Planners reject outline bid for 100 Westgate homes

Outline plans for the scheme have been refused by Arun District Council’a planning officers.

Builtform Developments had wanted the development on 5.9 hectares of land at The Woodgate Centre, some 50m south of the Woodgate railway crossing on the A29.

The development, in Woodgate Road would have comprised of buildings and paddocks situated on the east side of the A29 accessed via Woodgate Road and Oak Tree Lane.

It was suggested some 240 people could have lived in the mixture of two, three and four-bed detached, semi-detached and terraced houses, and up to 30 of the properties would have been affordable homes.

The decision was made by senior council planning officer Neil Crowther.

His reasons for refusal included poor locality in terms of accessibility, as it had poor pedestrian and cycle links to employment centres, retail centres, schools and community facilities.

The proposed development was also located outside the built-up areas and represented a significant encroachment into the countryside.

There was also strong opposition from residents, with protesters handing in 120 letters of objection to the district council.