Ash Neighbourhood Plan Consultation Now Open

A Parish‑Led Initiative Rooted in Community Engagement

The Neighbourhood Plan began as an Ash Parish Council initiative, following the Council’s February 2024 resolution to create a plan that would allow the community to influence development, protect local character, and address future needs.

APC immediately set out to involve residents from the outset. In October 2024, the Council launched the Ash Residents Survey, an early consultation designed to gather community views on identity, development pressures, aspirations for the future, and priorities such as housing, green space, and infrastructure. The survey was accompanied by drop‑in sessions at the Ash Centre where residents spoke directly with councillors from the Neighbourhood Plan Committee.

This early engagement fed directly into the plan’s development and set the foundation for the structured consultation stages that followed.

Further APC‑Led Engagement in 2025

Ash Parish Council continued its community‑first approach with further engagement between March 31 and April 13, 2025, inviting residents to comment on emerging policy areas—including local character, green and blue infrastructure, retail and employment needs, brownfield development, and housing mix. Drop‑in sessions again provided opportunities for residents to speak with councillors, including Neighbourhood Plan Committee Chair Cllr Michael Moriarty.

The ANP comittee was to up to ensure the plan reflects what residents in  Ash Parish want, focusing on issues such as protecting green spaces, maintaining settlement separation, and promoting high‑quality, sustainable development.

About the Current Consultation (January -March 2026)

This statutory consultation, run through Guildford Borough Council, invites formal representations on the submitted Neighbourhood Plan. The plan will become part of the Development Plan for Ash Parish if it later passes independent examination and then a public referendum.

Residents can review:

• The full Neighbourhood Plan
• Supporting documents and appendices
• Guidance on how to submit comments

Documents are available online and as printed reference copies at Millmead House and Ash Library.

All responses will be forwarded to an independent examiner, who will recommend whether the plan should proceed to referendum, be modified, or be refused. If a majority of voters support it, the plan becomes a statutory planning document for the parish.

Why the Neighbourhood Plan Matters

This plan is APC’s tool to ensure that development in Ash reflects local priorities rather than being directed solely by borough‑wide policies. Through the plan, residents can help shape:

• The location and type of new homes
• The protection of green spaces and key landscape features
• The design quality of new buildings
• The future of retail centres, employment sites, and local facilities
• Sustainable travel, walking and cycling connections
• Settlement identity and prevention of coalescence, especially in Ash Green

These priorities emerged clearly from the early 2024 and 2025 consultation stages.

A Community‑Driven Plan, Led by Ash Parish Council

From its inception, the Ash Neighbourhood Plan has been created by Ash Parish Council with expert support, shaped through ongoing conversations with residents, and refined through structured consultation stages. APC has consistently emphasised collaboration with the community, local organisations, and Guildford Borough Council to ensure that the final plan truly represents the interests of the parish.

Have Your Say Before 9 March 2026

Ash Parish Council encourages all residents to take part in this important stage. By submitting your views, you can help ensure the final plan continues to reflect the needs, priorities, and identity of Ash Parish.

Visit guildford.inconsult.uk/ANP25/consultationHome to see the plan and make comments.