Waverley Borough Council mulls £2m park and housing plan

Waverley Borough Council is considering a £2 million proposal to transform a 20.9-acre site off Hale Road into a Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) near Farnham Park.

The initiative follows an agreement with the Ismaili Trust. The project aims to reduce recreational pressure on the environmentally sensitive Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area while improving local biodiversity and providing additional parking for Farnham Park and St John's Church. Funding for the project is expected to come from the SANG Reserve, Capital Receipts, and General Fund Working Balances.

Establishing this green space could facilitate the construction of up to 532 new homes in the Farnham area. Under current planning rules, new developments within the Thames Basin Heaths zone of influence must mitigate their impact on protected habitats, a requirement that has previously hindered local housing applications.