Plans to build 81 homes in West Sussex village approved for a second time

The outline application for land north of The Rosary was given the nod during a meeting of the planning committee on Monday (March 10).

The committee first gave its support to the plans in September, delegating the final approval to officers and asking them to work with the applicant to include a footpath north of the new access to and from Church Road.

The footpath has now been secured as part of the application – but the issue of water neutrality brought the plans back to the committee.

Applicant Reside Developments Ltd asked for access to the Sussex North Offsetting Water Scheme (SNOWS), which would enable the development to achieve water neutrality.

SNOWS is a water management initiative led by Horsham, Crawley, Chichester and Mid Sussex councils, alongside the South Downs National Park Authority and West Sussex County Council.

It provides applicants with ways to demonstrate that their developments can be constructed in a water neutral way, allowing the authorities to deliver housing and other development without increasing pressure on the Sussex North Water Supply Zone.

The council received more than 30 objections to the plans along with one from West Grinstead Parish Council.

Concerns raised included the impact on trees and wildlife, road safety and increased traffic, and fears that Partridge Green was in danger of merging with the hamlet of Jolesfield to the north.

The outline application was approved by 15 votes to one.

The development will include 32 homes that will be classed as affordable.

To view the application, log on to public-access.horsham.gov.uk and search for DC/23/2279.