Plans for 170 Pulborough homes in new development at New Place Farm approved

The application for land at New Place Farm was given the nod during a meeting of the planning committee on Tuesday (December 20) – but it was a close run thing.

After a lengthy discussion, the vote was 6-5 in favour.

The development will include a countryside park, play facilities and a BMX pump track for biking.

Sixty of the new homes will be classed as affordable.

The 16-hectare site was allocated for housing by the parish council in its emerging Neighbourhood Plan.

The council received 132 letters objecting to the plans, with concerns raised such as over-development, a lack of infrastructure and the level of opposition to the Neighbourhood Plan, which has yet to be adopted.

Others, though, were more receptive.

The meeting heard from one supporter who welcomed the inclusion of a footbridge to be built over the rail crossing to the north of the site.

He described the current crossing as ‘a disaster waiting to happen’.

Diana van der Klugt (Con, Pulborough, Coldwaltham & Amberley) said she had ‘serious misgivings’ about the application and the amount of weight being given to the Neighbourhood Plan.

Mrs van der Klugt pointed out that it was possible that the plan would not be approved and there would have to be a rethink about its contents.

Calling the application ‘premature’, she added: “Until the Neighbourhood Plan becomes law, until it’s made – if it ever is – we should be very careful about pre-empting the will of the community.”

It was suggested that the application be deferred until after the Neighbourhood Plan was made.

But officers said it would not be a wise move to postpone the decision ‘on the basis of something that may or may not happen’.

The committee was told there was a high risk that an appeal would be launched on the grounds that the council had not come to a decision within a reasonable time-frame – an appeal which could see the authority landed with a bill for costs.

To view the application, log on to public-access.horsham.gov.uk and search for DC/21/2321.