Planning reforms ‘could provide greater protection to green spaces’

Reforms to be announced later this year will give ‘greater legal protection’ to green spaces and place ‘less focus’ on housebuilding in the South East, an MP has said.

Andrew Griffith has been a passionate advocate against ‘unsustainable’ development of Sussex’s green fields since being elected to Parliament in 2019.

The MP, now director of Number 10’s policy unit, has responded to our housing campaign in his capacity as MP for Arundel and South Downs.

He said: “I’ve always shared the Prime Minister’s view that we should not be jamming homes into the South East and I am pleased that he has been clear about this.

“It’s also no good building on our chalky downlands when plenty of brownfield land is available for development.

“I have been vocal both in Parliament and in conversations with my colleagues in championing legal protections for greenfield land, and in ensuring local councils have the tools they need to build make use of brownfield sites.”

And Mr Griffith hinted at changes to come which could help ease the pressure on Sussex.

He said: “I am pleased that the government has committed to legal planning reform which we will hear more about later this year.

“This reform will provide a new set of national planning policies giving greater legal protection to green spaces. Taking back control of our borders, ending uncontrolled immigration, will help to stop the pressure building.

“At the same time, the government is determinedly levelling up the whole country. This means that less focus will be placed on the South East allowing future development to be concentrated elsewhere.”

The MP added that to protect Sussex’s green spaces, London needed to start building on its brownfield sites, ‘rather than putting the problem on the shoulders of our communities’.

SussexWorld – which comprises JPIMedia’s Sussex newspaper titles – wrote to all the county’s MPs seeking support for our campaign, which launched last week.

The campaign calls for stronger protection for our greenfield sites and greater powers for councils to determine their own housing needs and annual targets.

Henry Smith, MP for Crawley, said: “I support the Sussex World campaign to protect our county’s countryside.

“At a time when we are looking to better protect and recover our global environment, it’s important for us to start by acting locally.

“An example of unsustainable development is the west of Ifield proposal which would see Sussex green field concreted over, add to flood risk and water stress – these plans must be stopped.”

Sir Peter Bottomley, MP for Worthing West, was a vocal critic against plans to develop part of Goring Gap, between Worthing and Ferring.

In response to our campaign, he said: “Local councils must be trusted to know how far and how fast housing can be increased on existing developed land. They can be trusted to defend green fields unless they decide otherwise.

“Central government must understand that a housing authority jammed between the sea and the South Downs National Park cannot meet unrealistic target.

“Every field and green space and nursery and vineyard in the Worthing West constituency is under threat of development now.”

Leaders took the opportunity to have their say too.

Adur District Council leader Neil Parkin joined the call for looking again at housing targets.

He said: “Housing targets should be realistic.

“Also the infrastructure needed should be put in first. Local communities need to see something for them and their area before building starts.”

Development plans in Horsham district have taken a hit due to water supply issues – as previously reported in the Gazette.

Horsham District Council leader Jonathan Chowen said: “We recognise the need for new homes for local people and for economic growth but a careful balance is needed between protecting the environment and meeting our development requirements.

“Horsham District Council is not currently able to meet its housing requirements because of the pressure additional demands on drinking water are having on internationally protected habitats and species in our district.

“Whilst we want and need some development, we are not prepared to put the environment at risk so we are working hard to find solutions to the issue of water neutrality.

“What is particularly disappointing is that whilst we and our other local authority colleagues are doing all we can to find solutions as quickly as possible, that I read of the vast quantities of untreated sewage that is being allowed to flow into our water courses and sea.

“We need to work together with the water companies,

Natural England, OFWAT and DEFRA to find a joined-up solution that allows homes and jobs to come forward for local people but not at the expensive of our beautiful natural environment.”

Our newspaper titles sought views fromreaders on their Facebook pages. Many wrote in support of our campaign.

Brian Silk summed up the issue in lyrical form.

He said: “To quote Joni Mitchell, ‘Don’t it always seem to go, you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone? They paved paradise and put up a parking lot’.

“We may need more housing but we need to breathe as well.”

■ What do you think? Have your say by emailing us at ws.letters@jpimedia. co.uk

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