Climping farm shop refused permission for new rapid electric vehicle charging points

The application for Baird’s Farm Shop, in Crookthorn Lane, which included the building of a substation, was turned down by the planning committee on Wednesday (February 8).

The committee deferred the plans in January, asking questions about the lighting of the site, the hours of operation and the number of charging points proposed by applicant Osprey Charging Network.

While officers recommended the plans be approved, committee members were not happy, especially with Osprey’s response that the number of charging points could not be reduced to four and reducing the opening hours would make the plans un-viable.

The need for lighting proved to be the sticking point for several councillors.

David Edwards (Con, Felpham East) said: “I don’t have a problem with the number [of chargers] if I’m perfectly honest, I don’t have a problem with the location per se – what I do have a problem with is the light.

“It’s a beautiful place and it doesn’t suffer with light pollution and there are plenty of EV charging spaces up at Tesco, which is less than a mile away.”

The committee supported a proposal from Ricky Bower (Con, East Preston) that the application be refused on the grounds that the unrestricted opening hours/lighting would be detrimental to the environment and locality and would impact those who live nearby.

He also said it would be detrimental to the council’s dark lights policy.

To view the plans in full, log on to www.arun.gov.uk and search for CM/46/22/PL.