On Tuesday 5th March 2024 Shere Parish Council received a letter from Greenoak Housing Association terminating the contract for affordable housing on Peaslake Farmyard. They have cited the 21-month planning delays, increased costs, shortages of materials and the removal of the grant from Guildford Borough Council as reasons for pulling out. This is deeply disappointing as it is much needed affordable housing.
Below is a statement from Shere Parish Council Chairman and Vice Chairman:
‘After a long period of negotiation and contract extensions, Greenoak Housing Association have decided to terminate the contract between them and The Parish Council to build the affordable housing project on Peaslake farm.
Naturally the Parish Council is saddened by this news after all the hard work that has been put in to get the project started. It has always wanted the project to go ahead and the withdrawal of Greenoak will add further delays before affordable housing can be built.
The Parish Council is very disappointed on behalf of the local residents who want to see the project competed and remove the uncertainty re the future of the farmyard – a valuable Parish asset
The next step is to seek a new acceptable Housing Association who would take on this project, and to review what options are open to the Council and the Parish.
In the meantime, a draft lease is being drawn up to rent the Peaslake farm fields to Tim Metson of Coverwood farm. These will be the fields that will contain the community land for use as a garden/Orchard.
We will work hard to understand what the options are as soon as practical and before the current planning permission expires in December 2024.’