Decision due on 180 new homes north of Bognor Regis near Woodgate

Pye Homes submitted the application for 180 homes to Arun District Council in August last year.

The application includes demolition of the Woodgate Centre which has been home to a number of small businesses.

Details of a new access, footpaths, cycleways, parking, public open space, and drainage are also included.

If delivered, the homes would contribute to the 2,300 home minimum target for Barnham, Eastergate, Westergate outlined in Arun’s 2018 Local Plan.

The area could see some 3,000 homes beyond 2031.

The application is set to be decided by ADC’s Planning Committee on Wednesday (November 30).

The committee previously discussed it in April but a decision was taken to defer the application until further information was available.

This included information on developer contributions and a proposed cycle bridge over Lidsey Rife.

Concerns were also raised over the width of Woodgate Road with the potential for improvements raised.

Since then, the developer has come to an agreement with a nearby landowner to ensure the cycle bridge can be delivered and will also contribute more than £2.2 million towards it.

The Environment Agency also requested further information about drainage which has now been detailed.

National Highways originally said the developer contributions may not have been enough to mitigate the impact on the A27.

Though a 2020 survey suggests that parking on Woodgate Road is ‘not unusually high’ and therefore is not a safety issue at the nearby junction.

It is hoped that other measures, including bus stop improvements and a potential car share scheme, could reduce the number of future residents relying on cars.

A planning statement submitted on behalf of the developer says the site is in a ‘sustainable and suitable location for development’.

It recognises that the new homes would be ‘on the edge of Woodgate’ and ‘separated from the main heart of the village by the railway line’ but adds that they would be ‘well connected’.

So far the plans have received more than 10 objections from local residents.

More details can be found at the council’s planning portal using the reference: AL/107/21/PL.