Residents across Ash, Normandy and Pirbright have raised serious concerns over a planning application that could allow up to 50 overnight Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) movements through local villages if approved following consideration by Guildford Borough Council’s Planning Committee on 29 April 2026. The image above highlights the A323 and A324 connecting to the site.
The application, reference guidlford planning application 25/P/00760, relates to Henley Business Park on Pirbright Road, Normandy. Councillors are due to reconsider the proposal after it was removed from the committee agenda on 4 March due to errors in the officer report.
The proposal seeks permission to relax long‑standing planning conditions that currently restrict overnight lorry movements at the site. If approved, the change would apply initially to Unit 9, the only large warehouse unit remaining unlet at the business park.
Despite formal objections from three parish councils and more than 20 written representations from residents, Guildford’s planning officers have again recommended that the application be approved, subject to conditions. The recommendation remained unchanged following the earlier deferral of the application in March.
Planning Committee Meeting on 29 April
Guildford Borough Council has confirmed that the application will be considered by its Planning Committee on Wednesday, 29 April 2026, starting at 7.00 pm, at the Council Chamber, Millmead House, Guildford.
Members of the public may attend in person or observe remotely. A maximum of four speakers may address the committee, two objecting and two supporting the proposal, with each speaker permitted up to four minutes. Speaking slots are allocated on a first‑come, first‑served basis, with advance registration required.
Appeal Against Non‑Determination
The application is also now subject to an appeal against non‑determination, which was accepted as valid by the Planning Inspectorate on 8 April 2026. This means the final decision will be taken by the Secretary of State via the Planning Inspectorate.
However, the Planning Committee must still confirm what decision it would have made, and that recommendation will be forwarded to the Inspectorate and will form part of the appeal process.
Fear of Large‑Scale Night‑Time Disruption
The owners of the site, Indurent, say they have struggled to let Unit 9 because of the embargo on night‑time HGV access. Residents dispute this justification, pointing out that Henley Business Park has operated successfully under the same restrictions for around ten years, is now over 90% occupied, and that most units function without overnight deliveries.
According to the Henley Park Residents Association, the application would permit:
- Up to 30 HGV movements between 7.00 pm and 11.00 pm
- Up to 20 HGV movements between 11.00 pm and 7.00 am
Nick Sutcliffe of the Henley Park Residents Association said neighbours living both near the site and along the lorry routes are “alarmed” by the proposal.
“These lorries would travel through the dead of night, disturbing sleep across a wide area until they reach a major A‑road,” he said. “The only access routes are through Ash and Pirbright along the A324, meaning multiple villages would be affected.”
Ash Parish Council Raises Noise and Route Concerns: “intolerable and completely unacceptable”
Ash Parish Council has submitted a formal objection, arguing that the proposal fails to properly assess the impact of night‑time HGV movements on communities beyond the immediate vicinity of Henley Business Park.
In its submission, the council states that the original planning restriction was imposed specifically to protect residential amenity in surrounding villages, including Ash. It argues that the updated noise assessment focuses solely on properties adjacent to the site and does not consider the cumulative noise impacts experienced along lorry routes, particularly during night‑time hours.
Ash Parish Council highlighted that one of the most frequently used routes to the A331 would take HGVs through Guildford Road, Aldershot Road, Stonehill Road, Foreman Road and Ash Street, all of which pass directly through residential areas within Ash parish.
The council warned that:
“Any increase in traffic, particularly later in the evening and earlier in the morning, will be intolerable and completely unacceptable.”
It also noted that the impact would be significantly greater now than when the original restriction was imposed, due to substantial new housing developments around Ash railway station, with many homes built in close proximity to these roads.
Normandy Parish Council: Site “Totally Unsuitable”
Normandy Parish Council has also formally objected to the scheme and has indicated it intends to speak at the planning committee meeting.
Councillor Simon Schofield, chair of the parish council’s planning committee, said:
“We don’t think it’s appropriate to allow 24/7 HGV movements at Henley Business Park. This will create noise disturbance issues in surrounding villages. The location is totally unsuited to such overnight movements.”
Pirbright Parish Council – Formal Objection
Pirbright Parish Council has likewise objected to extending vehicle operating hours at Henley Business Park. The council stated that:
- HGV traffic already causes significant noise and vibration through Pirbright and Fox Corner
- Night‑time HGV movements would greatly worsen impacts on residents
- Homes along key B roads would be particularly affected
- The noise assessment fails to consider properties along lorry routes
- The report’s conclusion that impacts would be “low” is strongly disputed
Pirbright Parish Council therefore requested that the application be refused.
Fears of a Wider Precedent
Residents argue that approving overnight access for Unit 9 would create a dangerous planning precedent, allowing other units at Henley Business Park to seek similar relaxations. They warn this could ultimately result in hundreds of night‑time HGV movements, fundamentally changing the character of the area.
The Henley Park Residents Association says a more appropriate solution would be to subdivide Unit 9, enabling it to attract tenants who do not require round‑the‑clock lorry access, an approach that has already worked successfully elsewhere on the site.
Decision Closely Watched
Henley Business Park hosts a wide range of specialist businesses, including well‑known national mail‑order companies, many of which operate successfully within the existing access limits.
Residents and parish councils say the original restrictions were imposed for sound planning reasons that have not changed, and argue they are even more relevant today, given the significant increase in housing along the HGV routes since the business park was first approved.
The Planning Committee meeting on 29 April is expected to be closely watched, as its recommendation will play a key role in the final decision by the Planning Inspectorate.