For those concerned with the protection of our countryside and rural communities, the planning picture within Mid Sussex remains deeply depressing: as previously reported, the District Council’s draft Local Plan was withdrawn from examination at the request of the Planning Inspector last December by reason of the Council’s failure to meet its duty to co-operate with neighbouring authorities over housing and other matters of mutual concern.

City Plan and the Lightwoods Proposed Development at Ovingdean / Woodingdean

The Brighton & Hove group initiated contacts that have led to CPRE Sussex becoming actively engaged with the Deans Protection Group in Ovingdean and Rottingdean, who are campaigning under the banner of “Save Our Deans.” Save Our Deans is fighting proposals by Lightwoods Property for the construction of 112 houses on Meadow Vale field, a greenfield site at the junction of the villages of Woodingdean, Ovingdean and Rottingdean, bordering the South Downs National Park.

LOCAL PLAN

Horsham District Planning Framework (HDPF) Proposed Submission May 2014.
Six week consultation ends 27 June at 4.00pm:

13000 houses (650 houses pa) in the HDPF plan-period 2011-31.

The current state of play with regard to the Rother Local Plan is that the second public inquiry was held at the end of January, and the Inspector promised then to be able to report in May. 

However since the publication of the NPPF guidance in April, she has said that she needs to consider this and that the timetable will slip.