Plan for 950 homes near villages slammed by group

A proposal to build 950 homes on farmland between two Surrey villages is "completely inappropriate", a local action group says.

An application for the scheme, which would also see a community hub, shops, medical centre, and special educational needs and disabilities school built between Normandy and Flexford, has now been submitted to Guildford Borough Council (GBC).

Developer Taylor Wimpey says the proposal is made up of "a wide mix of high-quality, energy-efficient homes", half of which will be affordable.

However, chairman of the Normandy Action Group Michael Aaronson insists the scheme is "disproportionate".

He told BBC Radio Surrey: "To put 950 new-builds in an area like this is out of all proportion to what is reasonable...the views of residents in Normandy since this proposal emerged last year are pretty well unanimous."

Aaronson said separate resident surveys undertaken by the action group and Normandy Parish Council in 2025 revealed almost blanket opposition to the plans.

"The people here are absolutely against this proposal which, frankly, will do them no good and will destroy forever the character of this village and this community," he added.

Aaronson also said the flood risk in the area meant the developer was likely to resort to "building upwards".

"They talk about up to four storeys, which would be completely inappropriate for a development in this area," he said.

A spokesperson for Taylor Wimpey said "a comprehensive sustainable drainage strategy will manage surface water effectively".

They continued: "Our proposals for a sustainable new community between Normandy and Flexford have been designed to meet local housing need whilst respecting and reflecting the character of the local area...

"Over half of the site will be transformed from private agricultural land to publicly accessible green space with a range of wildlife habitats."

Surrey Heath MP Al Pinkerton says he is "deeply concerned about the scale of this development and the pressure it would place on already-stretched public infrastructure".

A spokesperson for GBC said: "We are now working to validate this application.

"When complete, we'll notify nearby residents, who will have the opportunity to share their views during the formal consultation period."

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.