This the formal response of the Campaign to Protect Rural England Sussex Branch (CPRE Sussex) to the Arun District Council (ADC) public consultation on the Modifications to the Arun Local Plan 2017 (‘the Local Plan.’)

CPRE Sussex works to promote the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of the Sussex countryside by encouraging the sustainable use of land and other natural resources in town and country. We encourage appropriate and sustainable land use, farming, woodland and biodiversity policies and practice to improve the well-being of rural communities. It is our position that local planning authorities should seek to ensure that the negative impacts of development on the countryside, both direct and indirect, are kept to a minimum and that development is sustainable in accordance with national planning policy.

Developers Liberty Property Trust have submitted an outline planning application to develop 800 acres of countryside north of Horsham; the area was allocated as a strategic site for 2750 houses and a business park by Horsham District Council in its Horsham District Planning Framework (HDPF).

Kimmeridge Oil & Gas Limited’s (KOGL) has made an application to the Environment Agency (EA) for a variation to their permit for Broadford Bridge 1, Billinghurst, for hydrocarbon exploration. We have written to the EA as part of the public consultation to raise our concerns. We think these changes require a whole new planning application and so have written to West Sussex County Council to make this point.

The Sussex Express for 31 March featured an article Wildlife Threatened by 300-homes scheme next to Pevensey Levels.

Letter sent to Councillor Tutt, Leader, Easbtbourne Council by the South Downs Network, 14 March 2017.

CPRE Sussex has submitted comments on the West Sussex County Council and South Downs National Park draft Joint Minerals Plan.

The result of the poll published in the Eastbourne Review asking local residents whether they would prefer the Council to sell the Freehold of the Downland Farms or make cuts to frontline services has resulted in the decision not to sell off the Downland Estate.
So as from now, the potential sale of the Farms is off the table.

We are delighted that Eastbourne Council is listening to its local residents and halting the sale of iconic downland. At CPRE Sussex we believe that public ownership of this land ensures public accountability and a co-ordinated approach to land management and access.