Housing fight in Barnham ‘will continue’

THE fight against large-scale housing developments across the Barnham area will continue.
Campaigners fighting plans for new homes in Barnham, Eastergate and WestergateCampaigners fighting plans for new homes in Barnham, Eastergate and Westergate
Campaigners fighting plans for new homes in Barnham, Eastergate and Westergate

In the wake of the decision by Arun District Council to approve their draft local plan, which included some 2,000 homes for the Barnham and Eastergate areas, a pledge to keep campaigning against the decision has been made.

Barnham Parish Council chairman David Phillips told those at the village’s annual parish assembly the fight was not over.

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Cllr Phillips said: “You will have heard that Arun District Council last week accepted the recommendation of their local plan team to push forward with the A29 realignment and the garden city in the face of all logic, enormous local opposition, the strenuous objections of our local MP (Nick Herbert) and our local district councillors and our residents’ group, the Villages Action Group (VAG).

“This is a very high risk strategy for Arun District Council, and this battle is by no means over.

“The local parish councils will be fighting this all the way, so please keep on supporting the efforts to stop this nonsense.”

Cllr Phillips said the move by the district council went against the wishes of local people and the joint neighbourhood plan for Eastergate and Barnham areas.

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“The public will have their chance to have their say on the local plan, and I hope they do,” he added.

He said he hoped the neighbourhood plan would help the parishes resist any future large-scale housing schemes.

“In the face of predatory planning and development which threatens to overwhelm this group of villages, this is our strongest defence,” said Cllr Phillips.

The parish council will also support the lobbying work being carried out by VAG and continue to work with other councils.