Builders submit latest plans

The company has submitted the proposals to amend certain conditions already in place with the aim of avoiding delays or complications in the future.

One of the main changes Berkeley wants to make is to enable the remaining detailed matters about items such as the external materials to be used, footways, estate roads and parking and drainage for each property to be approved by the council in phases rather than all at once.

The outline planning permission that was issued by the government's then communities and local government secretary, Ruth Kelly, already suggests the development will be undertaken in stages in the wording of some of the planning conditions.

Berkeley would like to amend the wording of five other conditions to the same effect. The other application states that the firm wishes to increase from 1.5 to 1.76 the average number of car parking and garage spaces allocated to each dwelling.

This takes into account current government planning advice on car parking levels.

Berkeley's planning agent, Bell Cornwall, believes an increase in off-street parking of this size is within the scope of an assessment of transport issues carried out as part of the 2004 outline planning application for the development.

Both proposals are likely to be determined by Arun's development control committee next month, though the exact date has yet to be fixed.

Planning applications for detailed designs, including the first housing designs, are expected to be completed by Berkeley Homes before the end of the year.

It is likely that about 100 homes a year will be built on the large site once final permission has been granted and work to install services, such as sewers, is completed.