We were pleased to see that TDC have opposed the proposed
Government housing target of 12900 suggested - See Tandridge Council Press Release
There are already severe strains upon local greenbelt to achieve the current assessed housing need (OAN) of 9400 (470 pa) over a 20 year period under the proposed draft Local Plan, which met the original Government assessment of 9220 (461 pa).
However, local greenbelt will be decimated if there is an insistence from Government to increase the Tandridge number to £12900 (645 pa), as this would not take into account the local conditions applying to the district involving several areas designated as AONB.
The Government appear to have have a mistaken belief that building a substantial number of houses in Surrey greenbelt will help to solve the current housing problem, although these houses are unlikely to be within the financial reach of most local people seeking to own their own property. These properties will more likely be purchased by investors in the private rental market thus inflating local property costs even more than currently.
There are some really critical stretches of greenbelt in the Tandridge district which will be lost forever if exposed to the pressure to build a housing volume far beyond any local need.
We hope the Government will resist their current approach and allow
Tandridge Council to work within a realistic local housing need.
