Fresh plans to expand gypsy site in village near Horsham

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Fresh plans are being put forward to expand a gypsy site in a village near Horsham.

Planning permission is being sought from Horsham District Council to site four new gypsy pitches on land at Sussex Topiary in Naldretts Lane, Rudgwick.

It is also planned to create hardstanding areas and utility/day room buildings.

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The site is currently paddock land and has a number of gypsy pitches nearby. A previous application for eight extra gypsy pitches was turned down by planners.

There are fresh proposals to expand a gypsy site at Sussex Topiary in Naldretts Lane, RudgwickThere are fresh proposals to expand a gypsy site at Sussex Topiary in Naldretts Lane, Rudgwick
There are fresh proposals to expand a gypsy site at Sussex Topiary in Naldretts Lane, Rudgwick

Agents for the applicant, in a statement to the council, say: “The site is within a semi-rural area characterised by individually designed dwellings and commercial uses. The site is flat and not readily visible from public vantage points being screened by the adjoining mature boundary trees and hedging.”

They add: “The proposed development is being advanced to assist in meeting the long outstanding unmet need for gypsy sites within the district.” They say there are currently no sites allocated for gypsies in Horsham.

The area, they say, is screened by a number of trees. There are also remnants of hardstanding and dilapidated polytunnel frames and other structures when the land was previously used as a nursery.

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“The existing structures would be replaced by four pitches, each of which would contain a mobile home, a touring caravan and a day room,’ say the agents. “In addition vehicles would be parked on the site, and it is likely that there would be certain domestic paraphernalia outside the caravans.”

But, they maintain that the changes ‘would not appreciably alter the nature of this part of the countryside.’

Asking Horsham Council to grant planning approval, the agents add: “There are no vacancies at any gypsy sites within the council’s administrative area. Further it is widely understood that there is a long waiting list for any pitches both within the council’s administrative area and in the surrounding authorities.”

No decisions have yet been made.

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