69 new homes could be on the way in Midhurst following recommendation

Plans for the former Midhurst Brickworks site in Bepton Road are set to go before the South Downs National Park Authority’s planning committee on Thursday, September 8 with officers recommending they be approved.

Of the new homes, 12 of them would be for ‘affordable’ housing rent while another 13 would be sold under a shared ownership scheme.

Previous plans for 75 homes were refused last year with concerns expressed over the design, the lack of affordable housing, the lack of a play area as well as concerns the plans would harm the area.

Midhurst Town Council has shown its support for the latest proposals which it says addresses many of its concerns, and welcomed changes to the design and increased number of electric vehicle charging points included in the 160 parking spaces.

However it questioned the ‘inclusion of a substandard and rusty industrial shed as part of the development’, instead of more housing, or as originally suggested, employment use. The town council also requested the addition of a children’s play park if the scheme is approved.

Chichester District Council has objected because the scheme fails to allocate half of the homes for affordable housing in line with planning policies, whilst the landscape officer has objected to the loss of between 75 and 100 trees to make way for the development.

However planning officers have said the lower volume of affordable homes makes the site viable and the design of the proposals, which includes cycle and pedestrian links, are an improvement on the previously refused proposals.