Letter to the editor: Open letter to MP calling for ministerial intervention for West of Ifield

Dear Peter Lamb MP

I am seeking a response to my earlier correspondence regarding the need for Government to require the withdrawal of Homes England’s speculative West of Ifield planning application.

Both Gatwick Airport Ltd and Crawley Borough Council have now submitted significant objections, raising fundamental concerns about safety, infrastructure, environmental impact, and the overall deliverability of every phase of its masterplan. These objections materially alter the planning context.

Homes England nevertheless appears intent on advancing an application that no longer commands confidence from key statutory stakeholders. In administrative terms, there is a genuine risk of 'the tail wagging the dog'.

It would be administratively prudent for Ministers to instruct Homes England to withdraw the application, thereby avoiding further waste from the public purse, and reducing uncertainty for local communities.

As my constituent MP, could you raise this urgently with the relevant Ministers and seek clarification on the Government’s position in light of the 'show-stopping' objections received.

Richard W. Symonds MCIPD

The Ifield Society

Ifield Street, Ifield Village

Crawley, West Sussex