Objections ignored

It puts in true perspective the overwhelming number of individual and varied objections to the exploitation of good-quality farming land for 600 questionable homes, set against national protection policies.

At the same time, reference was made to the folly of introducing the traffic from the proposed homes and other sites into the adjacent highway network, already under stress from a badly served trunk road system.

I should, however, point out that contrary to your article, my recent election was not to Arun District Council, but to Littlehampton Town Council.

The large number of residents present at the meeting were obviously not content with the planning officers’ notion that the development “would be a lifeline to the town”.

Cabinet member Ricky Bower agonised over the prospect of placing the main access where it might act more as a stranglehold than the developer had led the committee to believe, and called for alternative access by way of the narrow Courtwick Lane to be incorporated.

For some unaccountable reason, the planning officer failed to explain that this option had already been explored and had been emphatically rejected in a detailed report to the council by the developer.

Committee members then proc-eeded to bask in the prospect of financial contributions into areas some way removed, including the ever-popular Lyminster bypass, yet to be costed or formalised into the local plan.

Residents’ well-being and any underlying environmental damage caused as a result to the Courtwick area was completely ignored.

Others finally concluded that reasons for refusal had not been established, which suggested to the many present that they had neither read, nor listened to, the substance of the arguments provided.

The subsequent confirmation of the development inferred preconceived opinions associated with other projects, despite prior assurances given to the public that application decisions rested solely on those merits immediately presented.

It is plain the decisions taken rest on an uncertain and unsatisfactory basis. There is urgent need for the public to be properly consulted, bearing in mind all those objections placed against the current submiss-ion.

Derek Hulmes

Littlehampton town councillor for Brookfield ward

Kingfisher Drive

Wick