Surely we can safely leave it to our local councillors, the various quangos, the professional planners and the Government to make the right decisions? No - you know more about the area in which you live and what is good for it than most of the experts. Happily the decision makers invite public consultation and want to know your views. The public's views do matter and the planning process specifically requires them to be taken into account. If you're unhappy about the proposed new town you must say so now. Tomorrow may be too late.

There are various possibilities:

• If the application is favourably considered by Waverley and the Council is minded to grant planning permission it must refer the application to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears. In practice this means sending all the documents and correspondence (including letters of objection and support) to the Government Office for the South East ("GOSE") at Guildford. GOSE, on behalf of the Secretary of State, will then decide whether to "call in" the application for consideration and determination by her. If the application were to be "called in" a Public Inquiry would be held by an Independent Inspector who would hear the case and report to the Secretary of State, who would then decide whether to grant or refuse planning permission.
• If the application is referred by Waverley to GOSE and not "called in" the Council will, as it was minded to do before the reference, then grant planning permission. 
• If the application is refused by Waverley, Dunsfold Park Ltd will almost certainly appeal. On an appeal there will be a Public Inquiry, held by an Independent Inspector, and a decision on the appeal will be made.
• If planning permission is granted either by Waverley or the Secretary of State that will be the end of the matter, unless there are grounds for getting the decision reviewed by the court on a point of law.

You will have a number of opportunities to give your views (contact details and guidance will in due course be put on this website):

• You can lobby your Parish Councillors, Waverley Borough Councillors, Surrey County Councillors and MP.
• When a planning application is made you can write to Waverley Borough Council with your objections. 
• If an inspector holds a public inquiry you can make representations to the inspector.

  "Inquiries are open to members of the public, and although you do not have a legal right to speak, the Inspector will normally allow you to do so. Local people are encouraged to take part in the inquiry process. Local knowledge and opinion can often be a valuable addition to the more formal evidence given by the appellant and the LPA [Local Planning Authority]."
  Guidance from the Planning Inspectorate.