Plans for 65 Pulborough homes deferred

The outline application for Stane Street, in Codmore Hill, was given a firm thumbs-down during a meeting of the planning committee on Tuesday (January 23).

But rather than refuse it outright, members agreed that more information and clarification was needed on a number of issues.

While neither Southern Water nor West Sussex Highways had objected to the plans, the committee asked for more details about the area’s sewerage system and road safety.

Further information was also sought about ongoing plans for a crossing over the nearby railway line which forms part of an application for 170 homes which was approved in December 2022.

The council has received 12 letters from the public objecting to the plans, and an objection from Pulborough Parish Council.

Concerns raised included road safety for schoolchildren crossing Stane Street – the A29, pressures on the ‘problematic’ sewerage and drainage systems in the area, and the site not being allocated for housing in the Pulborough Neighbourhood Plan, which has passed independent examination.

While recognising that the site was not allocated for housing in either the Neighbourhood Plan or Horsham’s Local Plan, officers pointed out that the council only has a 2.9-year supply of housing land rather than the required five years.

This means that, should the application be refused and then go to appeal, planning inspectors would be likely to rule in favour of the developer anyway.

A report to the committee reached the conclusion that the benefits of having 65 market and affordable homes in the area would ‘outweigh the conflict’ with the Local and Neighbourhood Plans.

But Phillip Circus (Con, West Chiltington, Thakeham & Ashington) was not happy.

He questioned why Neighbourhood Plans – which take years to prepare – are not heeded more often.

Mr Circus said: “We have four parish councils in my ward and I have to say there is a growing feeling [asking] why do we bother with Neighbourhood Plans?

“There is a feeling that Horsham is far too ready to ride roughshod over the [Neighbourhood] Plans which they have worked so hard [at] great effort, great expense, to produce.”

To view the application, log on to public-access.horsham.gov.uk and search for DC/21/2466.