ELSTEAD'S FUTURE

Since 2014 Elstead Parish Council and Peper Harow Parish have been developing a Neighbourhood Plan to define the future of Elstead and the Weyburn and Tanshire part of Peper Harow Parish. Weyburn is included in the Plan Boundary because development there has a major impact on services and facilities in Elstead.

Why?  

We have problems with local people being priced out of the housing market, loss of retail outlets and their replacement by private housing, current housing stock being moved up-market by extensions and conversions, loss of employment opportunities in the village, an increasing commuter population and pressure from developers for excessive and inappropriate development. The aim is to restore a healthy balance for the future of the village by providing genuinely affordable homes for local people and encouraging the establishment of new shops and businesses to come to the village.

The new Waverley Local Plan

The Waverley Local Plan defines a framework within which the Elstead & Weyburn Neighbourhood Plan will operate. Elstead Parish Council and Peper Harow Parish will have more money from any new housing development to use for the benefit of everybody in Elstead and Weyburn. For access to the Waverley Local Plan and consultation documents go to the Waverley Local Plan website [LINK]

Who has been doing this?

Following an informal exhibition and a public meeting in late 2014 a Steering Group was set up in 2015 to co-ordinate the activities of five Working Groups collecting evidence for the Neighbourhood Plan. They have been consulting with local people, businesses and landowners, through annual public meetings, newsletters and an opinion survey.

What is Neighbourhood Planning

The Localism Bill was enacted in April 2012 and included the right for communities to draw up a neighbourhood development plan. It enables communities to draw up a Neighbourhood Plan for their area and is intended to give communities more of a say in the development of their local area, within limits set by the Waverley Local Plan and other legislation.

These plans are intended to be used to decide the future of the places where we live and work giving the chance to influence a number of possible factors, for instance they could include:-

• where new homes, shops and other development should be built;
• the design of new homes;
• provision for local housing and other needs;
• identifying, protecting and enhancing important local environmental features and physical assets;
• promoting quality building standards and energy-efficient construction and materials;
• developing community facilities;
• promoting biodiversity and renewable energy projects;
• addressing transport and access issues. 

What has been done?

In 2015 the Working Groups put in a lot of effort collecting information about Elstead, dividing the work into five areas:

• Housing & Facilities
• Transport & Infrastructure
• Environment in and around Elstead
• Business & Employment
• Weyburn Works (an urgent special case)

The information gathered was presented at a public meeting in July 2015 and part of it was used to compose a general public survey to obtain opinions on what should be included in the Neighbourhood Plan. This was carried out in early 2016. The results were presented at a public meeting in July 2016. Another public workshop and exhibition was held in July 2017 to publicise ideas on the possible layout of new homes on two sites available for development.

Costs. 

A considerable amount of money has been spent by the Parish Council on setting up the Neighbourhood Plan, with Planning Consultant's fees a major item. The Parish Precept (Council Tax) has been raised to cover part of  the costs of the four year development, the remainder coming from government grants.

Housing.

The most important area was related to Housing as Waverley Borough Council had set a target for development in and around Elstead. The original intention was to hold a housing needs survey to determine the actual current needs of people living and working in the area as well as the types of homes that might be needed in the future. This was not carried out and the general survey did not cover that requirement. 

A call for Housing sites was made by Waverley in 2016 and ten sites were offered by landowners. As well as the derelict industrial site at Weyburn Waverley identified, an extension of The Croft and a field in the Hookley Lane area have been proposed for release from the Green Belt in Waverley Local Plan Part 1, adopted in late 2017. The NP team also called for sites independently in 2017 and recommended a site off West Hill instead of one of the Hookley Lane sites.

A Design Workshop was held in July 2017 to present ideas and discuss the two sites preferred by the NP team, at Sunray Farm off West Hill and the extension of The Croft estate.

For more information about the boundary changes and proposed housing sites in Elstead with Waverley's allocation of possible numbers of new homes on each site go to Housing Sites [LINK] on the Menu

Present Situation  (August 2020)

Since 1995 Elstead has been protected by the Elstead Design Statement, a Planning document that includes much of the information going into the Neighbourhood Plan. 

Part 1 of Waverley's Local Plan has been finished, Part 2 has gone through the final consultation stage and is being prepared for submission for Ministry approval. 

The Future

Our Neighbourhood Plan was the subject of a twelve week consultation which started on July 6th and the results are  currently under review. This will be followed by submission to Waverley Borough Council, examination by a Planning Inspector and a referendum to obtain public approval for the Plan.

It remains to be seen whether Local Government reorganisation and new Planning Regulations will affect the Local and Neighbourhood Plans.