West Chiltington bungalow could be demolished to make way for new development

Hanlen Developments wants outline permission to demolish Southmill House, on the eastern side of Mill Road opposite the village hall, and build housing on a field behind it.

The proposed development would comprise of four detached units, eight semi detached and a terrace of three town houses and two flats.

The town houses and flats would all be classed as affordable.

As well as a new access road for vehicles and pedestrians from Mill Lane, the developer is planning to build a new mini roundabout to ‘assist with road safety and reduction of vehicle speed past the site’.

On access and sustainability, the applicant argues the site, in the link between West Chiltington Common and the older main village, benefits from ‘excellent’ access to the wider road network. It mentions the bus stop nearby at the village hall and Pulborough’s railway station a ‘ten minute drive away’.

The site was submitted in April 2020 for inclusion in the Neighbourhood Plan as part of the call for sites exercise. However an assessment of sites report recommended six potentially suitable for allocation subject to mitigation of constrains and consultation with HDC. Southmill was one of these.

But the developer has taken issue with the allocation of other sites arguing there was ‘no explanation or justification why the promotion of these sites has been preferred ahead of the subject site’, adding: “The site assessment appears to be arbitrary and lacking reason.”

The applicant concludes: “Whilst in outline, development at this scale provides opportunities to deliver a range of house types and sizes and will also provide for affordable housing in accordance with the requirements of the adopted Horsham District Planning Framework and the housing needs assessment undertaken by West Chiltington Parish Council.

“There are no apparent or known site-specific constraints that would suggest that the site is not capable of accommodating the scale of type development proposed, supported by an appropriate strategy for mitigation and enhancements.

“This site is deliverable in the short term and set within the context of the current absence of a five-year housing land supply, this is a material consideration of significant weight.”

Visit www.horsham.gov.uk/planning using code DC/22/1534.