Housing plans would ‘destroy iconic views’, say campaigners fighting proposal for 72 properties

Building a new housing estate on the foot of the South Downs would be ‘wrong for so many reasons’, according to campaigners.

The owners of Lansdowne Nurseries, based north of the A259 Littlehampton Road in Ferring, held a consultation on plans to develop 72 homes on their land.

Last Friday, a number of Ferring Conservation Group members gathered to make their opposition to the proposals known. Worthing West MP Sir Peter Bottomley, alongside county and district councillor Roger Elkins, were present to hear concerns about the proposed development.

A planning application has yet to be submitted to Arun District Council, but follows similar plans floated by the owners of the nearby Highdown Vineyard.

Other planning applications at Roundstone Farm and Rustington Golf Centre have previously been rejected.

David Bettiss, chairman of the conservation group, said: “We were simply amazed when we became aware of this proposal by the owners of Lansdowne Nursery to build a housing estate right on the slopes of Highdown, especially in light of the recent stance by Arun planners about the Highdown Vineyard.

“Such a plan is wrong for so many reasons – it would clearly be contrary to Arun District Council’s Local Plan, which protects the gap here from this form of development, as well as the Ferring Neighbourhood Plan, voted for by local people.

“It would destroy the iconic views both to and from Highdown Hill, we would lose even more green space and in particular more agricultural land, it would put more pressure on local services and add even more vehicles to the already overloaded A259. And they’re just some of the main reasons.”

A leaflet distributed as part of the consultation argues the scheme is ‘landscape led’, with the development designed to reduce the visual impact from both Littlehampton Road and public footpaths on and around Highdown Hill.

Of the 72 total homes, 22 would be affordable and more then half designed to meet lifetime homes standards.

Homes would also include air source heat pumps and solar panels and a pond would ‘create a focal point for the extensive amenity space to the south-east corner of the site’.

But Mr Bettiss added: “We call on the Lansdowne Nursery owners to forget this short-sighted proposal, which would be massively unpopular with hundreds of local residents and would be fiercely resisted, and suggest they simply put the idea to bed now.”

Sir Peter said: “There should be just about no further development along this stretch of the A259. Preserve the green fields that give identity to Ferring and the South Downs.

“Maintain our horticultural tradition. Invest in the future rather than extending the town into the country.”