A government planning inspector has approved up to 111 homes on land off Midhurst Road in Haslemere, overturning Waverley Borough Council’s refusal of the controversial Scotland Park scheme.

Inspector Phillip J G Ware allowed Redwood South West Limited’s appeal following a re-run public inquiry in April, clearing the way for housing, a scout facility, a forest school and new public open space within the Surrey Hills National Landscape.

The decision comes 17 months after a previous refusal was quashed by the High Court for procedural unfairness, forcing the April inquiry to be held again before packed public galleries in Haslemere Hall.

The 23-hectare site sits on the town’s southern edge and is currently open countryside. Waverley had argued the plans would cause unacceptable harm to the landscape.

The inspector agreed there would be “large adverse” effects on ridge-top fields but said these would soften over time with new planting. He also found woodland restoration, wetland creation and biodiversity gains would bring “neutral to beneficial” results elsewhere on the land.

However, the key factor proved to be housing need. Waverley can only demonstrate 1.28 years of housing land supply, far short of the Government’s required five years. Citing “exceptional circumstances”, Mr Ware said this shortage, combined with 35 per cent affordable housing and five self-build plots, justified development in the National Landscape.

“This scheme will deliver much-needed homes, affordable housing and community benefits,” he said, concluding that the public interest outweighed the landscape harm.

The project also includes a new access road from Midhurst Road, children’s play areas, electric vehicle charging, new footpaths and cycle links, and a 30-year biodiversity management plan. No homes can be occupied until a large natural green space , known as a Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG), is completed and approved by Natural England.

Before the inquiry opened, Surrey Hills planning adviser Clive Smith branded the proposal “deeply troubling”, warning it was “the largest ever proposed development across the entire Surrey Hills National Landscape in my 16 years in this role”.

Board chair Katherine Atkinson said it would “send shock waves through nationally protected landscape bodies”.

The inspector’s approval is subject to dozens of planning conditions and a legal agreement securing the affordable homes, green space management and the delivery of the new scout and forest school facilities.

The appeal, reference APP/R3650/W/3327643, was issued on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.