'Brilliant' 100 per cent affordable Surrey housing site unanimously approved

The Guildford Road site in Lightwater is to be demolished in order to make way for 21 new homes, split between 10 shared ownership properties and 11 that will available on affordable rents.

This is an increase on the previously agreed site that featured just two first homes, one shared ownership, five affordable rentals, and the rest put on to the open private market.

Councillor Shaun Garrett (Conservative: Old Dean) told Surrey Heath’s Thursday, July 21 planning committee: “I’m not going to say anything against this because I’ve always said in this chamber ‘we need affordable housing’ – so I think it’s a brilliant idea.

He added: “I think it’s unfortunate that other developers don’t see that they can go down this route.”

The change in plans come after the site was taken on by a housing association that wishes to deliver it as wholly affordable development rather than the 40 per cent as previously agreed.

The site was previously operated by a car sales, repairs and MOT service business under a short-term lease – but has since been vacant since October 2020.

The site has since been boarded with hoardings and left vacant while its planning future was resolved.

Officers told the meeting: “The site has been acquired by a housing association and they wish to deliver it as 100 per cent affordable.

They added: “The proposal sees 10 shared ownership units and 11 affordable rented units.

“Overall as mentioned, the proposals would not alter the number of units on the site, in terms of size, scale, form and assessments will be the same.

“The proposal is for 100 per cent affordable housing and would make a valuable contribution to the council’s unmet need.”