The following letter on behalf ofof CPRE Sussex-Horsham District was published in West Sussex County Times 20 Feb 14:
The Editor
West Sussex County Times
14 -16 Market Square
HORSHAM
West Sussex
RH12 1HD
18 February 2014
This is the sad tale of a campaign group's failure to protect the character of the village of Thakeham.
For over 15 years Thakeham Village Action (TVA) has tried to prevent the land in and around Abingworth Nursery from becoming a large housing estate. Thakeham is a small village of some 300 houses (the parish in total has some 700 houses). Land which has been used for more than 100 years for mushroom growing was bought by a property development company and recently they have succeeded in gaining permission for 146 houses in what Horsham DC acknowledges is an inappropriate and unsustainable location.
In December we asked you to complete a short survey about your priorities on several key issues facing Sussex. Amazingly, within a few days almost 200 of you - members and non-members - had completed the survey. Thanks so much for taking part.
The results of the survey? See below.
Appeal to oppose damaging developments, including Mayfields Market Town - Update and Thank You
Written by CPRE Sussex
CPRE Sussex has had a really positive response to its recent appeal, with our members and supporters generously donating over £4,000 towards fighting proposals against damaging developments in the Sussex countryside. Many of you attended the Mayfield Market Town public meeting in October, jointly organised by CPRE Sussex and LAMBS and attended by MPs Nick Herbert and Nicholas Soames. Mayfield Market Town Ltd aims to build a whole new town of 25,000 people in the green gap between Crawley and Brighton. In November CPRE Sussex appealed for support towards the cost of opposing this and other developments through the planning system.
The charity’s Chairman, David Johnson, spoke of his gratitude to appeal donors, saying, “Our thanks go to everyone who has contributed to our appeal. We are very conscious that, as a charity, we rely on our members’and supporters’ generous donations, which are invaluable for achieving our aim of protecting the open spaces that are so highly prized across Sussex.”
Successful appeals such as these mean that CPRE Sussex is in a stronger position to call developers and local planners to account, at a time when the proponents of the new town continue to promote their plans to build over 1,200 acres of Sussex farmland.
For further information on the Mayfields campaign, click here.
Photo © floradora1
27 January 2014
Inappropriate development threats and thwarted plan examinations have dominated the news in Mid Sussex District over the last 3 months. See below for updates on Development Plans, Neighbourhood Plans and the Draft for the Mid Sussex DC Plan.
Horsham & Crawley: District Appeal Enquiry Notes
Written by Roger F Smith7 January 2014
St Albans v Hunston Properties Ltd 12 Dec 13
The Appeal Inquiry which I attended today as a Third Party was adjourned until 18 February due to no-show of Horsham District Council’s barrister – he is unable to leave his home because of flooding.
However, in the prelims, which included clarification of issues, he made reference to the attached Court of Appeal Decision City & District Council of St Albans v Hunston Properties Ltd 12 Dec 13, here attached.
