'Enough is Enough' say Yapton residents as plans for 140 homes submitted

in Yapton have declared ‘enough is enough’ after plans for 140 homes on land west of Bilsham Road were submitted to Arun District Council earlier this year.

Together with Arun district councillor Amanda Worne (Lib Dem), they gathered outside the site on Friday (February 25) to make their opposition felt.

They say the development poses a considerable threat to Yapton’s identity as a village and worry the extra homes will put undue strain on local schools, roads and doctors’ surgeries. One resident described it as ‘an accident waiting to happen.’

“This is just one step too far,” another added. “They’ve taken all the green space, they’re not supplying any more schools or any more doctors, the roads are already chock-a-block.”

“I was born and bred a mile down the road, I’ve got several generations of my family lying in the churchyard,” added Allen Misselbrook, chair of the Yapton History Society. “As children we used to play in these fields and the youngsters today are not going to have the opportunity.”

The hybrid application details plans for 30 houses on land west of Bilsham Road, a new access road, public open space, landscaping sustainable urban drainage and other associated work.

It also includes an application for outline planning approval for up to 110 new homes and associated infrastructure. The site, which is currently being used as farmland, was not earmarked for development in the local plan.

Councillor Amanda Worne has suggested the development is an attempt to force more housing in the area, despite the fact that the strategic area is already set to meet housing quotas.

“We’re aware that there’s a problem with housing in this country, and there are targets we have to reach. We respect that,” she explained.

“What we’re unhappy with is the fact that many of the areas have reached their housing targets in their strategic sites, but developers seem to be taking advantage of the shortage by applying for land.

“They’re selling off sites and it leads to little villages like Yapton becoming overdeveloped.”

Landlink Estates, the developer responsible for the site, have been contacted for comment.