Today, Horsham District Council’s Members followed its officers recommendation and voted to approve the revised development.
There was only 1 vote in objection but a further 4 also abstained (presumably, like us, concerned about the nature of the deal). SPANGLE supporters packed the room and made clear the strength of feeling against building housing on Storrington’s last historic Green Space.
There was disquiet in the Council Chamber but SPANGLE sensed that the “deal had been done behind closed doors” long before the vote. The Leader of the council produced a pre-written speech commending the application and the rest of the Members fell into line.
We believe it was a very sad moment for HDC’s planning, conservation, landscape and housing departments. Despite the depth of concern over the building on Green Space, the lack of site assessment, the opaque nature of the funding deal, the wholesale blind-siding of the emerging Neighbourhood Plan and the key objections from HDC’s own internal departments, the fight against losing the Glebe field was dealt a major blow.
We are disappointed that the Doctors’ case for a new surgery was used as the front for the housing component – which is, in effect, a kickback to the Diocese of Chichester to release the covenant it holds in its clutches over the doctors.
We still believe Storrington would be better served with a strategic healthcare plan with facilities close to or in the village centre – not this quick fix building on Green Space, accessed via the most polluted, congested and dangerous junction in the village. The Mill Stream site (owned by HDC) is still not occupied despite HDC’s claims that it was no longer available.
As our Parish Council also identified, the proposed 1,400sq m building will be – by the Doctor’s own calculations – at capacity by the time it opens in 2020. What happens then? More building on the Glebe? Probably.
A HOLLOW VICTORY?
On the positive side, our SaveTheGlebe campaign has had a significant impact on the application. We were instrumental in not only exposing some of the key myths (and dodgy deals) behind the scheme and, most importantly, adding pressure to get the scheme changed:
- Housing reduced from 24 to just nine houses (albeit of the wrong type, and adjacent to listed properties and impacting heritage assets);
- 60% of the Glebe field handed over to ‘public open space’ (but it’s not clear who will own, manage or protect this from future development);
- And raised awareness of the Diocese of Chichester’s unwelcome and unjust control and influence over our village’s future healthcare.
NEXT STEPS
SPANGLE members will be meeting to consider its options. This fight has been lost but the battle may not be over.
Our only recourse now appears to be a Judicial Review* – a lengthy, costly and complicated process with an uncertain outcome.
We will report back in a few weeks once all the legal advice is in and the strength of an appeal assessed.
*If you can/wish to support a Judicial Review (either financially or in-kind with legal/admin support) please get in touch.
