Campaigners fight to protect greenbelt

The Campaign to Protect Rural Pulborough Village (CPRPV) is to hold a small demonstration today (Saturday November 26) outside the current Oddstones development, on the A29.

Lorraine Dale, from the group, said: “We need to make a stand against the developers who seem intent on destroying the greenfield sites in our village and to put an end to the precedents that have already been set.”

Mrs Dale added that although they are not protesting against the Oddstones development itself, due to the fact it has already gained planning permission and is well under construction, they are protesting against ‘this sort of development’.

CPRPV is one of a growing number of local groups who have joined the Save Our Sussex Alliance.

CPRPV was formed in March, by residents in opposition to Hanbury developers building 104 homes on the green field land north of Stane Street.

As reported in The County Times on November 10 the controversial plans to build the homes have come to a halt as a result of public opposition.

The application was submitted in May this year and was due to be determined by Horsham District Council by August 16.

Hanbury decided to delay the process to address concerns raised by those opposing the plans.

These issues have included urbanisation of the village, increased traffic and ‘no good reason for another development’.

Letters of opposition have come from those living in and around the area, as well as Woking, Shoreham and even a former resident who now lives in New Zealand.

The latest demo follows a mock ‘funeral procession’ staged by group members in August.

Mourning the potential demise of the village through overdevelopment, it featured a coffin bearing the slogan ‘Pulborough Rural Village RIP’, pall bearers and member Ben Cooper dressed as a cardinal.

The group is meeting at 10.30am on Saturday November 26.

To view the current proposal in Pulborough visit http://public-access.horsham.gov.uk/public-access/ and enter planning reference number DC/11/0952.

For more on this story and the It’s Just Plan Crazy campaign buy a copy of this week’s County Times.