Surrey: Developer defends donation offer in planning dispute

A developer has defended his £200,000 cash offer to a tennis club which approached a Surrey council to drop a legal challenge against a planning application.

Wates Developments offered the money to the Bourne Club, in Farnham, whose chairman, Stephen Matthews, has written to Farnham Town Council requesting a meeting to discuss the offer, which would be paid to the club if the council withdraws a legal challenge over a proposed housing development.

A Wates spokesman said the offer was made in “without prejudice negotiations”, adding that public money spent on legal issues could be “better spent through investment in the local community”.

The city council said it was “stunned” to have been approached with the proposal.

The council is challenging in the High Court on Tuesday and Wednesday the approval of plans for 146 homes on land near Waverley Lane, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Graham White, leader of Farnham Council, said the decision to challenge the decision on Wates’ application “was not taken lightly”.

Mr Matthews said Wates would also cover the council’s legal costs so far as a gesture of goodwill so the matter could be brought to a close.

Mr White said: “This council will not be swayed by the offer of large sums of money to overturn an important principle.”

He added that the council was “astounded” that a developer of Wates’ “scale and reputation” could make such an approach to the council through a third party.

Wates’ spokesman said a legal challenge meant taxpayers’ money was being spent on “significant legal costs” and delayed the delivery of “much-needed” new housing, including affordable housing.

“Wates would rather put these funds to better use by investing in the local community – which is why we have made this offer in a without prejudice negotiation,” the person said.