MP says he was ‘approached by whistle blowers’ about decision on Horsham Local Plan
An MP said he had been told about ‘inappropriate political direction’ around the decision to include 3,200 homes at Adversane in the Horsham Local Plan.
An MP said he had been told about ‘inappropriate political direction’ around the decision to include 3,200 homes at Adversane in the Horsham Local Plan.
Andrew Griffith spoke on Thursday (October 15) on day three of a hearing which forms part of the examination of the Plan.
Adversane was one of 19 extra housing sites added to the Plan by the district council as part of 244 main modifications needed to make it sound.
It was not a popular choice, with many people wondering why the council didn’t choose Buck Barn for the development – which its own evidence base highlighted as a better choice in some respects.
Mr Griffith, who had no Parliamentary privilege during the hearing, said: “I’ve been approached by whistle-blowers making allegations of inappropriate political direction.”
He was stopped by Inspector Jonathan Bore, who advised him that only the planning merits of the Local Plan could be dealt with at the hearing – no other issues. But, with the seed planted, the MP’s words will no doubt lead to questions being asked.
The council has a formal whistle-blowing process to allow people to raise serious concerns, in confidence, about possible wrongdoing or inappropriate conduct.
But a spokesman said that no concerns relating to the proposed allocation of land at Adversane had been raised.
They added: “The selection of development sites follows a formal, evidence-based Local Plan process.As reported to Cabinet on July 6, several sites were reassessed using updated evidence before recommendations were made.
“Those recommendations were based on the evidence and professional planning judgement.
“The council will continue to provide the Planning Inspector with objective, evidence-based information, including in relation to the proposed Adversane allocation.”
Mr Griffith last spoke to the Local Plan examination at a stage one hearing in April. He said that, since then, the quality of the plan-making process had gone from ‘bad to worse’, with rural communities feeling ‘aggreived’ and ‘under seige’.
Describing the Adversane proposal as ‘a new town’, he added: “This site has been assessed many times before by this authority and at every stage has been rejected because it has been deemed to not be capable of delivering a sustainable community in a place that is a greenfield site without supporting infrastructure.
“I’m not opposed to the district having a Local Plan, nor am I opposed to local housing growth. But I am opposed to making a Plan unsound by including a fundamentally unsustainable and undeliverable strategic allocation.
“Adversane is not the answer. It is a poor response and rushed plan-making pushed through as a main modification without sufficient consultation and evaluation.”