Another victory in fight to stop unpopular Henfield development

Horsham District Council refused planning permission for 42 new homes on a greenfield site north of Sandy Lane in early 2019 and this decision was confirmed by a planing inspector.

Developer Fairfax then came back with another application for the site, but for 35 homes instead of 42.

However this application has also been turned down by council officers.

One suggested that while the numbers were ‘somewhat reduced’, the proposal is ‘of a similar suburban development [which] will result in similar harm as identified for the previous scheme’.

Henfield Parish Council objected to the revised plans and almost 200 objections were sent in by residents.

They raised concerns about an ‘unsafe’ access from Dropping Holmes, impact on nearby listed buildings, loss of wildlife and habitats, harm to conservation area and landscape, effect on the countryside and national park, would undermine the neighbourhood plan process, is overdevelopment, would put extra strain on infrastructure and services, flood risk, as well as the potential for more air, noise and light pollution.

On some of the points officers agreed.

In their decision report they said: “Ultimately, the development would amount to an urbanising influence within a rural setting, and would result in the extension of a well-contained built form into open countryside. Overall, the introduction of this built form in this location would negatively impact on the character and setting of the landscape.”

They argued the application was contrary to policies in the Horsham District Planning Framework and Henfield’s neighbourhood plan.

Fairfax is expected to appeal to the planning inspector against the council’s latest decision.

Campaigners say they are also aware of developers pushing other village sites for inclusion in the Horsham district local plan review including Sandgate Nursery in West End Lane and land north of Furners Lane.

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