COUNTRYSIDE CAMPAIGNERS WELCOME DUNSFOLD DECISION

The Surrey Branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has welcomed the decision by the Government to dismiss an appeal against the refusal of planning permission for Dunsfold Park New Town.

The Department for Communities & Local Government has announced that it agrees with the conclusion of the Planning Inspector that Waverley Council was right to reject the scheme for 2,600 new homes at Dunsfold, as the scheme was “environmentally unsustainable” and went against local, regional and national policy.

CPRE Surrey Branch Director Andy Smith said: “We are delighted that the Government has decided against this ill-conceived proposal. The decision is a vindication of the efforts of CPRE and the Stop Dunsfold New Town Campaign at the recent Planning Inquiry and over many months preceding that Inquiry.

“Faced by the developers’ legal team and their many allies and supporters, we sometimes felt like David fighting Goliath. But in the end it was worth the fight. The Planning Inspector’s report made clear that the development was unsustainable in transport terms, and that building a New Town in a rural area conflicted with local, regional and national policy.”

However, CPRE expressed concern about the possibility of a further legal challenge by the developers.