WAVERLEY Borough Council’s affordable housing proposals for a central Wey Hill site – home to five community youth organisations – were unveiled to town councillors last Thursday.

Waverley’s head of housing delivery Andrew Smith and housing development manager Louisa Blundell presented two possible schemes for Haslemere’s ‘youth campus‘ site, in advance of a public consultation.

The borough council has pledged to find suitable alternative accomodation for 1st Haslemere Scouts and District Guides, St John Ambulance and Haslemere’s Air Training Corps and Army Cadets, before any plans are approved.

The groups have suffered six years of uncertainty, following Waverley’s decision not to renew their long term leases in 2012 due to its housing plans.

This year, former tenant Weyhill Montessori relocated to Waverley-owned High Lane community centre and there are proposals for St John Ambulance to also move there.

Waverley is also proposing the cadets move to Woolmer Hill sports pavilion when plans to extend it are agreed.

Haslemere scouts group is being offered the option to stay – if there is no suitable alternative.

Members of the town council’s planning committee were shown two alternative housing proposals – one for 40 affordable homes if the scouts relocate and another for 34 if they stay put.

Invited to comment at last week’s meeting, Haslemere district scouts commissioner Keith Clayton, urged Waverley to rethink and to preserve the town’s “fantastic” youth campus.

Mr Clayton said: “I understand the pressure for housing. But Waverley should support the young people of Haslemere rather than working out how to destroy the campus.”

* Waverley’s proposals go on show to get public feedback between 4pm and 8pm on Wednesday, October 23 at Haslewey community centre.