A COUNCILLOR was forced to apologise after dismissing those objecting to plans for a 50-home estate in Haslemere as “NIMBYs” and “rich buggers” in a public meeting last Thursday.

Tory member for Haslemere North, David Round, made the incendiary comments during a debate of Redwood’s planning application for 50 homes at the Red Court estate on Scotland Lane at Haslemere Town Council.

Cllr Round told committee members: “What’s not to like? They [the applicants] tick all the boxes. I’ve lived in Haslemere for nearly 50 years, and all that time this area has been fenced off with horrible looking signs, police guard dogs on duty – and now, at last there is a proposal to develop something beautiful on it.”

Cllr Round recognised the number of objections received, but that the “ordinary people of Haslemere want to do their part in building houses that the nation needs”.

He said: “I think the rest of Haslemere – if they’ve expressed a view, which they probably haven’t – would be keen to support this, the affordable housing for this at last, decent looking estate.

“But we have all got to accept that the people who live round there don’t want it – a lot of these rich buggers at the end of Haslemere Road – they don’t want anything built, that’s not fair.”

Responding to Cllr Round’s comments, independent Cllr Nikki Barton demanded an apology “on behalf of the residents of Haslemere”, deeming his comments as “absolutely outrageous”.

Cllr Round did apologise for using the “common phrase as if this was banter in a pub”, adding that he “meant rich people” – but that those in attendance would “still think that was offensive”.