LOCAL residents say they feel threatened by the inappropriate size of planned new homes and traveller pitches in West Byfleet, which would put significant extra strain on healthcare and education facilities and an over-congested transport system.

The residents, who attended two public meetings last week over plans for 461 residential units and 15 traveller pitches built over three phases at West Hall, said they were concerned the planning application will be overseen by bureaucrats who have no empathy with the local community.

The meetings were arranged by the three Byfleet and West Byfleet councillors, the Independent Amanda Boote, Daryl Jordan and Steve Howes.

Cllr Jordan, a member of the planning committee, was present as an observer.  

Speaking to the News & Mail before the meetings, Cllr Boote said the planned development could worsen flooding, add more traffic to gridlocked roads and put further strain on the medical centre.

“My main concern about the plans is that none of the infrastructure requirements have been met, despite years of us asking and pleading with Woking Borough Council for this,” she said.

Cllr Boote said work had not been done even after an infrastructure study was carried out for the east of the borough after a petition was presented to the council.

“I do appreciate that we need to build more housing in the borough but no one is thinking about putting the necessary infrastructure in place first.

“The developers Barratt David Wilson Homes are planning to build a roundabout on the Parvis Road but they have a very poor track record with roundabouts.”

Woking MP Will Forster and Anne Marie Barker, the borough council leader, were on the panel at both meetings and expressed their desire to listen to residents’ concerns and use these to apply pressure on the county council to mitigate the impact.

Mr Forster said it was important to “fight the right battles” as it was unlikely the development could be stopped but there might be mitigations to restrict the impact.

Local GP, Dr S. Soin, said all West Byfleet surgeries were full and he was astonished there was no consultation with his surgery on the planned new development.

The application, PLAN/2024/0475, has already attracted more than 130 written objections and while the official deadline for comments is today (22 August), it is understood that they will be accepted up until the planning committee meeting, which could be as late as October.