Letter to the editor: New housing minister urged to review West of Ifield

Dear Editor,

New Housing Minister Urged to Review West of Ifield

The appointment of Angela Rayner as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government presents an important opportunity to take a fresh look at Homes England’s controversial West of Ifield proposals.

I have today written to the Secretary of State asking her to ensure this controversial masterplan receives necessary critical scrutiny.

No one disputes the need for new homes. However, large-scale development must be supported by sound planning, adequate infrastructure, environmental stewardship and public confidence.

The proposed West of Ifield development continues to raise serious questions concerning transport, ecology, heritage and deliverability. National Highways’ continuing concerns, the implications for Ifield Brook Meadows, the setting of the Grade I listed St Margaret’s Church and the Scheduled Monument at Ifield Court, together with unresolved infrastructure issues, all deserve careful consideration.

Homes England occupies a unique position as both a Government agency and a master developer. With that role comes a responsibility to demonstrate the very highest standards of planning, transparency and stewardship of public land.

I have therefore invited the Secretary of State to encourage Homes England to work collaboratively with Horsham District Council, Crawley Borough Council, West Sussex County Council, Natural England and local communities to explore whether a more sustainable solution can be achieved.

One such opportunity would be the creation of an enhanced Ifield Local Nature Reserve and Heritage Park, protecting one of West Sussex’s most important landscapes while ensuring that future development is genuinely sustainable.

The debate should never be reduced to homes versus nature. The real challenge is to deliver homes in the right places, with the right infrastructure, while safeguarding the natural and historic environments that define our communities.

The new Secretary of State now has an opportunity to ensure that good planning—not simply rapid planning—remains the guiding principle.

Richard W. Symonds MCIPD
The Ifield Society

2 Lychgate Cottages

Ifield Street, Ifield Village

The Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government

Dear Secretary of State,

West of Ifield, West Sussex – Request for Ministerial Review of Homes England’s Proposed Development

Congratulations on your appointment as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

I am writing as a long-standing resident of Ifield, co-founder of The Ifield Society, and someone who has been closely involved in scrutinising Homes England’s proposed West of Ifield development.

I fully recognise the Government’s commitment to increasing the supply of new homes. However, I respectfully suggest that the objective of building more homes must be matched by an equally strong commitment to sound planning, environmental stewardship and public confidence.

The proposed West of Ifield scheme raises serious questions that, in my view, deserve careful ministerial attention.

These include:

• unresolved transport concerns that have led National Highways to maintain a holding direction;

• significant environmental and ecological impacts affecting Ifield Brook Meadows and the wider landscape;

• the setting of nationally important heritage assets, including the Grade I listed St Margaret’s Church and the Scheduled Monument at Ifield Court;

• uncertainty surrounding elements of the proposed infrastructure requiring separate planning processes; and

• wider questions about whether the scheme, in its current form, is coherent, deliverable and capable of supporting a sound Local Plan.

My concern is not with the principle of providing new homes. Rather, it is whether this particular proposal represents the right development in the right place, supported by the right infrastructure and brought forward through a planning process that commands public confidence.

Homes England occupies a unique position as both a Government agency and a master developer. With that position comes a responsibility to demonstrate the highest standards of planning, transparency and stewardship of public land.

I therefore respectfully ask that you ensure the West of Ifield proposal receives the rigorous scrutiny that such a nationally significant scheme deserves, and that Homes England is encouraged to work collaboratively with Horsham District Council, Crawley Borough Council, West Sussex County Council, Natural England and local communities to explore whether a more sustainable and environmentally ambitious solution can be achieved.

One such opportunity would be to consider a strategic approach that safeguards the unique landscape of the ancient Parish of Ifield through the creation of an enhanced Local Nature Reserve and Heritage Park, while directing development to locations where it can be more sustainably accommodated.

I believe that successful planning should leave a lasting legacy for future generations—not simply by delivering housing, but by protecting the natural and historic environments that give places their identity.

Thank you for taking the time to consider these concerns. I would be grateful if you would ask your officials to review the issues raised and advise what further steps may be appropriate.

Yours sincerely,

Richard W. Symonds
The Ifield Society