CHANGES to Haslemere’s draft neighbourhood plan – which would have opened up protected landscapes to developers – was rejected in a key vote at the full town council meeting on November 28.

Delighted residents said the ruling would protect areas of outstanding natural beauty ‘for future generations’.

Haslemere Vision’s neighbourhood plan, which has been nearly seven years in the making, shapes future development in the town and has been extensively consulted on.

The amendment was not supported by the Vision, because it had not gone out to a community consultation.

Given 65 per cent of respondents to the Vision’s previous consultations wanted to build as many houses as possible within settlements rather than on greenfield land, the amendment was likely to have been defeated.

The amendment was made to accommodate Waverley’s Local Plan Part 2 (LPP2) Haslemere site allocations.

It had been approved by the former town council in March, but is strongly opposed by many newly-elected councillors.

Urging the council to overturn its original decision and oppose the amendment, Vision chair Lesley Banfield told members if the document went out to public consultation unrevised, it could jeopardise adoption of the neighbourhood plan.

She said the boundary defined in the March 2019 neighbourhood plan approved by Haslemere Town Council includes areas within an area of outstanding natural beauty, great landscape value and green belt. Some of these relate to sites Waverley was proposing to allocate for housing in its LPP2.

“However, Waverley have not yet consulted on these sites and there is now uncertainty whether they will be allocated or not,” she said. “To include AONB, AGLV and green belt within the settlement boundary would give a ‘green light’ to developers. ”

Speaking out on behalf of 250 members of Longdene Action Group, Michael Barnes said there was “no case” for building on AONB and AGLV.

Council chair John Robini successfully proposed a motion to delete the amendment, while Councillor Simon Dear’s counter-proposal that it should stay was defeated.

Town and county councillor Nikki Barton said afterwards: “I am delighted the town council, led by mayor John Robini, voted with a such strong majority to respect the views of the community, Haslemere Vision and the clear policy framework to protect the areas of AONB that surround Haslemere for future generations.

“I have assurance from Waverley leadership that this decision by the town council will be respected going forward.”