‘LOCAL PLAN IN JEOPARDY’ – CRAWLEY OBSERVER – LETTERS – NOVEMBRR 20 2024
Dear Editor
Horsham District Council have put their entire Local Plan in jeopardy by including the West of Ifield’ development plan.
Why?
Because in 1999, West of Ifield was part of the so-called ‘strategic gap’ to protect coalescence between Horsham and Crawley.
“Counsel for Horsham, Rhodri Price Lewis, had argued that where land such as Ifield Court Farm was an integral part of the open countryside between the towns and that to allow development of it would seriously undermine the aims of the planning policy.”
Because in 2018, West of Ifield – which later included the Golf Club ‘land grab’ – was judged to be “not currently developable” by the Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment [SHELAA].
Because in 2020, Historic England warned of “subsidence” if large-scale development took place – especially in the Ifield Court Farm Heritage Site.
“We think it essential that an integrated landscape approach to assessment of heritage assets [both designated and undesignated] is undertaken and translated into the report.
The assessment should also take account of the potential impact which associated development activities [such as construction, servicing, maintenance, and associated traffic] might have upon perceptions, understanding, and appreciation of the heritage assets in the area. The assessment should also consider the likelihood of alterations to drainage and water pattens that might lead to in situ decomposition or destruction of below ground archaeological remains and deposits, and can also lead to subsidence of buildings and monuments”.
Because in 2024, the West of Ifield development has proven to be a bad plan from beginning to end – and therefore should be withdrawn immediately.
Yours sincerely
Richard W. Symonds
The Ifield Society
ifieldsociety.org.uk