New battle looms over plans for 473 houses on Horsham farm fields

Horsham District Council turned down plans to build the houses on land at Newhouse Farm, Old Crawley Road, Roffey, in July.

The council’s decision followed a massive public protest against development of the land - which has two public rights of way across it and abuts ancient woodland, allotments, and public playing fields off Beech Road, Roffey.

But real estate company FCP Land 4 Ltd is not giving up and has now lodged an appeal against the council’s decision.

And a protest group known as Keep Our Green Spaces - KOGS - which successfully campaigned against the development last year is now gearing up for a fresh fight.

The council originally rejected the proposals because the farmland is within a High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is within an essential countryside location and outside a defined built up area.

It also expressed concerns over a new access off Crawley Road and a lack of sufficient affordable housing.

However, FCP Land 4 says that the proposed development site is only partly within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and that its ‘distinctive landscape characteristics are less apparent.”

It maintains the land is partly adjacent to the built-up boundary of Horsham and is near the North Horsham site where 2,750 homes are being built, and is also near the Kilnwood Vale development of 2,500 houses.

The company maintains there is no neighbourhood plan for the area and that the Horsham District Planning Framework is more than five years old and out of date.

The appeal will be heard and decided by the Government’s planning inspectorate.