CPRE Sussex has provided extensive comment on the proposed plan. Whilst Mid Sussex is in dire need of a new Plan, in a number of key respects the proposed Plan is unsound. Our input makes positive suggestions that would achieve the Council’s stated ambition of increasing the self-sufficiency of, and local work opportunities for, communities within Mid Sussex, and the District’s ability to adapt to climate change. We also put forward evidence that the Council (using outdated population projects and unrealistic economic growth forecasts), has overstated its housing stock needs. We believe that these should be at a level of about 9,900 over the life of the Plan.
We will be seeking the opportunity to put our case to the planning inspector at the Plan’s public examination.
To read a summary of our comments on the draft District Plan please download the document at the bottom of the page.
Lindfield
In our last bulletin we reported that we had joined the Lindfield Preservation Society and over 1,500 local residents in opposing a planning application by Wates to build 230 houses on the outskirts of this beautiful, conservation area, village. Despite passionate pleas at the Council’s planning committee by ourselves and others to reject this application, sadly the committee voted by a 7 – 4 majority to approve it. This decision highlights the point we have made in our submission on the Council’s proposed new district Plan that the Council, with no up to date plan and a 5 year housing land supply deficit, has lost control over the implementation of strategic planning within the District, and currently has virtually lost the power to say no to speculative developers.
New developer planning applications
... which brings us to the worrying news that Mid Sussex District Council has received an application to build 300+ home scheme at Penlands Farm, and a second application for 175 homes that the Borde Hill Estate wants to build at Sugworth Farm, both near Haywards Heath. CPRE Sussex will be looking at both applications to see whether there are grounds on which to oppose one or both of them...
Mayfields Market Town scheme
... and to rub salt into the wound, developers have announced a proposal to build a 10,000 home new commuter town in the middle of the open countryside south east of Burgess Hill between Sayers Common and Henfield. Our opposition to that proposal is explained here.
Michael Brown