Dear NAG Follower,

Welcome to the first of our new format newsletters, using MailChimp. We hope that this will result in fewer 'bounce backs', and that you will enjoy the look. As before, we'll try to keep these as short as possible so as not to clog your inboxes, with links to longer pieces on our website.

In this edition:

• Reminder: AONB Consultation closes 13 June
• Local election results and issues for the incoming Council;
• New planning applications in Normandy;
• Update on Wanborough Green Belt protection

Reminder: AONB Consultation closes 13 June

In our last newsletter we reported on the proposed extension of the AONB, and linked to an article on our website here. Consultation on the proposals closes on Tuesday this week; we have given a positive endorsement to them inasmuch as they concern Normandy and Flexford, but you can add your own voice here.

Local election results and issues for the incoming Council

Congratulations to Councillors Bilbé and Witham on their election as Guildford Borough Councillors for the new, combined, constituency of Normandy and Pirbright, and thanks to all the candidates who ahead of the elections shared with us their views on planning and environmental matters here.

The new Council (GBC), controlled by the Liberal Democrats, faces several challenges on the planning front: the backlog in dealing with applications; the significant number of enforcement issues; the controversy over the North Street development, the Ash railway bridge, and the Solar Farm on University land, to name but a few. As before, we shall endeavour to stay abreast of these matters and keep you informed as best we can.

New planning applications in Normandy

We wanted to update you on this, but frustratingly the GBC planning portal has been down for some time, so we are unable to provide you with links. When it is back up, you might want to look at the Elms Centre application in Glaziers Lane, and the Wyke Lodge one in Guildford Road. GBC still haven’t managed to fix the problem of the lack of automatic notifications of local planning applications, either, which has been a problem for several months, and which we have repeatedly drawn to their attention. One to add to the list of challenges above, perhaps.

Update on Wanborough Green Belt protection

A 70+ pitch static caravan holiday park proposed for Homestead Farm continues to cause concern to local residents, who have been working actively to get GBC to revisit earlier decisions which may have inadvertently paved the way for a significant development on this site. Developers may be able to thwart local planning guidance and policy by using so-called certificates of existing use or development (CLEUDS) based on claims of existing use of the land.

GBC have now received a formal report setting out the grounds for revoking earlier decisions which, residents claim, were made on the basis of false and misleading information. An online petition calling on GBC to use its powers to revoke 2016 and 2019 CLEUD decisions has attracted close to 2,000 signatures. 1,000 leaflets have been delivered to houses in Wanborough and Normandy, residents have given an interview on local radio and erected banners to raise awareness. There is now a website (Wanborough.org) as well as social media presence on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

A decision from GBC is awaited.