, community hub and employment area alongside other
commercial mixed-use neighbourhood centres located throughout and an
employment area, (Classes E, F2(b), B2/B8, and sui-generis uses subject to specific
planning permissions), a secondary school, a primary school, (Class F1(a)), up to 2
nurseries,(Class E (f)), also incorporating green infrastructure (including parks,
neighbourhood greens and sports pitches (Class F2(c) and associated pavilion
(Classes E(b) and (d), F2(b)), SANG other infrastructure, (Class E(b)), part of Wisley
Lane Diversion between Ockham Interchange roundabout and realigned section of
Wisley Lane Diversion, a vehicular / cycle / pedestrian sustainable transport corridor
(linking the proposed Wisley Lane Diversion roundabout to Old Lane) and associated
infrastructure and earthworks at land at the former Wisley Airfield (with construction
access from Ockham Interchange and Elm Corner)
DECISION (Full document pdf Appeal decision 3320175.pdf)
The appeal is allowed, and planning permission is granted for the
development set out in bullets 4 and 5 above on land at the former Wisley
Airfield, Hatch Lane. Ockham in accordance with the terms of the
application, Ref 22/P/01175, dated 4 July 2022, subject to the conditions set
out in Annex Three of this decision
Reference: APP/Y3615/W/23/3320175
Appellant/Applicant
Taylor Wimpey UK Limited
Agent
Miss Lucie Beckett
Site Address
Land at Former Wisley Airfield
Hatch Lane
Ockham
Surrey
GU23 6NU
| Case Details | Dates | ||
| Case Type | Planning Appeal  | Start Date | 19 May 2023 |
| Local Planning Authority | Guildford Borough Council | Questionnaire due | 30 May 2023 |
| Statement(s) due | 17 Jul 2023 | ||
| Case Officer | Tim Salter | Interested Party Comments due | 19 Jul 2023 |
| Procedure | Inquiry | Appellant/LPA Final Comments due | N/A |
| Status | Complete: Decision issued | Inquiry Evidence due | 04 Sep 2023 |
| Decision and Outcome | Allowed Appeal decision 3320175.pdf Costs Decisison 3320175 (WAG v TW).pdf Costs decision 3320175 (TW v WAG).pdf | Event Date | 26 Sep 2023 |
| Case Link Status | Not Linked | Decision Date | 24 May 2024 |
| Linked Cases | 0 | ||
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