‘Relieved’ Ifield residents see 95 homes turned down

Gladman Developments were hoping to get permission for the units on land north of Rusper Road between Ifield Golf and Country Club and Rusper Road Playing Field, but proposals were decisively thrown out by Horsham District Council.

No councillors spoke in favour of the scheme and planning officers felt it ‘would have the appearance of an urban estate set in a field in the countryside’.

After Tuesday night’s meeting David Brown, who lives in Rusper Road, said that residents would be ‘relieved’ by the decision, while George Flett described being ‘delighted that common sense had prevailed’.

Flooding, landscape character, building in the countryside, and potential impact on the road network were all raised as issues.

Liz Kitchen (Con Rusper and Colgate), chairman of HDC’s Development Control North Committee, said: “I agree with the recommendation to refuse this. The area around Crawley is beginning to encroach on Horsham and the Horsham, Crawley and Gatwick area is getting far too full.”

Ian Howard (Con, Southwater) added: “It speaks volumes the applicant has not even got the guts to put his scheme forward and thinks it’s any good.”

Residents in the public gallery broke into applause after the final vote.