VOTE: Residents' anger over gypsy plans

Plans for a major housing development in Barnham which could also contain gypsy pitches have provoked an angry response from residents.

More than 100 people packed a meeting of the parish council on Monday evening to voice a wide range of concerns regarding the potential impact on the village.

The West Sussex County Council-owned site at Yapton Road, which includes land at Hyde End Nursery and former Angel's Nursery, could accommodate a housing development of up to 100 properties.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After recommending it for a residential scheme, the county is on a potential collision course with Arun District Council, which has identified it as being a suitable location for travellers.

This is despite a parish vote last year on pitches in Barnham

for travelling showpeople, which was rejected by 100 per cent of those polled.

Among key issues raised at the parish meeting were fears over inadequate land drainage, pressure on traffic along the Yapton Road and lack of spaces at the village primary school to cope with additional demand.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

One resident said: "This is a mess. The issue of gypsies should have been on the council's agenda for years but instead it has only been left right until the last minute and we should not be in a position where the village is having to choose between either housing or a traveller site."

Chris Holmes, who has a short lease on the Angel's Nursery, believed the land had operated well under agricultural use and he valued the opportunity to continue using it for his horticultural business.

Another audience member added: "There will be at least an extra 150 cars coming on to the Yapton Road because of this and the traffic is already in a bad state.

"The quality of the road repair here is appalling and the village cannot take a development of this size."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Stephen Oates, of Barnham Parish Council, confirmed its members would be putting a response to Arun by March 31, when the county's application will be heard at a development control committee.

He added if it was decided housing was suitable for the site, the village would be seeking assurances developers should supply significant community grants (known as 106 agreements) linked with any application.

According to West Sussex County Council planning consultant Paul Collins, who spoke at the meeting, 'gypsy pitches are not part of the housing scheme' and would not be acceptable to the county.

He said: "If this site is secured as one for affordable homes I would question its viability for both housing and use by gypsies.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Looking at the evidence, the county council believes this is a good site for housing as the village has good transport links and is the kind of location which would be right for development."

A spokesperson for Arun District Council confirmed the Angel's Nursery site had been identified as a possible site for gypsies, travellers and travelling showpeople, but added there would be further public consultation and a planning inquiry before any final decisions were made.

She said: "The council is required by the government to provide a number of sites to meet the housing needs of gypsies, travellers and travelling showpeople.

"It is expected the council will be allocated between 14 and 17 pitches for gypsies and travellers in addition to one or two plots for travelling showpeople to be provided by 2016. The final figure will be announced by the government by the end of April.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Following an extensive period of public consultation, the council's cabinet committee resolved at its meeting on December 21, 2009, to promote Angel's Nursery as a site to provide up to nine pitches for gypsies and travellers and up to two plots for travelling showpeople."

She added: "In the government's 2008 publication Designing Gypsy and Traveller Sites '“ Good Practice Guide it recommends that, where possible, sites should be developed near to housing for the settled community as part of mainstream developments.

"Therefore we also have to take that into consideration when looking at possible plans for the site and options for creating more homes."

What do you think? Send a letter to [email protected] or leave a comment below.

Click here to go back to Chichester news

Click here to go back to Bognor Regis news

Click here to go back to Midhurst and Petworth news

To tell us where in the world you are reading this story click here to add yourself to our readers' map.