Camping pods for visitors to Storrington approved

The structures, located in a grazing field at Gerston Farm off Greyfriars Lane, would be 6.3 metres long and have a maximum height of 2.5 metres.

An application for the eco-pods, including a shower and toilet block as well as a parking area, was approved by Horsham District Council’s Planning Committee South on Tuesday (April 17).

Applicant Cara Stephanou described how the site was ideally placed close to the South Downs Way for walkers and cyclists and not too far from Storrington’s village centre.

Since she and her family live close to the site they would be able to ensure it is ‘peaceful, tidy and well run’.

She described how the pods ‘have to be in a rural location’, adding: “The national park should be enjoyed by everyone, even if it’s just to spend one night under the stars.”

But objector Sharon Woolnaugh, who lives in Greyfriars Lane, said: “While I accept there may be a need for this type of accommodation I feel it is not appropriate in this location.”

Miriam Balme, who lives in Gerston Cottage next to the paddock, added: “This is the wrong location in this quiet rural residential area.”

Meanwhile Anna Worthington-Leese, chair of Storrington and Sullington Parish Council, suggested the site was outside the built-up area boundary of the village and the development would be out of intrusive and incongruous in the national park, argued some light and noise from the site affecting the neighbours was inevitable while the car park would urbanise what is currently a country track.

Officers described how a previous application for holiday cottages on another part of the site had been refused in 2014 on the grounds of overdevelopment and increased activity levels at the site.

Since then visitor studies carried out by both HDC and the South Downs National Park have identified a need for camping pod sites.

Ms Worthington-Leese said: “We are struggling to see how this application in open countryside can be approved when the previous one for existing buildings was not. All we ask for is some consistency.”

Philip Circus (Con, Chanctonbury) said he was not convinced by neighbours’ arguments about their quality of life being ‘drastically impinged’ by the camping pods.

Claire Vickers (Con, Southwater), cabinet member for planning and development, added: “I support tourism and the visitor economy and I think this is an opportunity to do something really good.”

John Blackall (Con, Chanctonbury) added: “I think this is really quite an exciting development and I would be in favour of that.”

Councillors asked if a restriction could be placed on the pedestrian access on the northern edge of the site and also called for more landscaping and ecology features.