Guildford Borough Council will be undertaking a review into further steps to tackle unwanted ‘garden grabbing’ following concerns expressed by local residents. Garden grabbing is the term applied to the demolition of sound family homes and gardens by developers, replacing them with high-density buildings (often flats) without sufficient open space or parking spaces.
At a meeting of Full Council on 7 April, Conservative councillors asked what steps the Council leader was taking to address the issue locally. There have been a number of recent planning applications granted across Guildford raising the prospect of out-of-keeping over-development spreading.
Suggestions included the Council considering the adoption of local ‘supplementary planning guidance’ on garden development, that many councils elsewhere have deployed. This would add to the local ‘Residential Design Guide’ that shapes how residential planning applications are assessed in urban, suburban and rural Guildford.
Council leader, Tony Rooth, replied and announced that planning officers on the Council have been commissioned to undertake a review. A report to the Planning Committee (after May’s elections) will assess the underlying trends of garden grabbing and review the Planning Inspectorate’s recent rulings, with a view to taking further action.
Such steps would add to the assistance provided by central government. Last year, the Coalition Government changed John Prescott’s controversial planning rules to remove the designation of gardens as “brownfield” land, which lead to gardens being treated the same as disused industrial land; the Government also abolished Whitehall maximum density targets which forced councils to over-develop suburban neighbourhoods.
Cllr Tony Rooth, commented: “Conservatives on the Borough Council are committed to protecting the features of Guildford’s varied neighbourhoods, and striking the right balance between supporting a robust local economy and maintaining the character of Guildford which makes it so special.”