West Sompting: A timeline of the plans for 520 new homes

News that a planning application for homes in West Sompting has been submitted was announced today – more than 15 months after the proposals were first put forward.
An artists' impression of the houses at West Sompting, taken from the public exhibition in 2017An artists' impression of the houses at West Sompting, taken from the public exhibition in 2017
An artists' impression of the houses at West Sompting, taken from the public exhibition in 2017

Developers Persimmon Homes and the Sompting Estate hope to build 520 homes on the greenfield site, which comprises two parcels of land to the north and south of West Street in West Sompting.

Here, we take a look back at the events that led to this point...

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February 2017: The greenfield West Sompting site, allocated for 480 homes, was scrutinised by the planning inspector during a two-week examination of the Adur Local Plan

At the meeting, it was suggested the wording of the policy was changed from ‘approximately’ 480 homes to ‘at least’, to allow for more flexibility

October 2017: Developers Persimmon Homes and the Sompting Estate Trustees reveal their plans to build up to 520 homes in West Sompting across the two parcels of land to the north and south of West Street

As well as the homes, developers said the plans would involve several areas of open space, such as a paddock area, a community orchard, playing pitches, areas of landscaping and a trim trail around the perimeter of the site.

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– Later that month, more than 200 residents attended a public exhibition on the plans with representatives from Persimmon Homes and the Sompting Estate Trustees on hand to answer questions.

Some residents who attended the exhibition told the Herald what they thought of the proposals – read more here

– After the meeting, Mike Tristram, a Trustee of the Sompting Estate which is behind the plans, said the scheme would bring ‘exciting benefits’ to the village – including a community farm, a nature trail and an orchard

“Sompting’s community will be bigger, but it will be better connected to the countryside,” he said.

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December 2017: The Adur Local Plan is approved. West Sompting is one of two greenfield sites allocated for potential development in the plan – the other being New Monks Farm

February 2018: Tim Loughton MP, chaired a public meeting on the proposals for West Sompting in which he told residents that development on the land was inevitable because it was included in the local plan.

However, he advised residents to give feedback on any planning application once it was submitted so as to try and make the scheme as beneficial to the community as possible

– Reflecting on the meeting, Mr Loughton said there was ‘clearly...still a lot to be thrashed out’ with the plans

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February 2019: A planning application for the land at West Sompting is formally submitted to Adur District Council for consideration.

Outline planning permission is being sought for 520 new homes at the site.

Full planning is sought for 100 homes, 30 per cent of which will be affordable housing.