Project needs a steadfast vision

Referring to your article about Slinfold Cricket Club and the associated housing development. The whole village supports the club’s aim, whilst approaching its 200th anniversary year, to build a new pavilion.

This lovely village of Slinfold and its conservation area deserve more sensitivity and imagination in design than is being shown in the plans for this prominent site at Crosby Farm.

The developers are looking at huge profits and have dropped the new Scout Hut, have moved the Cricket pavilion off of the developer’s site leaving the cricket club with less land and the scout hut with none.

The developer has however maximized the housing density which increases their own profit but has reduced the present worth of the funding they will make available for the new pavilion.

The development does not follow the aims and objectives of the villagers in preparing their neighbourhood plan.

Shame on them! Shame indeed!

A modern housing estate as outlined will stick out like a carbuncle attached to the conservation area, doing irreparable harm to the sensitive views and setting of the ancient church and towards the countryside beyond.

The developers could redesign their outline proposals to complement its surroundings, reduce the density and the scale of the housing and still maintain reasonable profit for themselves and the landowner.

We rely on Horsham District Council and Slinfold Parish Council to ensure that the aims of the neighbourhood plan are achieved.

The developer has made this a hard fight but we should not be dictated to, into submission, it requires steadfast vision and not planning compromises if this is going to be a successful project that we can all be proud of.

KEITH FELTHAM Lyons Road Slinfold