Plan for 65 homes is deferred
Plans to build up to 65 homes in Pulborough have been deferred by Horsham District Council.
The outline application for Stanestreet,incodmorehill,was givenafirmthumbs-downduring ameetingoftheplanningcommittee last Tuesday.
But rather than refuse it outright, members agreed that more information and clarification was needed on a number of issues.
Whileneithersouthernwater norwestsussexhighwayshadobjected to the plans, the committee asked for more details about the area’s sewerage system and road safety.
Further information was also sought about ongoing plans for a crossing over the nearby railway line which forms part of an applicationfor170homeswhichwasapproved in December 2022.
Thecouncilhasreceived12letters from the public objecting to the plans, and an objection from Pulborough Parish Council.
Concernsraisedincludedroad safetyforschoolchildrencrossing Stane Street – the A29, pressures on the ‘problematic’ sewerage and drainage systems in the area, andthesitenotbeingallocatedfor housinginthepulboroughneighbourhood Plan, which has passed independent examination.
While recognising that the site was not allocated for housing in either the Neighbourhood Plan or Horsham’s Local Plan, officers pointed out that the council only has a 2.9-year supply of housing land rather than the required five years.
Thismeansthat,shouldtheapplicationberefusedandthengoto appeal,planninginspectorswould be likely to rule in favour of the developer anyway.
A report to the committee reached the conclusion that the benefits of having 65 market and affordable homes in the area would ‘outweigh the conflict’ with the Local and Neighbourhood Plans.
But Phillip Circus (Con, West Chiltington,thakeham&ashington) was not happy.
Hequestionedwhyneighbourhood Plans – which take years to prepare – are not heeded more often.
Mr Circus said: “We have four parish councils in my ward and I have to say there is a growing feeling[asking]whydowebotherwith Neighbourhood Plans? There is a feeling that Horsham is far too ready to ride roughshod over the [Neighbourhood]planswhichthey have worked so hard [at] great effort, great expense, to produce.”