Stand up and protect fields

The way to begin saving Buck Barn, Adversane and Rookwood from the developer’s bulldozers is to secure the lowest possible housing requirement under Horsham’s new local plan.

Concerned readers will have been disappointed by the white flag raised last week by HDC’s chief executive, Glen Chipp, in readily conceding a huge 50 per cent increase from 800 to 1,200 homes per year.

My affirmation of a figure of 1,050 (saving a massive 2550 homes over 17 years), was summarily dismissed as ‘ill informed’ and ‘fundamentally flawed’.

So, what are the true facts? We agree that the government formula now establishes Horsham’s annual housing need as 897.

We also agree that Horsham must take a share of Crawley’s unmet housing need.

HDC states that its current 150 per year contribution must increase by 30 per cent. But, this very month, Crawley has published a report projecting a 1,000 home surplus in 2031 based on the status quo.

This validates my analysis (already supplied to HDC) that the existing 150 is more than adequate.

Mr Chipp states that my figures exclude the required five per cent contingency buffer. Too true they do! He should realise that the buffer is not part of the underlying housing requirement; it is on top and only relevant for the five-year supply test of deliverable sites.

So by adding five per cent to get to his 1,200, Mr Chipp then ‘sets us up’ to have this increased again by a further five per cent to 1,260 for the supply test.

What other evidence was revealed in last week’s County Times to justify the 1,200? We heard of a secret

report by an ‘independent’ planning inspector (don’t they work for the government?) stating that 1,200 was the minimum acceptable, and another consultant’s report (also kept secret) indicating that 1,200 was the maximum sustainable!

So it’s clear; the 1,050 is a legitimate figure but HDC has rashly increased this by 100 to over-provide for Crawley and to erroneously incorporate a five per cent buffer, twice!

Why? The final 50, to get to 1,200, is apparently to assist more local authorities (e.g. Worthing, Brighton, Adur etc.) with their alleged housing shortfalls.

Is that an equitable reason to further concrete over the green fields of Horsham district?

Alternatively, an achievable 1,050 helps hugely towards saving Buck Barn, Adversane and Rookwood.

HDC, will you please resolutely stand up and protect Horsham’s countryside from these unwanted developments?

PAUL KORNYCKY Cox Green, Rudgwick