The future of Ashtead and Bookham villages will be decided next year in two referenda.

It comes after councillors approved plans mapped out following years of work from residents.

Neighbourhood Development Plans for the two villages were commended and approved by Mole Valley District Councillors at a full council meeting on Tuesday, December 6.

The two plans await further approval next year at referenda. A date of May 4 – to coincide with local elections – has been pencilled in.

The Ashtead Neighbourhood Forum and Bookham Vanguard Forum have each spent three years drawing up their respective plans before submitting drafts which were then approved by examiners and ratified by councillors this week.

From June: Mole Valley District Council to decide whether to subject Ashtead masterplan to public consultation

If adopted it would create the framework for any future development in the villages for the next ten and 20 years for Ashtead and Bookham respectively.

This would include infrastructure and transport, volume, style and size of housing, and the protection of the Green Belt and the villages’ historical heritage and character.

The Ashtead group’s vision statement reads: “The NDP will seek to maintain and enhance the sense of community within the village by protecting and enhancing the natural and built environment, assisting the local economy, and improving travel, leisure and life-long learning opportunities while supporting our needs with appropriate development.”

Your Local Guardian:

Coucnilllor Sarah Seed said: “I know how hard the Ashtead Neighbourhood Forum has worked to put this together.

“I think they have done a really detailed and through job of it, which takes into consideration the residents’ thoughts, their wishes and their opinions.”

The Bookham Vanguard Forum’s statement reads: “Bookham needed to create the Bookham Vanguard Forum because it does not have an elected Village or Parish Council.

“The Bookham Vanguard Forum is non-political and seeks to represent everyone in the community. It will oversee and guide the creation of the Neighbourhood Development Plan.”

Your Local Guardian:

Councillor Lucy Botting (pictured above) commended the group for their hard work putting together the plan.

She said: “It is absolutely sterling work.

“It has been three years of giving up Saturdays, time-in and time-out, for more than 50 members of our community.”

Your Local Guardian:

Fetcham West Councillor and Bookham resident Raj Haque (pictured above) described the plan as “one of the best things to happen to Bookham”.

He added: “People can decide their own future in terms of planning issues.

“Who knows better than the people who live there?”

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