LETTER: Unrealistic target is no protection

As Roger Smith said last week, the Local Plan (HDPF) will not protect us from speculative development, because HDC’s target of 650 new dwellings pa, is unattainable.

By The Newsroom

Published 14th Aug 2014, 07:00 BST

So, many developers will continue to build on green field and flood prone land, whilst avoiding brown field sites. They are clearly less interested in the target, than in their profit margins.

The petition on the web link below addresses that problem by asking the Planning Minister to allow targets to be adjusted, based on what is reasonable and readers may want to support it.

http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-indiscriminate-housing-development

The obvious question is - why did councillors sign up to an impossible and unqualified target, thereby leaving the district exposed to yet more indiscriminate development?

Perhaps MP Francis Maude can also let us have his views on the position and how it relates to Localism.

P.M. RANDS

Arun Road, Billingshurst