Developers accused of ‘cynical ploy’ in bid to build new ‘mini town’ near Billingshurst

The developers - known as Our Place - were granted outline planning approval in 2018 to site six commercial buildings on farmland near Brinsbury College.

But local residents, who are already putting forward strong objections to the mini town - labelled Kingswood by developers - at Adversane, are now also opposing the commercial site proposals.

A protest group known as BigSTAND says that the commercial site is ‘a new threat to Adversane’s green fields.’

Members describe building of the industrial units as a ‘cynical move’ by Our Place to persuade Horsham District Council that it is a way to provide jobs for future ‘mini town’ residents.

Our Place say that if it goes ahead, Kingswood will be built over several decades, reaching up to 2,850 new homes by the 2040s. The company says: “It will be a viable, sustainable, mixed-use place with a diverse range of house types, businesses and retail uses capable of meeting residents’ changing needs throughout their lives.”

BigSTAND chairman Julian Trumper said: “They want to build a new town at Adversane, but they know that no one will believe their claims to be ‘sustainable’ if there are no jobs locally.

“But it is nonsense to claim that the people who will work in these industrial units will actually be able to afford the expensive executive homes that the developers want to build.

“What we will end up with will be a huge increase in traffic as workers from elsewhere commute to the industrial site, and residents of the new town travel to jobs in Gatwick and London.”

“There is widespread opposition to the proposed new town at Adversane. We are supported strongly in this by our MP Andrew Griffith.

“Building houses in unspoilt countryside is the wrong way to provide the houses that we need.”