155 Aldingbourne homes up for approval

Plans for the new development will be heard by the council’s planning committee on September 4, with access off Lidsey Road previously approved in an application for 95 homes south of Woodgate last year.

They will include some formal and informal public spaces, a play space, 30 per cent affordable housing and new cycle and footpaths.

West Sussex County Council drainage and education have objected to plans over insufficient information about drainage strategy and lack of existing and potential secondary school places respectively.

Objections from two residents and the Aldingbourne Parish Council were mostly about the development being outside a built up area boundary, meaning the land is considered countryside, and an objection about lack of noise control information from Arun District Council environmental health was also submitted.

ADC planning officers said although the site was outside a built up area, the housing shortfall, and the approval of nearby housing developments, were reasons to consider approving the development.

Arun leaders recently sent a letter to the national government as part of a consultation on the NPPF, asking for reductions in their national housing quotas due to the South Downs National Park and English Channel restricting available space.

ADC officers said: “Should the proposed changes to the NPPF go through before the application is determined then more weight would be afforded to the [parish council], and this could result in a refusal on grounds of the principle of residential development in the countryside.”

Their recommendation is to conditionally approve the development subject to mitigation costs paid to the council by the developer, through a section 106 agreement.

This would see £515.58 for every home on the development put towards A27 maintenance and improvement, and a contribution to transport costs for a new secondary school in the area – after which, WSCC education was satisfied to remove its objection.

The developer preserving the ecology and amenity of the area for future and existing residents was a priority, saying: “The masterplan will add distinctiveness and richness to the scheme, where residents can take pride and ownership of their community.”

To view details of the plans visit https://www.arun.gov.uk/planning-application-search with code AL/70/23/OUT.