What’s the latest news?
The proposed Horsham District Local Plan 2023-2040 is published and the Horsham Golf and Fitness site with 800 houses is not included in the list of strategic sites that Horsham District Council plans to allocate to meet its housing targets. While this is potentially positive news for Denne Hill, we are mindful that there are other local communities where strategic sites have been allocated and who will be affected by swathes of further development.
In the meantime the consultation process on the planning application DC/23/1178 for up to 800 houses at Horsham Golf is still underway. Have a look at what some of the experts who have been consulted so far have said.
It is likely that the Council will vote on the planning application in March or April. While we would hope that the application is refused, we cannot be complacent and there are also other factors which could bring it back into play.
Firstly, the Local Plan has to be approved by HM Planning Inspectorate. We can’t rule out the possibility of the Inspector challenging the housing targets in the Plan. If this were to happen, the Horsham Golf proposal could be seen as a convenient way to meet an increased target.
Secondly, Natural England has not yet concluded whether the development can substantiate its claims to be water neutral. If this claim is upheld, the development could be seen in a more advantageous light.
Thirdly, the Local Plan must go through a number of stages before it is approved and put in place. It is currently open for public comments on the whether it is legally compliant and meets the tests of ‘soundness’, as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework. Something could come from leftfield during this process.
What can we do?
Now is the time to reach out and write to Councillors ahead of the planning application going to the Planning Committee for a decision. We don’t know yet when this will be but the earliest possible date is March 6th.
To make this easy we have details of how to contact your Councillors and some ideas of what you could say.
We had a great response to our campaign in the summer with 3,300 people signing our petition and at least 600 letters of objection sent to Horsham Council. Thank you to everyone who took action to help keep Denne Hill green. Let’s keep up the pressure so that the Council can be in no doubt about the strength of local opposition and the serious concerns this application raises.
The Keep-Denne-Hill-Green Team.
