Aldingbourne homes reluctantly approved

The application will see a house in Hook Lane demolished and two two-bedroom, three three-bedroom and four four-bedroom houses built in its place.

Similar applications for the site were refused in March and June because of parking and overdevelopment concerns as well as ‘unacceptable harm’ to trees on the site and are currently being appealed.

At a meeting of the development control committee on Wednesday (November 25), councillors voted to approve the plans, albeit reluctantly in some cases.

Isabel Thurston (Green, Barnham) described it as ‘the best we can do’, while Martin Lury (Lib Dem, Bersted) added: “They have gone a long way to addressing our concerns and I think we would have no chance on appeal if we were to refuse this.”

Others were happy the applicant had addressed the previous concerns.

While sympathetic with points raised by one objector about the impact the new homes would have on traffic in Hook Lane, Ricky Bower (Con, East Preston) said the council would be on a ‘hiding to nothing’ if the plans were refused on those grounds.