Traffic concerns over Sompting field development plans

The play area at the top of Halewick Lane, which residents fear will see heavy traffic as a result of the plans

A planning application, lodged with the South Downs National Park Authority, would see topsoil at the site replaced in order for the land to be used for growing grass, to be cut as a hay crop.

June Harding, of West Way in Lancing, said the plans include 45 lorries per weekday travelling to the site.

She said: “This will impact on traffic in Halewick Lane and surrounding roads and will mean heavy traffic passing by the children’s’ play area.

“Not only that, but they will be travelling onwards up the track that is well used by walkers and cyclists.”

Jacqui Booty, of Meadowview Road, has formally objected to the planning application, commenting that she was ‘unhappy’ about the lorries at the site. She said: “This is a built up area which at times can be problematic with vehicles parked on both sides. It is also a bus route.”

She said the children’s play area is ‘often full of families with small children running about.’

However, Mark Emery of Valley Road has supported the application and said: “I would much rather see a hay or silage meadow and managed farmland with the wealth of wild flowers, insects, birds, small and predatory mammals that such a meadow would support rather than the eyesore that is currently at this site.”

He said that the lorries would use the road ‘for a limited period of time’ and would not impact the play area, as he said ‘any responsible parent’ would ‘not let their children wander or run off towards the road.’

Sompting Parish Council has said it accepts the application but wants to see control conditions on vehicles put in place.

The agent company listed on the planning application is Crawley-based company PJ Brown.

The company were asked for a comment but could not provide one before the Herald went to press.

A decision will be made by Wednesday, January 18.

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