Proposed development that could have a detrimental impact has returned to the village, with Guildford Borough Council’s (GBC) proposals in the revised local plan.  Policy A64 proposes 105 houses at the site between Flexford and Normandy.

We urge you to consider responding to the proposal before the deadline of Tuesday 23rd October (noon), 2018.

If approved this would almost certainly have a detrimental effect on our wildlife through removal of feeding grounds for wildlife and through the destruction of habitats. Development here could impact on the UK’s red listed yellowhammers, as well as barn owl and bat foraging, plus impact on freshwater, pasture and hedge habitats and create potential loss of habitat connectivity.  This area is within the Wanborough and Normandy Woods and Meadows Biodiversity Opportunity Area.

The aim of Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (BOAs) is to establish a strategic framework for conserving and enhancing biodiversity at a landscape-scale, making our wildlife more robust to changing climate and socio-economic pressures. Recognition of BOAs directly meets National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) policy for the planning system to contribute to international commitments for halting the overall decline in biodiversity, by establishing coherent ecological networks that are more resilient to current and future pressures. Safeguarding BOAs via local plans fulfills NPPF requirements to plan for biodiversity at a landscape-scale.

This land has been offered for sale before and GBC only recently refused a planning application to have 9 houses built on it (which is currently under appeal).  However, the government’s Planning Inspector challenged GBC recently to start building houses earlier in the Local Plan and thus this amendment has been proposed.

For more information and other considerations (such as erosion of Green Belt) of this proposal please refer to the Normandy Action Group’s website.