Charity warns changes to the planning system would be ‘catastrophic’ for Sussex countryside.
Charity warns of ‘catastrophic’ impact of proposals on countryside as councils submit their consultation responses
Changes to the planning system proposed by the Government would be ‘catastrophic’ for the Sussex countryside, the charity CPRE Sussex has warned.
The charity has calculated that, under the proposals, Sussex would be forced to destroy up to 450 hectares of countryside every year.
That is 900 full-sized football pitches worth of land sacrificed to make way for 13,629 new houses annually – the equivalent of building another Crawley every four years, it claims.
In West Sussex, the changes would see an extra 2,234 homes built each year.
The changes include a new standard method for assessing housing numbers based on a controversial algorithm which a run de land South Downs MP Andrew Griffith has described as ‘mutant’ and ‘entirely blind to geography’.
A public consultation on the changes is due to end today. In what it describes as a ‘last ditch warning’, CPRE Sussex has urged people to ‘act now or watch Sussex turn grey’.
Dr Roger Smith, a trustee of CPRE Sussex, said: “Our message to everyone who cares about the countryside is to challenge your MP, write to your council and respond to this consultation before it’s too late.”
He warned that the proposals would have catastrophic consequences for communities, the countryside, and the natural environment across Sussex.
“They would reduce, not increase, the delivery of ‘affordable’ homes,” he said. “They neither acknowledge nor address the reality that developers and housebuilders will not build more houses than can be sold at an acceptable-to-them profit, and in the event of diminishing sales will reduce build-rates regardless of targets set by the Government.
“The Government is blaming and seeking to punish councils and communities, on the totally false premise that they, not developers, are responsible for shortfalls against targets.”
One of the biggest changes would fall on Arun District Council, whose housing requirement would rise from 1,368 homes to 2,063 per year, according to figures from planning and development consultancy Lichfields. The figures show that, over the past three years, the council has delivered an average of 647 homes per year.
Elsewhere in the county, Chichester District Council’s housing requirement would increase from 753 to 1,120. Its 2015 local plan target was 435 homes a year, with the area delivering an average of 630 homes over the past three years.
Councillors in Chichester have added their voices to calls for the government to drop the plans. At a meeting of the full council, all parties were united in supporting a motion tabled by councillor Simon Oakley calling on the government to withdraw the proposals. Mr Oakley said: “In effect, the government is saying ‘build, build, build and we’ll think about the infrastructure – if there is the money – and environmental effects later’.
“This is not planning for socially, economically or environmentally sustainable development. Covid-19 will eventually fade away, but the consequences of these proposals will not.
“The government needs to think again and pay more heed to elected local councillors than the unelected development industry which appears to have more access to and influence on Westminster politicians.”
The motion also raised concerns about the impact the changes would have on the number of affordable houses built. Rather than a certain percentage – usually 30 per cent – of each development, developers would only have to include affordable housing on builds larger than 40 to 50 homes.
Mr Oakley predicted developers would simply break sites up into smaller parcels to avoid having to provide any such homes.
He was supported by councillor Jonathan Brown, who tabled an amendment to the motion, highlighting the damage the planning changes would have to Local and Neighbourhood Plans. Mr Brown said the changes would be ‘particularly damaging and distructive’ to the district, adding: “Should the government not listen, there will be very damaging consequences for us locally.
“To the environment, to our planning strategy, including infrastructure provision and access to socalled affordable housing and to confidence and engagement with the democratic decision making and local accountability.
“The government’s proposals threaten to run a coach and horses through the Local Plan and neighbourhood planning.
“We need to know the government will support communities who are doing the right thing and who are proactively planning and we need the public to know that the council is fighting for their right to do the right thing.”
Leader Eileen Lintill told the meeting that the council had discussed the concerns with MPS and other leaders, submitted questions to government and joined online meetings with the planning minister.
She added: “It’s really good to see the whole council are coming together on this because it’s something that we all need to fight together.”
Should the government not listen, there will be very damaging consequences COUNCILLOR JONATHAN BROWN Chichester district