Plans for 170 homes at Yapton are refused
Plans for 170 new homes at Yapton have been refused after objections by parish councils and more than 100 residents.
The application by Redrow Homes for land west of Bilsham Road, Yapton, included 30 per cent affordable housing, public open space, children’s play space, a pumping station, surface water drainage and landscaping
In their report planning officers said the homes would be detached, semi-detached and terraced and, unlike previous plans for the site, there were no apartments or three storey buildings.
There would be five one bedroom terraced homes, 65 two bed, 84 three bed, 10 four bed and six five bed homes. Of these, 51 would be affordable.
The access would be approximately 30m north of the Bilsham Road/Taylors Close junction. It was proposed to provide 2m wide footway on Bilsham Road between the new access and the existing footway/bus stop to the north.
Previous applications for the site included Y/3/22/OUT, a hybrid application which allowed full permission for 30 dwellings on the site with outline permission for a further 110. “No part of this has been implemented,” the report said.
Y/52/23/PL was an application by Boklok for 170 homes and was refused on grounds of character/appearance but was then allowed on appeal following a hearing.
“Y/80/25/S73 was submitted in late December 2025,” officers said. “It is for an identical proposal to this application and has simply been submitted as a way of 'speeding up' planning permission as if granted, the s106 agreement from Y/52/23/PL would transfer meaning there would be no need to draw up and negotiate a new agreement (as is the case with Y/32/25/PL).”
Their grounds for refusal included insufficient evidence to demonstrate an acceptable drainage scheme could be achieved, the absence of a signed Section 106 agreement for affordable housing, highway improvements and transport to secondary schools.
West Sussex County Council education department objected due to it not being possible to expand secondary school provision for pupils arising from the development.
Yapton Parish Council gave a list of objections, concerns and requests including placement of the affordable housing in one area, pedestrian and wheelchair access and the need for a safe crossing on Bilsham Road.
Middleton-on-Sea Parish Council objected on the basis of the increased traffic putting pressure on the Comet Corner junction and said the application should be refused until the new roundabout scheme has been implemented.
More than 100 letters of objection from residents included concerns about the amount of housing being built in the area, insufficient infrastructure/facilities, loss of green space and agricultural land, increased congestion and safety risk on the A259 junctions, lack of public transport, flooding risk, harm to wildlife and loss of trees, loss or archaeological finds and a lack of new consultation following changes to the application.
To see the decision report on the Arun District Council planning portal use the search reference Y/32/25/PL.