Residents call for 'no more new homes' in village

29 January 2026

Jack FiehnSurrey Political Reporter

Tom Scanlon, who has lived in Tongham for more than 20 years, says too many properties have already been built

BBC Tongham Resident Tom Scanlon looks straight at the camera. He is wearing a flat cap and green coat. Behind him is a country lane, with houses on one side. The sky is grey and the ground looks wet. His face is slightly pink. — Tom Scanlon, who has lived in Tongham for more than 20 years, says too many properties have already been built

Residents of a Surrey village which has already seen several new developments in the surrounding area have said they are opposed to plans for up to 420 new homes.

Developer Taylor Wimpey has submitted an outline planning permission to Guildford Borough Council to build on land at Manor Farm in Tongham.

One member of Tongham Parish Council, which has put up signs calling for "no more new homes", said they were worried about the impact on the local infrastructure and felt "enough was enough."

A spokesperson for Taylor Wimpey said the plans included measures to deal with flooding and traffic.

Signs opposing the plans have been put up in Tongham and nearby roads

A sign is posted to a fence on a bridge going over the A331, which says 'NO MORE NEW HOMES IN TONGHAM' in capital letters. Cars travelling along the A331 can be seen in the background. — Signs opposing the plans have been put up in Tongham and nearby roads

The potential site is next to the Hogs Back Brewery and The Street, and close to the A31.

Resident Tom Scanlon, who has lived in Tongham for 25 years, told BBC Radio Surrey "far too many" properties had already been built, creating problems with flooding and traffic.

"It's just one big construction after another, 150 [homes] here, 200 there, another 300 there, it's just going on and on and on. It's a nightmare," he said.

"I used to walk across fields. It's all gone, it's all houses. Where are we supposed to go? It's just ridiculous."

New homes have already been built in Tongham and the nearby village of Ash

Red brick houses which have been built on The Street in Tongham over the last few years. The houses all look very new and the front gardens and green in front are very tidy. — New homes have already been built in Tongham and the nearby village of Ash

Tongham Parish councillor Ed Hall said: "It's a changing effectively of what was a rural village... and really without consultation, trying to turn it into something far more urban, without really having any consideration as to what that means, especially when you've got infrastructure that - as with many places in the UK - is Victorian.

"It means that actually the quality of life of those who live in Tongham and Ash will get eroded.

"It came to a point where we just felt enough was enough."

There are concerns about the amount of extra traffic going through Tongham

The centre of the village of Tongham. The Kiln building can be seen. There is also another sign saying 'NO MORE NEW HOMES IN TONGHAM.' There is a parade of shops and cars are driving along The Street. — There are concerns about the amount of extra traffic going through Tongham

A spokesperson for Taylor Wimpey said: "The application provides a mix of new homes for families of all sizes, including 40% affordable housing, designed around beautiful public green spaces.

"Alongside the new homes and green spaces, the plans have been designed to help address existing flooding issues in the village by creating a surface water management system within the site.

"A link road through the development will also help to distribute traffic more evenly across the local road network and ease congestion in the centre of Tongham, particularly on The Street and Grange Road mini roundabout."

People have until 13 February to comment on the application to Guildford Borough Council.

The Conservative MP for Godalming and Ash, Sir Jeremy Hunt, is holding a debate, alongside Tongham Parish Council, at Ash Manor School on 6 February.

Meanwhile, data suggests that councils across Surrey are struggling to build enough homes as part of the government's target for 1.5 million new properties by the end of the current Parliament.

The BBC has created a new online tool for tracking progress towards the goal.

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