Major green space in Lancing to be preserved as ‘a haven for natural habitat’

A major green space previously put forward for development is set to be preserved and enhanced thanks to Adur District Council.
New Salts FarmNew Salts Farm
New Salts Farm

For centuries, the 70 acre site at New Salts Farm – which lies between the A259 and the railway line in Lancing – has been used for agriculture, acting as a natural barrier between the urban settlements of Lancing and Shoreham.

But recently the owner Hyde New Homes explored the viability of creating more than 450 properties on the land to the north of the A259.

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Recognising the importance New Salts Farm plays in the look, feel and wider biodiversity of the area, the council is now set to make the rare move of stepping in to purchase the site – with a commitment to preserve and enhance the land as a haven for natural habitat.

New Salts Farm is marked in red on this mapNew Salts Farm is marked in red on this map
New Salts Farm is marked in red on this map

Funding for the acquisition will come from the sale of the former Adur Civic Centre, where Hyde is working with the local authority to bring forward designs for 173 new homes and 1,000 sqm of office space.

Councillor Neil Parkin, Leader of Adur District Council, said: “New Salts Farm plays an integral role in the look and feel of our whole district, acting as a vital green corridor between our vibrant coastline and the surrounding South Downs.

“That’s why I’m delighted we have been innovative, creative and proactive in exploring ways to protect and enhance this land for generations to come.

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“If agreement is reached on purchasing the site, our ambition is to look at how it be used and improved to support biodiversity.

“This will support our very ambitious sustainability agenda and go some way to helping us achieve our target of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.”

Landowner Hyde Housing confirmed its plans to sell the site back in March of this year, as the land no longer suited the delivery timescales needed for its grant funding programme – read more here.

At that time, councillor Geoff Patmore, of Lancing Parish Council, said the sale of the land raised ‘great concern to the community’ that ‘this precious green space and flood plain will be sold yet again to yet another developer’.

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A report on purchasing New Salts Farm is to be presented to executive councillors at a virtual meeting of the Joint Strategic Committee on Tuesday.

The document outlines how Hyde looked to get the land allocated for development in 2016.

However this was contested by the Council due to flooding concerns and a desire to maintain the green gap.

To prevent this from happening again, councillors are set to approve the purchase of the land at a meeting next week and seek to allocate the land as protected green space within the Adur Local Plan.

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The next stage will be for the Council to investigate how to best utilise the land for the wider benefit of residents and nature.

This could include some of it being set aside for capturing solar energy.

Mr Parkin added: “We all know that there is high demand for housing in the area.

“While we are determined to support the creation of much-needed high-quality accommodation for our residents, this should not come at a complete cost to the natural environment.”

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The proposed acquisition of New Salts Farm forms part of “And Then…”, the Councils short, sharp programme of interventions and assistance to help the communities of Adur and Worthing bounce back from the impact of lockdown.

It also supports the ambitions laid out in Platforms for our Places: Going Further, which sets out the Councils’ plans over the next three years to help residents and businesses to thrive through support and action in five key areas, or platforms.