Residents shoot down plans for social venue

A meeting in The Barn in Hoe Lane filled the 60-capacity main room for a lively discussion about the proposals.

Paul and John Hickey have applied for a premises licence to enable the building to be used for dancing, live music, recorded music and the supply of alcohol between 9am and 2am every day.

Paul Hickey said: "The meeting has made us think. The residents were not pleased with our proposals. There was a lot to take in."

The application to Arun District Council has prompted residents of the rural area to object to the scheme.

Its head of environmental health, Paul Unsworth, and licensing officer Rosie Bomford decided to stage Monday's meeting to enable both sides to discuss matters informally before the application is heard by the council's licensing sub-committee on April 17.

Mr Unsworth said the meeting enabled the neighbours of The Barn to raise their concerns about any increased use of the building.

These included parking, disturbance and possible crime and disorder matters.

"They were very efficient at making their views known," he stated. The meeting will be followed by a site visit in the next week by the three councillors '“ from elsewhere in the district '“ who will be sitting on April 17, and their officers.

This will enable the council members to view The Barn and the surrounding area. No discussions will take place with the proposers or objectors.

At the hearing, Mr Unsworth advised the residents to choose one or two representatives to make their points.

Support for the protests was given at an Eastergate meeting of the Joint Downland Area Committee, which was also held on Monday.

Yapton Parish Council member Richard Taft said the council, whose area includes Flansham, had objected to the licence application.

"This application is a short cut to a nightclub," he claimed.

"Hoe Lane is a quiet rural hamlet comprising mainly residential properties and is, therefore, unsuitable for the use in the application.

"The proposed licensed use of The Barn is out of keeping with the area and unneighbourly. Hoe Lane is narrow with no footpath and very limited streetlighting.

"The Barn has only limited car parking and parking on the verge of the highway would cause congestion and noise to residents with damage to the verges."

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