Adur & Worthing District Update August 2020

CPRE activity in Adur & Worthing District up to 31 July 2020.

Ferring / Goring Gap

CPRE Sussex is still concerned that Persimmon homes would like to develop the Ferring/Goring gap, one of the few remaining green gaps along the coast. We continue to monitor this situation.

Worthing Local Plan

The new local plan is still under development. We have written to Worthing Council to ask that the design policies are reviewed in light of the climate emergency. We are anticipating that we will comment on the draft submission Local Plan early next year, depending on the impact of lockdown.

Adur Local Plan Review

This review has started, we commented on the draft methodology for the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) to highlight the protection of green gaps.  We took part in the hearings on the local plan in 2017 and it looks as though our concerns that  even the reduced housing target approved by the Planning Inspector would not be achievable have been realised.

New Monks Farm

Site clearance started at least 3 months premature to the final s106 decision notice in February 2020. For the first tranche, CALA homes are developing the 249 homes initially using access from Grinstead lane. The affordable element of 75 homes have been bought by Saxon Weald. No more than 60 homes can be built before the Manor Roundabout is improved. Eventually once the site is completed the access will be via a new roundabout on the A27. The s106 agreement has taken some time as the county council wanted higher contributions for education than the developer was initially willing to pay. The county council also needed an agreement around the Withy Patch traveller site and concerns were raised as to whether an equalities impact assessment was completed? Despite the lack of due diligence for that requirement, the plan is for the traveller community to move in November to the new site.

Adur Flood Watch Group have been concerned with the creation of a new major culvert over the winter. Groundwater is a huge issue at New Monks Farm and this was experienced with the flooding of this particular installation in its construction.  Over the winter there have been problems with sewers filling with groundwater. Some properties lose facilities as soon as groundwater rises. Southern Water has to pump the sewers out into ditches to manage the problem. Concerns have also been raised about pile driving by CALA homes which may exacerbate rising groundwater problems and the impact on nesting birds.

The big question still remains …. What is happening with IKEA?

West Sompting – 520 homes development

Revised plans have been submitted in July for construction of the first round of 100 homes. Last year, the planning authority requested further work be done by the developer, Persimmon Homes, to improve the design of the housing to better reflect the traditional characteristics of the area. Much of Sompting sits within a conservation area where traditional flint and redbrick and other finishes with pitched roofs are typical.

CPRE will be evaluating the new plans and will submit comments on those and the overall scheme in all its aspects, including landscaping and the increased traffic which will inevitably impact the already busy A27 flows.