From last week’s Surrey Advertiser, the Surrey Wildlife Trust gives its view on the proposed development
“The trust believes that the proposed development will have an unacceptable impact on the biodiversity on this highly sensitive area, which cannot be mitigated for despite the strategy outlined in the applicant’s environmental statement,” wrote Mike Waite, living landscapes manager.
“This comes down largely to the proposed scale of the development at 2,100 houses, including its location and internal layout.”
Mr Waite highlighted that to the immediate north of the application site is Ockham Common and Chatley Heath, the majority of which is statutorily protected land within the Ockham and Wisley Commons Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), part of a designated protection area for three heathland breeding birds.
Mr Waite continued: “Much of the land south of the SSSI, including a large area within the application site, has been selected and adopted by yourselves, Guildford Borough Council, as non-statutory Sites of Nature Conservation Importance for protection through planning policy.”