‘We’ll fight on’ say Partridge Green couple in battle to build ‘eco home’

Stephen and Sarah Brewer want to demolish a garage and garden buildings at their property and build a ‘green’ carbon-neutral, three-bed detached house where they could ‘live into old age.’

But their plans were turned down last week by Horsham District Council and the couple say they are ‘bitterly disappointed.’

However, Stephen, 67, and Sarah, 55, are not giving up. They have lodged an appeal against the decision.

They say the eco house would be a highly insulated green oak frame construction and include solar panels, a mechanical ventilation and heat recovery system, grey water recovery and off-grid sewage system, an air-sourced heat pump, electric car and bike charging points.

They maintain: “This is not a house of the future. It is a house of today.”

They say they are “saddened, disappointed and frustrated” that their planning application was turned down.

“This decision was made purely on the basis of ‘…this scheme would be contrary to the overarching strategy and hierarchical approach of concentrating development within the main settlements…’ despite us addressing every point raised about this in our previous application on the grounds of sustainability, in our pre-developed domestic garden.”

And, they add: “At no point in history has it been more important to be energy conscious and to be aware of its supply and the cost considerations, whilst also being at the forefront of building technology and the importance to be able to build self sustainable homes.”

“We feel so strongly about the merits of this highly sustainable scheme that we have already instructed our planning consultant to prepare an appeal to the Secretary of State to challenge the planning refusal decision.”

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