Community groups join together to fight series of developments which threaten greenfield sites
A new group has been formed to oppose housing developments on precious green spaces in part of West Sussex.
Groups that fought housing plans for Chatsmore Farm – part of the Goring Gap, between Worthing and Ferring – have now been joined by the East Preston and Kingston Preservation Society.
The new group is to be called Protest the Gaps Action Group – or ProGaps – and will oppose all housing developments in any of the remaining green fields in Worthing and east Arun.
Ed Miller, secretary of the Ferring Conservation Group and convenor of ProGaps, said: “We do welcome this new alliance.
“Arun district is the next battleground. Angmering has had 1,500 houses dumped on it in the last two years – some already built, others under construction or awaiting it.”
Mr Miller referenced plans for 76 homes on farmland between Ferring and East Preston, and an application for 167 houses on a ‘much-valued recreation area’ at Rustington Golf Centre, just off the A259.
Barratt David Wilson (BDW) Homes wants to build the new homes and apartments – of between one and four bedrooms, with plans including planting, 396 parking spaces, 253 cycle spaces, open space, and a new access road from Golfers Lane.
The application follows Arun District Council’s refusal of the developer’s earlier plan to build 191 homes at the site in November, when planning officers said it was ‘effectively introducing a suburban housing estate into the countryside’.
Angmering, East Preston, Ferring, Kingston and Rustington parish and town councils objected to the original plans.
BDW Homes said it planned to appeal the decision.
Mr Miller said: “Angmering residents need all the help they can get in resisting these applications and encourage Arun District Council to stick to their guns and defy the developers.”
He added the group would also do what it could to help fight unwanted housebuilding further afield.
“We are also keen to support objections to the other applications that are coming forward in our wider area,” Mr Miller said.
“An application is being prepared for 112 houses on Highdown Vineyard, in Ferring Parish, a proposal has been advertised for a similar number on Lansdowne Nurseries, also in Ferring.
“Quite apart from the loss of farmland, landscape, green spaces for recreation and fresh air, there is the paralysing effect all this development would have on road traffic on the A259 – already badly congested.
“Even that might not be the end of it.
“The smaller part of the north Goring Gap is listed for 56 houses in Arun’s Land Availability Assessment – and of course the coastal Goring Gap is nearly all owned by developers.”