Planners have recommended that a fourth set of plans to build 14 homes on a site described by residents as a “wildlife sanctuary” should be approved.
The saga of Smock Alley in West Chiltington has been dragging on for years, with applications to develop land west of the road being refused three times by the planning committee.
Two of the subsequent appeals – for 21 and 19 houses – were dismissed by the planning inspectorate, but a third, also for 14 houses, was withdrawn by applicant Castle Properties.
The withdrawal followed a contentious meeting which saw the public told to leave while the appeal was discussed behind closed doors.
In a letter confirming withdrawal on 10 October this year, the developer’s agent confirmed the council was no longer defending the reasons for refusal, so it intended to resubmit the plans as the quickest way to get them approved.
The latest application will be put to the planning committee on Tuesday (December 17), with officers recommending it for approval.
In a letter to the council, Sharon Davis, of the Smock Alley Action Group, raised concerns about the way the application had been handled.
She said: “This application has now come before the council for determination four times. The manner in which it has been handled has already raised serious questions about procedural fairness and public trust.
“To avoid further undermining confidence in the council’s decision-making processes, it is imperative that the upcoming decision is made independently of any extraneous considerations, including previous advice about appeal prospects, costs risks, or reputational harm.”
The Action Group launched a petition in September appealing to the council to “save our local wildlife sanctuary from development for future generations”.
More than 1,000 people have signed the petition, which details a number of reasons for the application to be refused again.
They include the need to consider brownfield sites before greenfield, the location leading to a reliance on cars, the impact on wildlife and protected species, flood risks, and the pressure on infrastructure.
However, the site is allocated for development in Horsham’s Local Plan, which designates areas where housing can and should be built, with officers describing it as ‘deliverable and sustainable’.
That plan is currently “emerging – which means it is still being debated and edited ahead of being adopted as official planning guidance.
The National Planning Policy Framework says weight could be given to policies in emerging plans – the more weight the closer it is to completion.
But the Action Group said: “Until the Local Plan has been independently examined, found sound, and formally adopted, it cannot serve as a reliable basis for determining this application.”
To view the application, log on to public-access.horsham.gov.uk and search for DC/24/1619.
The planning meeting is open to the public and will be held at Parkside, in Chart Way, from 6.30pm.
The meeting will be live-streamed via the council’s YouTube channel and via audiocast on the agenda page.
Just more houses, but not enough new schools, doctors, water, sewage plans etc. Horsham is growing so quickly, Even ‘new’ residents want open spaces too.