Letter published by the West Sussex County Times 20 August 2015

Sir,

Affordable Homes targets not met despite allocation of huge tracts of countryside for development

Letter published by the West Sussex County Times 20 August 2015

Sir,

Affordable Homes targets not met despite allocation of huge tracts of countryside for development

Rother DC is one of those relatively rare councils with an up to date Core Strategy. That said, since the Strategy was adopted in September 2014, there has been little activity in producing the Site Allocation Document. We wonder whether local elections in May 2015 played a part in this. To avoid the planning lacuna, now four parishes have been progressing their own Neighbourhood Plan proposals; Rother’s attitude was initially very lukewarm and very few resources are being offered by the Planning Department.

Letter published by the West Sussex County Times, 30 July 2015

Sir,

Planning Inspector’s decision: an open door to developers

According to the Press Statement issued by the Horsham District Council’s Communications Manager, although Cllr Vickers (Cabinet Member for Planning and Development) is “disappointed” that the Planning Inspector, Mr Geoff Salter, has increased the house-building target for the District to 800 houses per year, his ‘note’ (in which he sets out his instructions to the Council) “does give us some certainty for the foreseeable future.”

This terse Press Statement is clearly an attempt at shaping the public’s perception by glossing over the unfortunate reality and likely consequences for the District of Mr Salter’s directive to the Council, and the Council’s unwillingness either to question or challenge it.

“Some certainty for the foreseeable future” includes the certainty that following the adoption of the Horsham District Planning Framework (HDPF), and notwithstanding the allocation of sites with the capacity to meet Mr Salter’s imposed and excessive target, developers will declare that the District does not have a demonstrable 5year housing land supply – and will seek more permissions at Appeal to build on unallocated sites.

Note that immediately the HDPF is adopted, the 5year housing land supply figure will be inflated by the addition to it of the shortfall in houses built since 2011 against the new and retrospective target of 800 houses per year. Accordingly, a five year requirement of around 5,000 houses seems likely.

Of concern, too, is Mr Salter’s instruction to the Council that it review the HDPF within three years of the Framework’s adoption, with, according to the Press Statement, “a view to identifying extra numbers”. This is an open door for developers to press for yet more houses to be added to the excessive target – and the inclusion of additional sites.

Countryside adjoining villages throughout Horsham District will continue to be at risk with consequent uncertainty for communities.

Yours faithfully,

Dr Roger F Smith
For CPRE Sussex (Horsham District)