Arun ‘disgrace’

The Arun decision to grant planning permission for the building of 2,000 houses on green fields in the Barnham/Eastergate/Westergate area (BEW), is just another disgrace in a long line of appalling decisions made by Arun planners over the last few years.

The very serious and extra worry on this occasion, however, is that it was made by the whole council, not just by the planning department and committee.

Most, if not all, of the decisions to give approval have been made despite near unanimous opposition from local councils and communities, and other interested parties.

On the BEW application, even the MP Nick Herbert was completely ignored, such is the arrogance of Arun district councillors.

If there is anybody out there who thinks that because they do not live near BEW or other blighted villages, they will not be affected, just wait until the A27, the A259, the A29 and surrounding roads finally come to a complete halt; or until the next hosepipe ban; or even power cuts.

We will lose all our green fields to development, but the derelict or unused brownfield sites will still be there.

What on earth is the sense of that?

Next year we will all be looking at the General Election. Nevertheless, at the council elections, let none of us forget what these councillors have done to this area and the people in it.

We should cast our votes accordingly, regardless of any party political loyalties.

In another context, somebody once said: “We will never forgive them for what they have done.”

My view entirely in this context.

Philip Thomas

Poling

Arundel

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