Do you want to know what haphazard, unplanned house building in the suburban south east will look like? Do you want to know what gentle densification will look at in the real world? Not the re-assurances based on political theory? Around the edges of existing communities, villages towns and rural areas if the existing broken spatial land supply system is not replaced? Regardless of whether the land is protected green belt, or not! Well here we have the answer. From the Planning Inspectorate, a government body.
On 21st May 2026 the Planning Inspectorate (Guy Davies, appeal ref. 6002295) , issued the Government’s decision on an application to build 154 retirement units, 33 dwellings and a GP surgery on agriculture land in Snows Ride, Windlesham, GU20 6LA. The appeal was allowed despite the proposal being described in the Appeal Decision as being inappropriate development in the Green Belt. Why? First and significantly the council, Surrey Heath Borough Council and the applicants, Retirement Village Developments Ltd both agreed the land is grey land. This classification matters. The Inspector concluded the site does not strongly contribute to the purposes of the green belt. It is pastureland used for grazing, largely open as a field of pasture, therefore itself agricultural but within a wider area of patchwork of uses including woodland, large residential dwellings set in extensive grounds, commercial uses, and recreational uses between larger settlement areas, the Inspector saying the character of the area has aspects of open countryside and other uses. These being his findings he further concludes development will only cause limited harm. Remember: this is undeveloped agriculture , green belt land land, with no buildings on it, ( maybe a small temporary barn style one somewhere).
Here I must declare a personal interest. For over twenty years ago, until fifteen years ago I lived with my family on the doorstep of this site., almost within sight of it. I know the area like the back of my hand. As a retired chartered surveyor I had views when we bought more than forty years ago, as I do today whether and if so how , the area will change in the long term. About 35/40 years ago I was seeing and publishing my.concerns about housing shortages in the fast growth regions like the Thames Valley, and anticipating the spatial dilemma to be faced. Rebuild in low density areas like Windlesham or build in the open on fields in the open countryside.
This appeal decision will be nuclear in its ramifications if the existing system of housing land is not radically changed by Prime Minister to be Andy Burnham . Why do I product this outcome.? Bear in mind right next door to the appeal site is another similar sized mainly open agricultural field with what appears to be low activity level landscape nursery uses happening. It too will be green belt. It too sits within the patchwork of uses described above. But this is just the start! If this ‘nursery use’ site is released a snowball will start to roll. The neighbouring land is where ‘the large residential dwellings set in extensive grounds’ are to.found. They are further down Snows Ride, along the side road; Hatton Hill and around the back of both fields called Westwood Road with lots of homes in these roads sitting in gardens and grounds of many acres. In total enough for a medium sized new community! All these sites are green belt too. This protection is gone. Consider the appeal site’s protection. Consider these residential sites are not in agricultural use. They are sites already in residential use. It follows that now the Snows Ride site is given planning consent for estate house building the law of precedent will start. All of these areas will be redeveloped, but on a spasmodic basis with unknown timetables. Who will pay for the upgrades needed to Westwood Road, Hatton Hill and eventually Snows Ride too- a future need ignored in this appeal.decision?
I deeply regret the disruption, uncertainty and damage that will be done to the quality of life of the existing residents. Can it be avoided? Only if Surrey Heath can come forward with a.credible long term, sustainable housing land supply policy. As there is no evidence this crucial policy omission is being considered by the local council it seems unlikely. This unsatisfactory decision has surprised me. I thought, wrongly the precedent setting implications of granting consent would protect the Snows Ride site. We are now starting a new path. Residents living in areas of high housing demand, low housing supply whose gardens offer potential for redevelopment at higher densities will face difficult decisions but some financial opportunities. . Residents with smaller gardens in such areas will face seeing their local communities change out of all recognition whilst the changes will bring them little or no financial or quality of life advantages. For many this upheaval is going to be a sad, but inevitable and unknowable outcome.
Ian Campbell
13 July 2026
