Plans for 73 homes and industrial buildings in Yapton refused

The outline plans for the land east of Bilsham Road included retaining oak trees and Little Meadow dwellings.

It would have meant closing off the existing junction at Grevatts Lane West and Bilsham Road and Grevatts Lane West would be diverted to a new access point in the south.

The decision report said the new development would be in an ‘unsustainable location which will extend the low key form of this small hamlet into open countryside causing harm to the historic character of this semi-rural location and the loss of best and most versatile agricultural land’.

Officers said ‘insufficient information had been provided to adequately demonstrate that proposed development concerning the land south of Grevatts Lane West will not be at risk from future flooding and that the whole development will be safe for its lifetime’.

There was also ‘insufficient information to adequately demonstrate whether the proposal would not have an unacceptable impact on highway safety, or whether the residual cumulative impacts of the development on the road network would not be severe’.

Yapton Parish Council objected saying there was no discernible improvement since the previous application in respect of cohesion and connectivity with the existing village centre, social/environmental benefits, and green connectivity with the wider area.

It said the parish had met its housing allocation, the location was unsustainable and isolated, there was inadequate medical provision and there would be traffic congestion.

The council received a further 19 letters of objection, including one from Middleton Parish Council.

Other issues raised included loss of agricultural land, no evidence of housing need and concerns with the traffic assessment.

For more on the application and decision, go to the Arun District Council planning portal and use the reference Y/71/21/OUT.