Feeling of dread – not excitement

The Thakeham Group has stated that building 3,500 houses at Buck Barn will enhance the local environment. I doubt that anyone who lives along the A272 between Cowfold and Buck Barn would agree with that.

For the last 45 years I have lived along the A272 and during that time

the traffic has increased enormously. I accept that with a growing population there will be an increase in traffic especially as there is very little (none) public transport between Buck Barn and Cowfold, or indeed, any public transport east/west at all. Anyone requiring public transport needs to drive somewhere to find it!

The proposed 3,500 houses that the Thakeham Group plan to build at Buck Barn with the attendant increase in cars, at a rough estimate of two cars per household that results in 7,000, will bring the traffic levels up to something intolerable with the morning traffic queues, which at present often stretch the whole three miles between Cowfold and Buck Barn, lasting most of the day.

There will be an increase in noise, fumes and accidents. None of this will ‘enhance’ the environment of anyone who lives along the A272.

The creation of a green bridge across the A24 which only leads straight into a housing estate will not ‘enhance’ my environment or the environment of any of the local wildlife which at present enjoys open fields. There will be increased pressure on all the car parks in Horsham probably resulting in having to queue to get in most of the time and not just at Christmas.

Where is the water for

these houses going to come from? Where is the sewage going to go? Is Thakeham going to build new water storage facilities and a new sewage treatment plant? Where is the electricity going to come from, wind turbines and solar panels are notoriously unreliable as they are weather dependent. It’s all very well saying it is going to build a new medical centre but there is a shortage of GPs nationally.

We do not need a town at Buck Barn which will be the size of Cowfold and Partridge Green put together. It would not ‘enhance’ anyone’s environment.

The A272 is inadequate for the amount of traffic that uses it, add 7,000 plus cars into the equation and most people would realise that it will become impossible.

Thakeham said the prospect of all their ‘improvements’ to the locality will ‘excite’ me – nothing could be further from the truth. The prospect of such a development fills me with dread.

They talk about cycleways, greener travel, secure cycle storage facilities, a pedestrianfriendly village centre, and being integrated into the local bus network.

At present buses only go north/south, are they somehow going to persuade the local bus companies

that they need to go east/ west as well?

People will not stay within the confines of this new town -– unless it’s akin to the mythical village in TV’s 1960s drama The Prisoner!

The plans do not appear to take into account that those who live along the A272 have wonderful green spaces/open fields around them – building 3,500 houses on the fields will do nothing whatsoever to enhance our environment.

I beg the planners to listen to the local people and not just the developers whose sole aim is to make money.

MRS GERRY HUGGETT Stonehouse Lane, Cowfold