New plea to Arun to rethink housing sites

The Villages Action Group (VAG) has been campaigning against the widespread development of 2,000 homes in Barnham and neighbouring Eastergate and Westergate.

Now, the group’s chairman, Mike Turner, is urging Arun to reconsider its housing sites which make up its local plan.

He said: “The Arundel bypass announcement renders Arun District Council’s idea of building over 2,000 houses in Barnham, Eastergate or Westergate obsolete. We have always supported the concept of localism, that towns and parishes should bring forward housing proposals that are suitable for their areas in the light of their in depth local knowledge, rather than imposing a ‘new town’ style development in an area which would exacerbate flood risk for the neighbouring area.”

Responding, Karl Roberts, assistant director of planning services and economic regeneration at Arun, said: “The Government’s welcome announcement regarding a new bypass for Arundel was made in the context of plans for more than 60,000 new homes and substantial employ-ment growth, expected to be developed over the next 15 years along the Sussex coast.

“The proposal for Barnham, Eastergate and Westergate is part of that planned growth. The Government has not asked Arun to provide for more housing or employment as a direct consequence of this very recent announcement.”

He added Arun had already formerly agreed to review the need for further housing allocation at Ford and Fontwell towards the end of the local plan period, with the work being done in the context set by the Government’s A27 announcement.