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Shock bid for 330 floodplain homes
A HUGE development that would double the size of Bramber will soon be submitted to planning officials at Horsham District Council.
A Guildford company that represents plot owners is gearing up to lodge its first application – for 330 homes on land between Bramber and Upper Beeding.
The 45-acre site falls within the parish of Bramber and is the triangular area between the A283, the River Adur, and properties on The Street, Bramber.
United Plotowners Associates (UPA) is a team of ex-planners and various consultants and was set up in February last year to help landowners through the complicated process of gaining planning permission.
The group is aiming to be the largest provider of key worker, elderly, and starter homes in the UK.
The Bramber site was divided into hundreds of plots and sold off, and UPA is now acting on behalf of the plot owners to take forward a planning application for the site.
But locals are concerned that the area is an area of outstanding natural beauty, within the proposed South Downs National Park boundary, and on a flood plain.
Roger Glanville, chairman of Bramber Parish Council, said: "I find it quite unbelievable – these people are trying it on.
"Nobody would be able to get any insurance if they lived there.
"In the village itself it's difficult enough to get insurance because of the flood plain."
He continued: "Three hundred houses is a development as big as the parish itself – there are about 320 homes in the parish at the moment, and in the village there is about 60 to 70.
"The whole thing is just opportunistic."
About 220 of the proposed new homes would be self-built by the plot owners, and at least 100 of the other houses and flats would be offered to key workers and first time buyers at prices considerably less than current market prices.
This would be made possible as plot owners are asked to give up ten per cent of their land for infrastructure and communal facilities.
Andrew Smith, a director at UPA, said: "There is definitely a need for housing – young people cannot afford to get on the property ladder.
"I would say that the area is suffering a bit, and people have bought plots in the hope that they may get planning permission, so that's where we are going.
"We believe the site is an acceptable site, but we do not want to upset local people – when the application goes forward we will talk to local people."
Mr Smith added: "Our plan is to build long term communities, especially for key workers.
"We have designed a scheme and believe it's the way forward – this will be one of the first sites to go forward."
But Mr Glanville disagreed that there is a need for any more homes in Bramber.
He said: "We do not have a need for starter homes – any people wanting to move to Bramber are picking one of the most expensive areas around, and there is not a great demand for homes from anybody in the parish.
"There is no such thing as cheap housing in this area – as soon as a home is built it's not cheap."
And Mr Glanville added: "Until we see the plans we cannot really say much more apart from it's amazing."
Jim Hoare is the Society of Sussex Downsmen's district officer for the Bramber area.
He said: "The Downsmen would certainly have an objection to this.
"It's a flood plain and it's covered with large pools of water at the moment.
"In 2000 it was flooded right up to the caravan park at The Street, and I would strongly object to anyone building on there."
Mr Smith said the planning application would be submitted in the next few weeks.
Bramber is the first of about 80 sites that UPA is aiming to develop on behalf of members across the southern counties.
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Weather for Horsham
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -5 C to 2 C
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