The Guildford Planning Committee met on 9 September 2025 to consider a number of planning applications, including proposed developments in the Green Belt and Surrey Hills National Landscape (SHNL). The committee was also scheduled to discuss planning appeal decisions and hear from public speakers on certain applications.

Here's a breakdown of the key items on the agenda:

Surrey Police HQ, Mount Browne

Two applications relating to the Surrey County Police HQ at Mount Browne were scheduled to be discussed:

• Planning Application 24/P/00563: This application concerned a proposed new access road associated with police operations. The plan included landscaping, drainage (including an attenuation pond), lighting, and supporting engineering works.
• Planning Application 24/P/00564: This application related to the redevelopment of the Mount Browne headquarters, including demolishing the existing dog school and operational policing buildings. Plans included building a replacement dog school with associated staff accommodation, replacement core operational police buildings, a ground maintenance compound, and refurbishing the core operational building. The scheme also included constructing and refurbishing associated parking, including a new decked car park, along with associated landscaping, engineering operations and ancillary works.

The report pack noted that both sites are within the Green Belt and the Surrey Hills National Landscape. The list of public speakers indicated that these applications did not qualify for public speakers.

A supplementary agenda pack included previous late sheets from a 6 November 2024 planning committee meeting for both applications. These late sheets contained additional letters of representation raising concerns about highway safety, response times, and the adequacy of consultation. The officer considered that these concerns had been addressed in the report.

The supplementary agenda pack also noted that the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Planning Advisor had sent an email regarding application 24/P/00563, noting that the Officer's Report did not mention that the Local Planning Authority should also be considered a relevant authority for the purposes of the new The Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act 2023 (LURA) duty¹. The LPA were said to be satisfied that this duty had been met with respect to both applications.

The supplementary agenda pack also summarised points raised in a memo sent to members by a resident on 5 November 2024, on behalf of local residents, including concerns about the application description, the number of conditions, and the location of the dog school. The Case Officer's comments addressing these concerns were also included.

175 Walnut Tree Close, Guildford

The committee was scheduled to consider an application 23/P/02137 for the demolition of an existing building and the erection of a mixed-use development at 175 Walnut Tree Close, comprising a ground floor Class E unit² and six apartments on the first to third floors, together with associated parking, cycle parking, and amenity areas. The list of public speakers indicated that this application did not qualify for public speakers.

The supplementary agenda pack included comments from Environmental Health officers, recommending conditions relating to land contamination, reporting of unexpected contamination, a demolition and construction environmental management plan, plant noise, and noise mitigation measures for residential units.

Other Planning Applications

The Planning Committee was also scheduled to consider the following applications:

• 25/P/00806 - 32 Queen Eleanors Road, Guildford: Subdivision of an existing 8-bed HMO to create 2 x 4-bed HMO units.
• 25/P/00856 - 17, 17A & 19 North Road, Guildford: Erection of a terrace of three dwellings with associated parking, bin and cycle stores to provide three separate 5-bed HMOs (retrospective).
• 25/P/00063 - Kings Court, Burrows Lane, Gomshall, Shere: Application to vary a condition relating to external lighting. Carol Myson was scheduled to speak in objection, and Councillor Bob Hughes was scheduled to speak in support. A site plan was provided in a supplementary agenda pack.
• 25/P/00285 - Ruskin, Green Dene, East Horsley, Leatherhead: Erection of a front porch, two-storey side extension, first floor extension, and changes to fenestration. Grant Tanner and Chris French were scheduled to speak in support, and Councillor Ruth Brothwell was scheduled to speak in objection, attending remotely.
• 25/P/00808 - Brook Cottage, Pine Walk, East Horsley, Leatherhead: Erection of a two-storey side extension, a part single, part two-storey side extension, front extensions, and an upwards extension to enlarge the first floor. Alex Veys was scheduled to speak in objection, and Rebecca Gossage and Stephen Oakenfull were scheduled to speak in support.

Planning Appeal Decisions

The committee was scheduled to note the Planning Appeal Decisions.