Groups and organisations around Waverley have been sent a special request as they can play a big part in producing a blueprint for the borough’s future.

Waverley Borough Council has begun the process of developing a new Local Plan with invites to a series of workshops being sent out.

The workshops will take place throughout June with town and parish councils, residents’ associations, business groups and other local stakeholders taking part.

Feedback from the invite-only workshops will be used to develop a shared vision as the new Local Plan will guide where houses, employment sites and community facilities should be located over the coming decades.

Feedback from the early sessions will help share the early vision for the new Local Plan, so it’s important that “local voices are part of the conversation from the outset”.

“This is a particularly important and challenging time to be developing a new Local Plan for Waverley,” said Cllr Liz Townsend, WBC Portfolio Holder for Planning and Economic Development.

“The Government has proposed changes to national planning rules and significantly increased the number of homes we are expected to deliver.

“That makes it even more crucial that our Local Plan reflects the real priorities, concerns and hopes of our communities.”

She added: "These workshops are a chance for local organisations to have a meaningful say early in the process.

“If your group has a stake in Waverley's future, whether it's housing, environment, infrastructure or community, we'd love you to be part of the conversation."

Groups and organisations from the western part of the borough, which includes Farnham, Haslemere, Frensham and Churt, will take part in workshops next Wednesday morning (June 18)

A workshop for the eastern side of the Borough, which includes Godalming and Cranleigh, will take place the following afternoon with an online Zoom workshop open to all areas booked for the evening of Tuesday, June 24.

The workshop sessions will explore how the local area might look 20 years from now.

Participants will be asked to consider the challenges and opportunities ahead and prioritise what they believe is most important for future prosperity.

They will be asked to think about how to meet the need for new homes, jobs, and infrastructure, while protecting the precious environment and responding to the climate crisis.

Feedback from the workshops will help shape the early vision for the new Local Plan and inform a full public consultation, which will take place at the Issues and Options stage later this year.

Workshops are invitation-only due to limited spaces, as the council is aiming to include a wide range of voices at this early stage.

The wider community will be invited to contribute during an Issues and Options consultation later in the year.

If you represent a local group or organisation active in Waverley and would like to take part in one of the workshops, email [email protected] to express your interest.

For more information about the new Local Plan, visit: planningwaverley.commonplace.is