Call for Yapton villagers to help save site

The future of the businesses on the Bilsham Road industrial estate will be at stake at a public inquiry on Tuesday and Wednesday (July 29 and 30).

The planning appeal will take place from 10am on both days at Bognor Regis Town Hall. It will be led by a government inspector.

Developer Gladedale has appealed in a bid to overturn Arun District Council's refusal to grant planning permission for new housing.

The company wants to replace the businesses, such as a window manufacturer and ironmonger, with 59 houses.

One of the objectors, local resident Andrew Knight, said: "We are encouraging as many people as possible to show their faces at the inquiry.

"It doesn't matter whether this is just for a few minutes during a lunch break.

"It is sufficient simply for people to go along, write their names in the register and be seen.

"Just by them doing this, the inspector will be able to see the depth of local feeling."

"There remains a growing concern regarding this proposal for countryside outside the southern boundary of Yapton from many local residents, parish councils, councillors and MPs."

The application was one more example of the pressure on the area for extra housing, he stated.

He said: "The development on Bilsham Road is typical of so many proposals by large developers in our area and across the country.

"We recognise the importance for evolution within our communities.

"But we must ensure that any development excludes poor design that is inappropriate in its context and would materially detract from our traditional and rural communities.

"If we ignore these issues, our area will end up as a continuous urban sprawl of residential estates."

Gladedale's application dates from April 2007. The company applied to demolish and remove the existing industrial units and other buildings on the 1.7 hectare estate.

It wants to build 24 two-bedroom, 23 three-bedroom and 12 four-bedroom houses.

The company's planning application described the present area as being full of buildings which are generally of poor quality and maintenance.

They had been developed haphazardly with little thought about their design and appearance.

Gladedale claimed reusing the site for housing would be in line with government policies to make efficient uses of developed sites.

"Central government policies also aim to locate new housing where the residents can access facilities in a convenient way and, ideally, without the need to use the private car," it commented.

"Again, the application site is well located to meet this objective."

The site was within easy walking and cycling distance of Yapton village centre as well as having the 700 bus route passing by.

But Arun planning officer Jonathan Parsons gave nine reasons why the scheme should be rejected when he issued his decision last December.

These included being located in a rural area, the proposed housing being cramped, the loss of jobs it would cause and an intended access which seemed to be substandard.

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