Sewage fears for proposed Billingshurst homes

At a meeting last Thursday (January 9), councillors voted unanimously to strongly object to the proposal - with hundreds of homes currently under construction in the village.

Developer A2Dominion wants to build 50 dwellings, with associated road works, parking, landscaping and open space provision.

Lesley Wilding said: “The sewage plant can’t take any more.

“We have had 900 or more houses built and another 475 coming at a time when they told us the waste water plant only had capacity for 400.

“We are already talking 500 more than that.”

Mrs Wilding also expressed concern over an increased risk of flooding due to the location of the homes.

She said: “We have told them about flooding in the village and they take no notice of us. I am very much against this.”

However, she conceded that the homes proposed were suitable for the village.

She added: “For affordable houses they have got what we need in the area - bungalows and one bedroom houses.”

Garry Commins said: “The traffic survey is a joke, it is like a five-year-old’s traffic survey.

“There is mention of accidents in the vicinity but I can think of three off the top of my head in the last year that happened just outside their area.”

He added: “I was promised by one of the Dominion reps at the last public meeting with 150 (dwellings built) that there would not be any more.

“Unfortunately they are going back on their word again.”

The council also disclosed that nine letters of objection have been received from residents concerning the plans.

Residents’ fears include overdevelopment and a lack of infrastructure to cope with the new homes.

Letters: page 30