LETTER: Protecting green gap or just votes?

I’m ambivalent about the proposed North Horsham Development. It was, after all, all fields when I was a boy. Born in Horsham in 1960 you see.
By The Newsroom
Published 10th Apr 2014, 07:00 BST
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But now I’m also confused about it too.

New ‘man of the people’ Christian Mitchell takes a whole page in the County Times, complete with colour picture, which I’m not entirely sure supports his case, to make an impassioned plea to protect the strategic gap between Horsham and Crawley and points out precisely by how much the proposed North Horsham Development would erode that gap. He makes great play of citing the various West Sussex structure plans that have existed since the 1980s. He talks of the urbanising effects of development along road corridors such as the A264.

My confusion? Why no mention of the erosion of the strategic gap, and urbanising effects of development along the A264, allowed by Conservative controlled HDC on land largely under their control, when the 2,500 home ‘Kilnwood Vale’ proposal was allowed? Why no mention of the 2009 Joint Area Action Plan (JAAP see www.westofcrawley.gov.uk for details) agreed by HDC and Crawley Borough Council which GUARANTEES the gap will be eroded from east to west on land controlled by HDC planners since the 1980s?

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Could it be Mr Mitchell knows the lie of the land politically in his ward and only wants to resist erosion at the western end of the gap, in so-called North Norsham, because it might happen in the back yards of those who vote for him? NIMBY is as NIMBY does and Not In My North Horsham Back Yard is still a NIMNHBY.

Come on Christian clear up the confusion...

GREG COLLINS

Hurst Road, Horsham

Related topics:HDCCrawley