MP to seek talks with developer following protest

Sir Peter insisted the developer needed to make its intentions clear.

He said: “I hope Persimmon had people there who could observe the feeling and could listen to the points that were made.

“Persimmon need to say openly if they have anything in mind, and if they have, what that is.

The Government needs to know that Ferring and Goring are separate places, we don’t need a new village in between or a continuous development from Goring across to Ferring.”

Sir Peter said the protest was a ‘well-organised and successful event’ which ‘united’ residents in Ferring and Goring.

West Sussex County Councillor and Ferring resident Peter Evans said he would expect any planning application submitted to Worthing Borough Council by Persimmon regarding the strategic gap to be rejected.

He said: “There’s a lot off pressure on the local authorities to meet the housing numbers but not on a strategic gap – it’s there to protect the quality of life in the villages surrounding it, otherwise it will become one big urban sprawl and has to be stopped.

“To receive a challenge from a developer who wishes to put housing on there will hopefully be turned down by the planning authority.”

Cllr Evans said he would be interested to see how Persimmon handled the situation going forward.