As part of the work undertaken for the review of the Guildford Local Plan, Guildford Borough Council (GBC) have commissioned a report by AECOM, an external consultancy, to undertake a Green Belt Assessment.  The main purpose of this assessment is to identify ‘Grey Belt’ land.   (Green Belt Land previously developed or contributes only weakly to the core purposes of Green Belt designation which may make it suitable for redevelopment subject to requirements under the National Planning Policy Framework).

This report was published in July 2026 and is available to view on GBC’s website: Green Belt Assessment 2026 - Guildford Borough Council. Whilst there is a pdf document for each Parish, it has been noted that land located in West Horsley has also been included in the assessments for East Horsley and Ockham.  In addition to the report, GBC has also published Frequently Asked Questions which provide additional information and clarification.

It is appreciated that this report has generated interest from residents concerned as to what impact this information will have on future planning applications in West Horsley and the surrounding villages. The Parish Council are currently reviewing the report so that it can consider the implications and what action may need to be taken.

It must be stressed that whilst land may be assessed as being Grey Belt or provisionally Grey Belt in the assessment, this does not mean that planning approval for any forthcoming application will be automatically approved. Each planning application must be assessed against all relevant planning policies including the National Planning Policy Framework 2024, the Guildford Local Plan and the West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan.

Land has been assessed against various criteria including Green Belt purpose, National Landscape designation, flood risk, biodiversity, irreplaceable habitat, local green space and historic environment.