Split between two councils
Most of Holmbury St Mary sits within the Shere civil parish, under Guildford Borough Council, but the eastern side of the village street falls within the Abinger civil parish instead, under Mole Valley District Council, an unusual administrative split for such a small place.
A hilltop setting
The village takes its name from the church of St Mary, built in the nineteenth century on high ground within the Surrey Hills, with wooded slopes rising close by on several sides.
Frequently asked questions
Is Holmbury St Mary covered by one council?+
No, unusually, it's split between Guildford Borough Council on most of the village and Mole Valley District Council on the eastern side of the main street.
Where does Holmbury St Mary's name come from?+
The nineteenth-century parish church of St Mary, built on high ground in the Surrey Hills above the village.
Nearby areas
Services
Useful local links
- Waverley Borough Council – Do I need planning permission? — The planning authority covering Cranleigh and most of the surrounding villages, including Ewhurst, Alfold, Dunsfold, Bramley and Wonersh.
- Guildford Borough Council – Do I need planning permission? — The planning authority covering Guildford, Shere, Peaslake and Chilworth, a separate borough from Waverley.
- Mole Valley District Council – Do I need Planning Permission? — The planning authority covering Ockley, Walliswood, Okewood Hill and part of Holmbury St Mary, a separate district from Waverley.
- GOV.UK – Planning permission: when you need it — Government guidance on when planning permission is required in England and Wales.
- GOV.UK – Party Wall etc. Act 1996 guidance — Government guidance on notifying neighbours and resolving disputes over shared or boundary walls, relevant to attached garage conversions.
- Planning Portal – Garage conversion — National guidance on when planning permission is needed for a garage conversion in England.
- Planning Portal – Outbuildings — National guidance on permitted development rules for garden buildings and outbuildings, including height and coverage limits.
- Surrey Hills National Landscape — The designated landscape covering many of the villages around Cranleigh, including Ewhurst, Peaslake, Hascombe and Shere.