Approval Granted for 320-Home Development on Farnham’s Outskirts

A proposal for 320 new residences, situated at Coxbridge Farm on the periphery of Farnham, a town in Surrey, has received approval. This development incorporates 96 units designated as affordable housing. The decision regarding this project had previously been postponed in October. At that time, developers were instructed to present a revised design, as the undertaking was deemed “too important” to get wrong, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The initial proposals featured roads that directly accessed existing gardens; these elements were subsequently removed in the updated application, which was then sanctioned by Waverley Borough Council’s planning committee on 11 December. Ben Baillie, representing Cooper Baillie and speaking for the developers CALA Homes, informed the committee meeting that they had collaborated with local residents to refine the design. Councillor Graham White commented, “We’ve reached a point now where we just need to get on and build, we’ve taken so long to get to this point.” He further noted that a concern for residents residing in the adjacent Hazell Road was their elevated vantage point, which meant they were “looking down on the site.” Councillor White added, “We have to be practical about this and make life as pleasant as possible for the people whose gardens back on to this development.” He additionally commended Cala for their readiness to modify their proposals. Councillor Carole Cockburn characterized the development as “the biggest thing Farnham has had for a long time,” emphasizing that the council needed to “get it right.” She concluded, “The developer has done what we asked for the reason for deferral and I hope it works and I hope it’s a very nice place to live. This is so much better.”