Residents outraged at plan for nine Ferring homes

That is the belief of village residents who this week banded together to express their devastation at the proposal, which was lodged with Arun District Council late last month.

If given the go ahead, the plan would see numbers 32 and 34 Sea Lane bulldozed and replaced with nine four-bedroom detached homes with parking for 27 cars.

Andrew and Heather Wadham live in Park Drive, where their back garden backs onto the access road the new homes would use.

“The destruction of our enjoyment of this garden and life would be dire,” said Andrew, 76.

“It’s causing a lot of sleepless nights and putting us in a great deal of uncertainty at a time of life when we should be able to enjoy the place.

“It’s out of character and out of scale for the space.”

The couple, who moved to Ferring 18 months ago, added they were also unhappy at the prospect of being overlooked by up to six properties.

This sentiment is echoed by their neighbour, Phil Baggott, who said he felt “incensed” and believed the plan would ruin the area.

“It’s out of all proportion. We’ve been privy to this lovely view, but now we are going to get this abomination they call houses here,” the 69-year-old said.

In preparation for the possible build, some trees have already been felled, which residents say may have destroyed wildlife habitats.

They are also concerned at the size of the homes, which would be built in an area largely dominated by bungalows.

Eileen and Bill Gray, both 74, live at the end of Park Drive, where they say it is already difficult to turn onto busy Sea Lane. They are worried about the problems the extra cars and traffic would cause.

In Glen Glardens, Paul and Jane Hayman said if the project goes ahead they will be forced to sell the bungalow they bought five years ago. “We bought this house for the privacy, which was very important to us, and now we will have people looking into 80 per cent of our garden and kitchen,” said Jane, 57.

Helen Smith’s bedroom will be just one-and-a-half metres from the proposed access road. She and her family, including her parents who live in the granny annexe, are concerned about the noise impact.

Arun district councillor for Ferring, Roger Elkins, has urged anybody else who is worried about the development to submit their views to the council. He said: “This is the heart of Ferring, and this will alter the character of this area.”

Comments must be submitted by August 30. To view the plans, visit www.arun.gov.uk and search FG/99/12.