Mannings Heath houses to replace dilapidated farm buildings

The application, for Holly Farm, in Winterpit Lane, was given the nod by the planning committee on Tuesday (August 3).

The decision came less than ten months after a previous application from Concept Developments was refused.

One of the concerns raised last year was that the proposed homes did not meet an identified housing need in the parish for smaller two and three bedroom homes.

The latest application met that need, being made up of three detached three-bedroom houses, a one-bedroom house and a four-bedroom chalet bungalow.

To ensure future owners did not simply throw up extensions to the buildings when they moved in, a condition was added which removed permitted development rights.

It was a condition supported by Owen Hydes, chairman of Nuthurst Parish Council.

He said: “The parish council would like to see these houses remain small and inexpensive so that first-time buyers can actually afford to live in our parish.

“This is an important issue for us – keeping our small houses small.

“Within a few months of people moving into other small Neighbourhood Plan houses, we received an application to enlarge one of them. This is not what we want.”

Mr Hydes also asked for a condition to be added preventing any street lighting from being included.

He told the meeting that there was no lighting along Winterpit Lane and, as the site was close to woodland which was home to owls and other wildlife, installing it now ‘would not be right’.

A planning officer said the matter would be considered.

To view the application, log on to public-access.horsham.gov.uk/public-access and search for DC/21/0685.