In 2024, the Local Plan Inspector, Phillip Lewis, whose task was to review the submitted Local Plan Inspector provided a report as to its failings (View the report).
These particular points that the Local Plan Inspector made are are relevant to Warlingham:
- South Godstone, Garden Village is not justified, effective nor consistent with National Policy. It has not been demonstrated as ‘deliverable’ or ‘developable’ and would cause ‘severe’ impact on the transport network. As this was such a big part of the Local Plan, it brings into question whether any of the strategy was ‘sound’.
- It is unclear as to how much new development, if any, could come forward in Tandridge before ‘severe’ conditions would occur at junction 6 of the M25, or indeed other places in the transport network.
- Since 2020, his questions and advice to the Council have not been addressed. This included, the M25 and transport network, update to Green Belt Assessments, housing numbers, flooding, education provision etc.
- Evidence base is out of date, so business and employment needs are not addressed.
- Unresolved matters on education provision which affected Greenacres Sports Ground.
- In principle the Council was right to review its Green Belt but circumstances have changed and the ‘Exceptional Circumstances’ for altering Green Belt boundaries do not exist and he is not in the position to comment further on other proposed allocations in the plan.
- Examination became so stagnated, that there was nothing that could be done to alter it.