Date:
A document identifying land for future development has been submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination.
The draft Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD) identifies potential urban and Green Belt sites for future housing, employment and infrastructure within Woking Borough to ensure it meets its future development requirements.
Woking Borough Council is committed to preparing the document to enable the delivery of its Core Strategy which was adopted in 2012.
Cllr Graham Cundy, Woking Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Planning Services, said: “I would like to thank residents and businesses for their feedback and extend my gratitude to Council officers for their efforts in bringing forward this document.
“Whilst this has been a long and complex process, we understand the sensitivities that exist when identifying future development sites. Through the consultation process, we have carefully reviewed and considered thousands of representations before submitting our draft document to the Secretary of State for independent examination.
“It is now for the independent examiner to consider whether or not our proposal is ‘sound’ by public examination before the Site Allocations DPD is adopted by Council.”
During summer 2015, the Council conducted an initial consultation on its proposals, which attracted over 32,000 individual representations.
A further consultation was undertaken in January 2017 on the suitability of safeguarding land east of Martyrs Lane, which was not taken forward by Council, before a final six week consultation was held in November 2018.
Once an independent inspector is appointed by the Secretary of State, the inspector will determine how, when and where the examination will be conducted. All those who made representations will be contacted once the details are confirmed.
For more information about the Draft Site Allocations DPD and other planning policies, please visit www.woking2027.info/allocations