FEARS have been raised Haslemere’s Wey Hill will never be developed into ‘Wow Hill,’ if a central site becomes a pay-and-display car park.

Waverley Borough Council is poised to apply to the Secretary of State to de-register the town’s free Fairground car park as common land, with a view to surfacing the site and charging motorists.

Objectors have protested the change of use could result in Haslemere losing a valuable asset originally gifted to the town, where a piazza-style mixed-use development has been proposed to give Haslemere a ‘wow’ factor.

Waverley backed the move in February and is currently consulting with groups including, Natural England, Haslemere Town Council, Haslemere Vision, the Haslemere Society and others on the principle of deregistering the area as common land.

The consultation, which closes tomorrow (Friday), proposes offering an area of Waverley-owned woodland near Sun Brow as a suitable swop for the loss of common land.

Town councillors were asked to formulate a response to Waverley’s consultation at their full council meeting last Thursday..

The borough council’s plans for the site were set out in a letter from Richard Homewood, Waverley’s head of environmental services, who said the actions would clear the way for potential future development proposals, and would be a ‘short-term solution’ that will not prejudice any future long-term plans agreed as part of a broader ‘Place Shaping’ masterplan” for Haslemere.

Mr Homewood wrote: “The cost of the proposed improvement works to the car park would be recoverable in less than two years and would generate an income stream which could help fund future concept development in the Place Shaping discussion.”

Haslemere Mayor and town council chairman Malcolm Carter told committee members: “Plans for a future development are not likely for six years and a site investigation will be required.

“The car park is there now and something has to be done with it to make it less of a mess. Charging for parking on the side used by rail commuters will recover the cost. Haslemere Town Council will discuss with Wey Hill traders what should happen about their side of the car park.”

Town councillor Nikki Barton asked if a percentage of the parking revenue Waverley would make from pay and display could go back to the town to support its localism group Haslemere Vision’s future plans for the site.

Borough and town councillor David Round said a geological review would be needed and it was unlikely Waverley would be able to provide funding for that now, as there was no immediate prospect of redevelopment.

Mr Round also objected to the land swop proposed as a ‘ghastly proposal’ and sugested the town meadow would be more suitable.

But fellow members disagreed.

“The town meadow is already accessible,” borough and town councillor Jim Edwards said. “I can’t see what the problem with the Sun Brow site is. It’s a brilliant piece of land for youngsters to enjoy.

“If we don’t want the Sun Brow site and if Waverley doesn’t want the town meadow, then nothing will happen at Wey Hill.”

Mrs Barton queried if it was necessary to de-register the site as common land for parking charges to be introduced, as Waverley already had permission to use it as a car park.

She said: “Once it becomes a cash cow for Waverley, that will block any vision for the future.

“That site is a treasure to the town. Once it becomes pay and display, the revenue stream will come in. We are just giving it away.”

Mrs Barton proposed the decision to de-register the site should be postponed until it had been clarified it was legally required – and until the town council had gathered full data about what Wey Hill traders needed for their section of the car park, as well as waiting until Waverley had made a ‘clear commitment’ about future plans for the site.

Fellow members did not support her proposal, but they voted overwhelmingly for councillor Melanie Odell’s recommendation that the town council supported developing the car park and charging if de-registration was legally required to do that – and on the condition the site would still be available for any future development.

A borough council spokesman said this week: “External legal advice received by Waverley confirms it is necessary to de-register the site as common land in order to regularise its use as a pay and display car park.

“Waverley is therefore consulting on the principle of de-registering Wey Hill Fairground car park as common land. After the consultation and subject to the response, the application will be made for de-registration of the common land.

“If approved the car park will be resurfaced and improved and the costs will be recovered from ticket charges in around two years. It would also open up the site to a range of longer term development opportunities and for the development of longer term proposals by Waverley, Haslemere Town Council, Haslemere Vision and other local stakeholders.

“The council would be in a position to earmark funding to support the work on developing the long-term proposals once the costs of refurbishment have been recovered.”