The second stage of the Local Plan includes the adoption of Development Management Polices (DMPs) which will apply to development carried out in the borough, replacing those that have been in place since 2003. GBC published the draft DMPS for consultation and GRA submitted the attached response, with the help of input from members.
The consultation draft of the DMPs can be seen here:
On March 11, the Department for Transport published its Road Investment Strategy 2 (RIS2) which covers the period 2020-2025. The scheme to improve J10 M25/A3 (with widening of the A3 from Ockham roundabout to Painshill junction) is included in the list of schemes for implementation. The strategy also includes a list of schemes that will be prepared for implementation in RIS3. There is one A3 scheme included in the pipeline which is described as A£/A247 Ripley South. But there is no mention of a scheme to improve the A3 in Guildford from the A31 to the A320, which has been studied by Highways England, and has been seen by GBC as a key infrastructure element in the new Local Plan. GBC and SCC will no doubt be considering the consequences for the Local Plan as soon as possible.
Guildford Borough Council Planning Committee voted unanimously against the Solum development, but the developers appealed against the decision. In spite of the very large numbers of objections across Guildford and by GRA members, the appeal was won and the development will now go ahead.