Applause greets council's decision to refuse plans for 28 homes in West Sussex village

The outline application from Akehurst Homes Ltd, for land south of Furze Common Road, was rejected by the planning committee on February 18.

A similar application for 25 homes was refused by the committee in 2023 on a number of grounds, including concerns about the access to the site from Storrington Road.

That access proved to be the major sticking point again. Currently little more than a track, the plan was to widen it to 4.8m – just enough for two cars to pass – while it would narrow to 3.7m some halfway along the 75m route.

Concerns were raised about road safety and whether emergency vehicles, especially fire engines, would be able to fit along the track.

Claudia Fisher (Green, Storrington & Washington) pointed out that the use of the track as an access road would cause ‘unacceptable harm’ to people living in Champions Cottages, which face directly onto it.

And Mike Croker (Green, Bramber, Upper Beeding & Woodmancote) said: “It beggars belief that we’ve even got this far considering it, to be honest.”

While officers advised that the harm caused would not significantly outweigh the benefits of having 28 new homes, Ms Fisher disagreed.

She called on the committee to reject the plan, citing increased levels of noise, light, activity and pollution and saying they would ‘significantly and demonstrably’ outweigh the benefits of the development.

To applause from the public gallery, the application was refused by 11 votes to six.

The council had received more than 80 letters objecting to the plans, with concerns raised including the ‘disproportionate’ level of development in Thakeham in recent years, road safety and air quality.

There were two letters of support citing the need for more housing in the area.

Thakeham Parish Council also lodged an objection, saying the new homes would be over-development, and that the proposed housing mix was ‘not considered appropriate’.

To view the application, log on to public-access.horsham.gov.uk and search for DC/23/2146.