Environmental Impact

Impact to Wildlife

The site provides vital habitat for sensitive bird species—including herons, peregrine falcons, and bats —which rely on both the woodland and the Beverley Brook corridor for nesting and foraging.

The proposed development would cause irreversible habitat loss, likely displacing these species and severing key ecological connections. Such harm directly contravenes the mitigation hierarchy outlined in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which places the highest priority on avoiding environmental damage before considering mitigation or compensation. 

Flood Risk

The proposed development poses a significant flood risk due to its scale and reliance on unproven drainage strategies. Any intervention that slows the flow of Beverley Brook—whether through increased surface runoff, altered land gradients, or drainage modifications—could compromise flood resilience across a much wider area than the development site itself. This includes downstream communities throughout Surrey, where flood security depends on maintaining the natural flow and capacity of the brook. Such impacts must be rigorously assessed, as they extend far beyond the immediate zone of construction and could undermine regional flood management efforts.