Highdown Vineyard sale: Plans for housing estate criticised by the public

Owners Aly and Paul Englefield announced last week they had agreed to sell the site to Rego Property, subject to permission being granted for a housing estate.

A consultation document briefly appeared online suggesting 121 homes were in the pipeline, but early plans currently rest with Arun District Council.

An initial story on the Herald’s Facebook page received more than 300 comments, mostly lamenting the potential loss of green space to development.

Leona Leona commented that ‘enough is enough’, considering plans to build over 400 new homes at nearby Chatsmore Farm.

“It will not benefit local people who need housing affordability,” she said. “The A259 is already busy enough.”

Michael Pickup said it should ‘never be allowed’ as it would ruin a quiet and peaceful rural beauty spot which local people enjoy.

He was backed up by Julia Womack who said ‘Worthing is changing rapidly and not for the good’.

She said a new estate would only place extra burden on schools and doctors’ surgeries.

The loss of the vineyard itself as a destination brought sadness to many commenters.

Paul Davis said it was a real shame, but wished the owners Aly and Paul the very best.

The couple said the land had become ‘unviable’ as a vineyard and, with retirement approaching, they had made the ‘difficult decision’ to sell.

But the public response was not all doom and gloom.

Tony Lee Benstead commented on the Herald’s Facebook page that we have plenty of green and farm land, but not enough homes.

“Building these homes might not give those in need a home straight away, but it will free up houses in towns and more affordable areas – a social snowball effect,” he said.

“People are living out in the street, cramped up in tiny houses paying ridiculously large amounts of rent and you lot are moaning about your wine going?

“Complaining about traffic too?! Who cares, it’s already awful out there, the council might even start sorting out the roads soon because of the more traffic.”