A CALL for changes to be made to a plan to build 55 flats on a key Haslemere site has been made by the town Localism group, based on the 1,000 responses to its housing consultation.

At a packed public meeting last Thursday, the planning group revealed the findings from its housing consultation on where to build the 780 homes Waverley Borough Council has allocated to be built in the town by 2031.

One of the six major sites identified in the survey for comments on future development options is the 3,335 square metre site running from the railway bridge up Wey Hill to the Majestic Wine Centre.

The green light was given on appeal in 2011 for a mixed development of 39 flats and office space with basement parking – but the planning consent was never utilised.

Now the same owners, Brettenwood Investment Holdings, have applied to build a residential rather than a mixed-use development – proposing 31 one-bed and 24 two-bed flats specifically marketed at the over 55s, in three separate blocks with on-site parking, private gardens and a communal garden.

Flexing its planning muscle for the first time, based on 932 responses to its housing survey, Haslemere Vision has lodged an objection to the plan in its present form.

Group chairman Stewart Brown told the borough council more than the 11 affordable flats proposed were needed to bring the application into line with Waverley’s target of 30 per cent.

“The 31 proposed parking spaces for 55 flats cannot be adequate,” he wrote.

“The station already has significant parking challenges as the fifth most used station on the South West Trains line.

“New residential developments in this area should not exacerbate this situation further and should at least conform to current Waverley Borough Council policy which would equate to a minimum of 55 spaces.

“In summary, while we believe there is strong local support for an appropriate development on the 5-21 Wey Hill site, the community would not support the development proceeding on the basis of the proposals in the current application.”

At last week’s meeting, it emerged there was general support to build 780 new houses by 2031 with 36 per cent in favour of more.

The majority also wanted 200 new homes to be affordable and to preserve as many jobs as possible.

Haslemere Vision’s Crawford Christie, who presented the findings, said the the town was 227 houses short of Waverley’s target.

The shortfall was due to majority backing for new housing to be built at “moderate densities” and not losing employment land to new development.

Two large employment sites ripe for residential redevelopment are Barons of Hindhead, which is considering relocating further south down the A3, and Andrews of Hindhead, where a scheme for 40 luxury apartments and 13 cottages with no affordable housing, has already been mooted by the potential new owners.

The survey findings for both sites revealed the majority in favour of mixed use redevelopment at moderate density.

Waverley Borough Council agreed to put its plans to make Wey Hill Fairground car park pay-and-display on hold to allow Haslemere Vision to research what the town wants.

A total of 44 per cent of the survey respondants backed a new mixed-use development with 31 per cent in favour of Waverley’s plan for a refurbished car park.

Mr Christie told the meeting the shortfall in housing numbers would have to be plugged – which increased the importance of a Haslemere Vision neighbourhood plan.

“It is not possible to meet all these objectives,” he said.

“Something will need to give. We will need to either build at higher density on major sites, develop sites like Wey Hill Fairground, or land north of the station, allow the loss of employment land, or build on greenfield locations.

“Our neighbourhood plan guides where and how it can be built. Waverley’s Local Plan will have nothing specific about Haslemere.

“Our neighbourhood plan is a guide to where is best for the community. Without it we have no say.”