Up to 200 homes could be built near Surrey village

Developers have outlined a potential scheme with a full planning application expected to follow

Up to 200 homes could be built on green belt land just outside a Surrey village, according to a pre-planning request.

Outlines for potential plans on land at Shortland Farm, in Guildford Road near Ash, would see existing equestrian buildings demolished to make way for a mix of market and affordable homes, mostly two-and-a-half storeys high.

No definite plans have been announced, but developer Gleeson Land has submitted a environmental screening request outlining the potential scheme with a full planning application expected to follow.

The 11-hectare (27 acres) site would also include open spaces, landscaping and a new access route via Guildford Road, along with paths and cycleways.

Gleeson Land had asked Guildford Borough Council whether the scheme needed an Environmental Impact Assessment but planning officers decided on Wednesday that it was not, clearing the way for the next stage in the application process.

The developers argue the land is more "grey belt" than green belt due to the existing buildings, and they claim the scheme would blend in with the surroundings, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The proposed development site is next to a main road connecting Ash and Normandy.

The applicant argues the land is not in a "sensitive landscape" and the site is "adjacent to the urbanising influences of the village of Ash which is itself located in close proximity to the A331".

Planning documents state most of the land is low-value farmland, although there are a few mature trees along the northern boundary which would be lost for the new road.

Planting new trees and vegetation and creating a "green corridor" are noted to preserve the long-distance views and blend the new homes into the landscape.

The Ash area is already seeing major growth with two nearby developments under construction, two waiting for implementation and one complete.