Dear NAG Follower,

Like buses, you wait for ages for a NAG newsletter, and then you get three in quick succession… However, in this edition we have:

• Good News on AONB Proposals
• Wanborough Fields Update
• Success for Dunsfold campaigners
• GRA ‘asks’ ahead of local elections in May
• Consultation on GBC’s Draft Green Belt Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)

Good News on AONB Proposals

The proposals for extending the Surrey Hills AONB were published on 7^th March and are now open for public consultation. We have put an article with the relevant information on our website here, but the good news is that most (although not all) of the Hog’s Back AGLV has been included, and some additional areas, including all the land proposed for the solar facility to the west of Blackwell Farm, plus Homestead Farm, site of the controversial proposed 70+ caravan site, are now proposed for AONB status.

Wanborough Fields Update

There have been two developments regarding Plot F in the smaller, northern, AGLV field. Guildford Borough Council has refused the application 22/P/01326 for “The erection of an agricultural storage barn and chicken house together with the retention of the existing boundary fencing and gates (part retrospective)” (this is the same plot for which a CLEUD for agricultural use was recently granted, as reported in our last newsletter.

GBC has also pursued Enforcement Action against the plot owners by taking them to court and requiring them to comply with the Planning Enforcement Notice within four months. This means removing from the land all buildings, works and paraphernalia brought onto the land to facilitate the unlawful equestrian use. The site will then be inspected by Guildford Borough Council to confirm compliance. The defendants are to pay a contribution to the prosecution costs within the six months adjournment. If the above steps are completed, the prosecution will offer no evidence to the charges on the next occasion and the case will be dismissed. If the above steps are not completed, the prosecution will invite the court to hear the trial.

The wheels of justice may turn slowly, but they do turn.

Success for Dunsfold campaigners.

Campaigners from ‘Protect Dunsfold’ have been given permission by the High Court to challenge the Government’s approval of a gas exploration scheme on the edge of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This overturns a previous ruling regarding Protect Dunsfold’s challenge and comes at a crucial time, as UK Oil & Gas (UKOG) recently announced that they had discovered gas worth an estimated £123m in the area. More details here.

GRA ‘asks’ ahead of local elections in May

NAG is a member of the Guildford Residents Association (GRA), which represents local residents’ groups and some Parish Councils across Guildford Borough. Members have recently articulated a set of ‘asks’ ahead of the local elections on Thursday May 4^th under the heading of “Calling for a Green and Distinctive Guildford”– we have uploaded this to our website here. We will attempt to put these questions to all candidates standing for election in the newly formed Normandy and Pirbright Ward and aim to publish their responses on our website.

Consultation on GBC’s Draft Green Belt Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)

We reported in our recent Planning Alert that consultation on this had just opened. A reminder that we have until 22 March at 1200 to respond. The link is here (although the site is down until 12 noon on 11 March).