Plans to build 14 homes on a site in West Sussex village to be considered for fourth time

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Plans to build 14 homes on a site in West Chiltington are to be considered by Horsham District Council for the fourth time

The saga of Smock Alley has been dragging on for years, with applications to develop land west of the road being refused three times by the planning committee.

Two of the subsequent appeals were dismissed by the planning inspectorate, while a third was withdrawn by applicant Castle Properties.

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The withdrawal followed a contentious meeting which saw the public told to leave while the appeal was discussed behind closed doors. The suggestion was that the council would not even defend the appeal as officers didn’t think they would win.

Plans to develop land on Smock Alley, in West Chiltington, have been refused three times by Horsham District Council. Image: GoogleMapsPlans to develop land on Smock Alley, in West Chiltington, have been refused three times by Horsham District Council. Image: GoogleMaps
Plans to develop land on Smock Alley, in West Chiltington, have been refused three times by Horsham District Council. Image: GoogleMaps

The latest application will be put to the planning committee on Tuesday (January 21), with officers recommending it for approval.

It had been due to be heard on December 17 but was withdrawn from the agenda after concerns were raised by the council’s consultant ecologist regarding the application’s approach to dormice, which are a protected species.

The plans are back on the table after Castle Properties detailed measures to avoid impacting the tiny creatures – measures that were ‘considered appropriate’ by the council’s ecologist.

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But members of the Smock Alley Action Group were not happy, calling the measures ‘fundamentally flawed’ and asking for surveys to be carried out to show how many dormice live on the site.

Plans to build 14 homes west of Smock Alley have been submitted to Horsham District Council for the fourth time. Image: Castle PropertiesPlans to build 14 homes west of Smock Alley have been submitted to Horsham District Council for the fourth time. Image: Castle Properties
Plans to build 14 homes west of Smock Alley have been submitted to Horsham District Council for the fourth time. Image: Castle Properties

In a letter to the council, Sharon Davies warned: “Failure to address these issues adequately may result in legal challenges, including a potential judicial review, to ensure that due process is followed and that protected species are not unlawfully harmed.

“The council’s duty to uphold the law and protect biodiversity is paramount, and I trust that this will be reflected in the decision-making process.”

The Action Group launched a petition in September 2024 appealing to the council to ‘save our local wildlife sanctuary from development for future generations’.

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More than 1,100 people have signed the change.org petition which details a number of reasons for the application to be refused again.

They include: the need to consider brownfield sites before greenfield, the location leading to a reliance on cars, the impact on wildlife and protected species, flood risks, and the pressure on infrastructure.

The site is allocated for development in the emerging Local Plan, with officers describing it as ‘deliverable and sustainable’.

The examination of that Plan ground to a halt before Christmas after the planning inspector said he had ‘significant concerns’ about its ‘soundness and legal compliance’.

To view the application, log on to public-access.horsham.gov.uk and search for DC/24/1619.

The planning meeting is open to the public and will be held at Parkside, in Chart Way, from 5.30pm.

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