At Wednesday 1 December's Planning Committee, two applications in Send were approved against strong objections from councillors and residents. The first, demolition of eight garages and a development of eight new homes in Wharf Lane on the Waterside Farm site where development is currently excluded by an existing S106 covenant. An application to vary that S106 agreement has been made by the developers and still sits with the GBC legal team. Cllr Susan Parker spoke to object to the proposal, which will exacerbate current sewage problems in the lane and is in breach of the numerous policies of the local plan and the Send Neighbourhood Plan, including the protected views from the site. Cllr Guida Esteves spoke in objection to the second Send application, for Pine Cottage on Send Hill, Send, and highlighted to the committee that the proposed five new homes crammed into the back garden of Pine Cottage, will become a de-facto extension of the Oak Heath development which Antler Homes are building next door.
The layout is poor design, inconsistent with the surrounding properties, and is not in line with Guildford Local Plan or the Send Neighbourhood plan polices. The planning inspector in a recent appeal dismissal, spoke of design (not unlike this one) that would lead to the urbanisation of the semi-rural village of Send.
Antler Homes were admonished in the debate by the planning committee members for using piecemeal applications to circumvent affordable home allocations and cumulative Infrastructure assessments of what will now be a minimum 13 home development.
The design of the five homes at Pine Cottage also suggests an intent to build further across the back gardens of Send Hill.
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