LETTER: Petition for a complete rethink

The Planning Inspectorate has announced that ‘Following the receipt of objections to the published main modifications, the inspector has decided to resume hearings to discuss some of the issues raised. Sessions will resume on Friday, 3 July 2015 at 0930 hours and are anticipated to last for one, possibly two days. If necessary, a second session will be held on a day w/c Monday, 6 July 2015 at a venue to be confirmed. The hearing session will be held in the Conference Suite, Parkside, North Street, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1RL’.

Only a small number of people responded to this third consultation about the Horsham District Planning Framework.

Most of us probably felt that we had said all we wanted to say in previous consultations. And anyway wasn’t this latest consultation based on another flawed document?

Flawed because the 37 Main Modifications included pages devoted to a new university campus which will not now take place. There was never a feasibility study and I am not sure how student accommodation could be a part of the Inspector’s target of 750 houses per year to meet local housing demands.

I notice that Liberty has objected too. This American developer is opposed to the use of the word ‘around’ attached to any housing numbers. You bet they are unhappy as they don’t want to see any reduction in the 2,750 figure by the use of a vague term like ‘around’.

Your columns have expressed over the last 18 months the total dismay of residents at the way the council has conducted itself in creating its plan for the District.

Residents are putting their faith now in the new council appointed on May 7th to have a complete rethink and ask the Inspector to delay his July 3rd visit.

A growing number of residents are supporting this approach through a petition which can be signed using simple e-petition at www.savingnorthhorsham.co.uk.

The deadline for this petition has now been extended to the end of June. Through you I should like to invite readers to look at the petition, sign it and bring to the attention of friends, family and neighbours.

Dr GEOFFREY RICHARDSON

Tennyson Close, Horsham

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be among the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make our website your homepage at www.wscountytimes.co.uk

2 Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wscountytimes

3 Follow us on Twitter @wscountytimes

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!

The County Times – always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.