Eastergate housing plan approved

Developer Hillreed Homes gained permission from Arun District Council for the 14 houses after previous schemes by other companies had failed to be given the go-ahead.

The approval allows the company to build detached, link detached and semi-detached two storey houses on land behind 136-144 Barnham Road.

The past proposals dated from 2004 and were for 21 and 18 homes.

All five were refused by the council. Three of the applications were taken to a public appeal by the various developers. But these also failed.

Arun's development control committee last weekbacked the proposals after they had been withdrawn from the previous meeting for further talks between Hillreed and council officers.

Planning officer Jonathan Parsons told the committee previous outstanding matters, such as flooding risks and open space requirements, had been resolved.

"In summary, it is considered that the scheme is acceptable especially given that the scheme now submitted is for 14 units," he stated.

Arun head of planning services Howard Cheadle stated the appeal inspectors had accepted the principle of development at the site.

Only specific aspects, such as the amount of open space, had led to their rejections.

Hillreed planning agent Martin Page said at the meeting that Hillreed had worked hard to make the proposals acceptable.

The number of properties involved was fewer than before, and below the government's land use guidelines, and the intention to knock down a house in Barnham Road to provide an access had been scrapped.

Arun received 25 letters of objection to the proposals. Eastergate Parish Council also protested.

Its members said the housing should not be built in an area of special character. They believed the new housing would be crammed on to the land and the additional residents of the village would place pressure on medical and transport facilities. Cllr David Biss said: "This is in an area of special character. To my mind, we should protect that."