WAVERLEY council chiefs have signed off an additional £200,000 in taxpayers’ funds to defend the decision to grant planning permission for 1,800 new homes at Dunsfold Park aerodrome.

The council’s executive committee agreed to the ‘supplementary estimate’ on Tuesday night, to cover the costs of hosting the public inquiry requested by the Secretary of State last month, as well as legal representation including counsel, planning and technical consultants.

Last December, Waverley’s joint planning committee approved an application by Dunsfold Airport and Rutland for a new 1,800 home settlement on the borough’s largest brownfield site – south of Godalming.

But on March 8, Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid ‘called-in’ the application for determination by the Minister, in recognition of the “scale and importance of the site both locally and nationally”.

An independent planning inspector will now hold an inquiry, and report their recommendation to Mr Javid.

It is expected to focus on the location and sustainability of the proposal.

Dunsfold Park forms a cornerstone of Waverley’s draft Local Plan, which includes a provision to build 2,600 new houses at the airfield by 2032 to meet increased housing targets and reduce the pressure to build on greenfield sites principally in the Farnham and Cranleigh areas.

Addressing councillors at Tuesday’s meeting, Waverley’s opposition leader Jerry Hyman (Farnham Residents) said he had “no problem” with the £200,000 estimate. But the independent implored the council to consider the impacts of the eventual 2,600 homes at Dunsfold –not just the 1,800 currently planned.

He said: “I think everybody is keen to obtain the best possible solution for Dunsfold as soon as possible, and with that in mind, before deciding on the council’s position at the inquiry, I would ask that you would consider obtaining specific legal advice in respect of the whole of the project, which is 2,600 homes rather than 1,800 homes.”

Council leader Julia Potts said: “Just so we’re clear, the council made a decision, a planning decision based on all the planning facts and all the legal advice.

“We always act within the law and we will be defending this matter very robustly at the forthcoming public inquiry.”