Plans for 225 Bersted homes are refused

Landform’s outline application for the homes, open space and vehicular and pedestrian access was for nursery fields, to the north of Chalcraft Lane and behind Chalcroft Nursery.

In the decision report council planning officers said the developer had failed to demonstrate there would not be a ‘severe cumulative residual impact on the road network’.

There was no transport assessment to address the off-site capacity requirements and the local road network and a failure to demonstrate that the transport effects could be ‘satisfactorily mitigated’.

The application also failed to sufficiently encourage the use of sustainable modes of transport.

No S106 legal agreement had been completed so there was no contribution towards the agreed strategic approach to access management at Pagham Harbour, with an adverse effect on the integrity of an Internationally designated conservation site.

With no legal agreement, the application also ‘fails to secure affordable housing provision, self-build plot provision, infrastructure contributions towards play, social, leisure and sports facilities, healthcare, education, fire and rescue services and police, and the transport mitigation package, necessary to support development.’

Back in 2018 Arun’s 20-year local plan including the West Bersted strategic allocation of at least 2,500 homes.

Landform, the Church Commissioners for England and Landlink Estates collectively control all the land within the strategic allocation.

An application for 20 homes and new and modernised commercial space at the Chalcroft Nurseries site was agreed recently by planners.