Update on Former Wisley Airfield: 7 October 2024
Ockham Parish Council (OPC) held an extraordinary meeting on 1st July 2024 which was attended by members of VAWNT (Villages against Wisley New Town), WAG (Wisley Airfield Action Group) and local residents. The meeting was called to determine if a Judicial Review (JR) was viable. Formal advice had been sought from Richard Harwood KC and other expert and it was concluded that there is a reasonable chance of successfully challenging this decision at a JR. The JR was refused. It was agreed OPC would lodge a "notice of renewal" of the application for permission to apply for a Review. An Oral Hearing of that application will be on 5 December. This will be a short hearing (about 2 hours) which will be held at the Royal Courts of Justice/the Old Bailey, The Strand, Westminster WC2A 2LL. All are welcome to attend in person although no one will be able to give evidence or speak. The time of the hearing will be published in the Cause List the day before the hearing (available online from 2.30pm that day at http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/court-list/list-rcj
It has been possible to reach this position funded by the generosity of many local residents. VAWNT and WAG are continuing to fund raise for the next steps and, should you wish to donate, Wisley Airfield Action Group have put their bank details into the public domain in order to accept donations: Bank transfer to: Wisley Airfield Action Group, Sort code: 20-35-35, Account: 10574287. Further updates will be posted in due course.
Update: Friday 24th May 2024: Appeal Allowed
In the decision given by the Inspector following the public inquiry which took place last year, it was stated "The appeal is allowed, and planning permission is granted for the development...on land at the former Wisley Airfield, Hatch Lane, Ockham in accordance with the terms of the application 22/P/01175 dated 4 July 2022.
COUNCILLORS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO REFUSE TAYLOR WIMPEY PERMISSION AT A PLANNING MEETING ON 10th JULY.
A public meeting of the Guildford Borough Council planning committee was held last night to consider the development of the former Wisley airfield site.
It was held to confirm what decision would have been made if the application had not been the subject of an appeal.
The principle of the development of the site is supported by the local plan. However, officers recommended that the benefits of the Development Plan did not outweigh the harm.
The committee agreed that they would have resolved to refuse the planning application.
The full report can be viewed here
Former Wisley Airfield https://www.wisleyairfield.com/Taylor Wimpey has submitted a new hybrid planning application for the proposed new settlement on the site of the former Wisley Airfield in Ockham.
GBC planning reference number 22/P/01175.
Deadline for submitting comments is 3 October 2022.
Residents should be aware this application has only been submitted by Taylor Wimpey. The other two developers, Hallam Land and CBRE, whilst co-operating with Taylor Wimpey, are not a party to this application. Accordingly, the headline number of dwellings proposed is 1,730 homes. The other two developers will come forward later to propose a further 270 homes in the southern section of the site, taking the total to over 2,000 new homes as set out in GBC's Local Plan Policy A35.
West Horsley and East Horsley Parish Councils have submitted a joint objection to this application which can be viewed here:
22.P.01175 - Submission by the Horsleys Parish Councils
To see the application documents online, please click the following link and search for 22/P/01175. Guildford BC Website - Search for a Planning Application
Site A38 Land near Horsley Railway Station, Ockham Road North (Lollesworth Fields) Planning Reference: 21/P/02394
Planning permission was submitted for the demolition of 2 dwellings and alteration to access for up to 110 dwellings and up to 99sqm of office floor space (Use Class B1a), open space, sustainable urban drainage system and associated landscape, infrastructure and earthwork's.
West Horsley Parish Council objected to this application however, planning approval was granted on 9th September 2022. Site works have commenced which are scheduled to be completed by summer 2025.
Howard of Effingham School, Effingham
The Howard of Effingham School, Lower Road, Effingham KT24 5JR is an 8 form entry secondary school. Plans have been approved for a new school to be built together with a mixed housing development on land opposite the original site (i.e. North of Lower Road).
On 27th June 2024, the final plans were approved regarding the appearance, landscaping, layout and scale of the erection of 99 dwellings on the existing school site.