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Horsham District Council’s own Strategic Planning Department has issued its Internal Consultation response to the proposed housing development – and it’s pretty damning.

This, in our view, is one of the more important responses and objects to the proposal. This should sound the death knell for the application and SPANGLE cannot see how planning officers can recommend anything other than a refusal at the key Planning Committee meeting.

It’s also interesting to note that the report states that they would not have an issue with an application solely for a new surgery, subject to matters such as design, but it’s the housing development which contravenes numerous Planning Policies.

Here’s the Summary: “The proposal to develop the site as proposed is not considered acceptable as the proposal would be in conflict with Policies 25 and 34 of the HDPF in particular. Whilst the development of a new medical centre on the Glebe, would alone, be acceptable in principle. However, the proposed development of 24 new homes on part of the application site is unacceptable due to the impacts on heritage, landscape and townscape setting in particular. At this time there is a policy objection to this proposal.”

As we countdown to the key Planning Meeting at Horsham District Council, HDC has been collecting its internal consultation.

The Conservation Officer’s report is clear in its objection to the proposed development: “…the proposal to develop the glebe land is strongly resisted; the open land is considered to preserve the positive characteristics of the immediate locality, allowing the interpretation and understanding of sense of place and of the evolution of the historic context. The glebe land and its close association with the grade II* listed Parish Church of Saint Mary can easily be appreciated with good intervisibility between the application site and the Church which is situated on raised ground to the south-east. ”

The internal objection has also been mirrored in the Landscape Officer consultation which is also critical of the development stating: “From a landscape point of view, it is thought that the Glebe field should retain its open setting and development should be resisted. The proposal of 24 dwellings and doctors surgery will have an adverse effect on the landscape character and appearance of the area, particularly when appreciated from the public footpaths 2656 running east to west along the southern boundary and 2657 which go across the site north to south. Development of the site will also have an adverse effect on the appreciation of and views towards the South Downs escarpment and, in some locations, the complete loss of the view. The escarpment is considered a backdrop of value that contributes to the sense of place.”

We believe it will be wrong of the HDC Planning Committee to go against the advice of its own expert officers.

Last night’s Parish Council EGM resulted in a unanimous vote against the proposed development with the Parish issuing a Strong Objection. This advice will then be presented to Horsham District Council for its final decision.

A packed hall heard from a number of speakers – both for and against the proposed housing development – including Chris Carey, a local chartered surveyor, representing the opinions of SPANGLE.

It was clear from the discussions and questions from the floor that the development has deeply divided the local community. Interestingly, the Parish Councillors – all but one of whom not only voted against but voiced serious misgivings about the development – were unanimous in their support for the provision of healthcare facilities and praise of the Glebe Surgery in its present form.

However, the key takeouts were:

• Storrington locals have a lot of respect for the work of the Glebe Surgery and recognise the need for expanded healthcare provision;
• The Parish Council has been trying to find a solution to the shortfall of future healthcare provision for many years – in fact, long before the closure of Mill Stream which exacerbated the situation. Such attempts have been thwarted numerous times with (we believe) vested financial interests the key barrier;
• The Planning Application would have had more support from the Councillors (although not from the entire Parish Council) if it had simply been about building a larger, new surgery on the existing (or slightly expanded) footprint of the existing site. Instead, including a 24-home housing development and large onsite pharmacy were contrary to the Green Space designation of the Glebe Field in the emerging Neighbourhood Plan. There are sufficient sites available for new housing within the District and Neighbourhood plans so the proposed ‘Enabling Development’ was not a valid reason for the surgery to go ahead;
• The councillors indicated that vehicle access, road safety, traffic management, air pollution and vehicle access remain key barriers to expansion of the current site;
• The proximity to Listed buildings and the Storrington Village Conservation Area – and a desire to retain our last Green Space in the village – were also key factors against further building on the Glebe Fields.
• Almost everybody (except the doctors) spoke of their bemusement and frustration that the Mill Stream site (owned by Horsham District Council but vacant for over two years) has not been utilised for healthcare provision, or the site seriously considered for a large new surgery;
• One proposal from a member of the public was to relocate the lesser-utilised library into the existing Glebe Surgery and to use the combined library, Mill Stream and related car parks to create space for the required medical practice. This proposal received major applause – and many nods – from the assembled audience.

The vote was 12-0 against the Application.

We wait to see what Horsham District Council decides but it will be unusual – in fact, unheard of – for the District Council to go against the wishes of the elected Parish Council.

UPDATE: In the meantime, SPANGLE will continue to ask the difficult, unanswered questions around the development, the future of healthcare provision, the vested interests in the Glebe Field and related topics. Our next stop is a Freedom of Information Request to NHS Coastal Clinical Commissioning Group to understand why Mill Stream remains closed and for full disclosure of the financial interests that certain members of the CCG may have in the development!

We were delighted to receive yesterday a call of support from local celeb couple Ron and Joan Ham. Residents in Storrington for more than 60 years, the Hams have been leading figures in village life and many key developments – not least the establishment of our local Storrington & District Museum (which Joan championed to completion in 2000).

Joan is also widely recognised as Storrington & Sullington’s de facto historical expert with no fewer than five books on local history to her credit – including Storrington: In Living Memory and Storrington in Pictures. If you want to understand how Storrington was and came to be, then ask Joan.

As well as offering their congratulations and support to the #SaveTheGlebe campaign, Ron also told us of Joan’s forthcoming History of The Glebe feature article which will be published in the next issue of the Parish Magazine (3Heralds)

So, for those of you who don’t know how important the Glebe has been in Storrington’s history: stay tuned!

It’s certainly much more than dog walkers, kite-fliers and nature-lovers! Think parties, church fairs, carnivals, local competitions, school lunches and more.

All will be revealed next month!

Our campaign to save Storrington’s last historic green space has been boosted by public support from the Wiggonholt Association – the respected charity group which is an influential champion of the West Sussex countryside.

As reported in the West Sussex County Times, a spokesperson for the Wiggonholt Association said: “The Glebe Field, the only major amenity open space within Storrington, will be sacrificed, contrary to the intention of the Storrington Neighbourhood Plan which has come down strongly on the side of its conservation.”

They continued: “We feel that the medical problem can be resolved without resorting to an unsustainable planning sacrifice.”

And we wholeheartedly agree. Our thanks to the Wiggonholt Association for its support. Next stop: Parish Council EGM tomorrow!

Game on! The developers behind the Diocese of Chichester’s plans to destroy the Glebe Field have submitted their Planning Application:

Application DC/16/2108 – Proposed demolition of the existing Glebe Surgery, and erection of a new 1,400 sqm doctors surgery, 120 sqm new pharmacy, and 59 associated car parking spaces; and the erection of 24 No. dwellings (including 8 affordable units) and 58 associated car parking spaces…

If you care about Storrington, its historic fabric and its beautiful Glebe Field you need to act NOW!

IMPORTANT: We have just weeks to round up as many objections as possible – or we risk losing the Glebe Field forever. Your opinion counts!

WHAT TO DO?

Email or submit your objections via Horsham District Council’s planning web site at: https://www.horsham.gov.uk/planning/view-and-comment-on-planning-application

Or write in to:

Rosemary Foreman
Case Officer DC/16/2108
Planning Department Horsham District Council
Parkside
Chart Way
Horsham
West Sussex, RH12 1RL

Remember to Reference: DC/16/2108

You can object on the following grounds:

• Design (is the mega-surgery really the right design?);
• Highway Access and Parking (can Tesco roundabout take more traffic, more pollution?);
• Loss of General Amenity (farewell to our Green Space…);
• Over-development (too many houses already?);
• Privacy Light and Noise (especially you are living in the vicinity!);
• Trees and Landscaping;
• Other (such as heritage, proximity/encroachment on Listed Buildings etc)
• And the fact that this prospective development is contrary to local planning guidelines…
• And still does not address the key issue of the right healthcare facilities in the RIGHT location for the next 20 years…

And let us know you’ve lodged an objection by emailing secretary@savetheglebe.com

ASK THOSE QUESTIONS

We’ll be out and about in the village gathering support. Stop us if you want to know what’s really behind this murky development proposal!

We’ve had our first response to our various FOI (Freedom of Information) requests. First up is Horsham District Council (HDC) which has confirmed the purchase price/ date of the former Mill Stream Surgery building. But we’re still no clearer as to how and why the purchase was made?

We’re convinced that Mill Stream, with its adjacent parking, central location and council-ownership, offers a better alternative to the proposed development on the Glebe Field. And we’d like to understand why it has been left empty for two years since its purchase on 1 August 2014 (for £580,000 of ratepayers’ money).

We asked four questions in our FOI request to HDC.

1. The date of acquisition of the property by the District Council including the purchase price paid.
2. Details of the statutory powers relied upon by the Council to purchase the building. Can you please provide copies of the Cabinet and/or Delegated Authority reports authorising the transaction.
3. Provide details of all correspondence and discussions with the following parties in relation to the current and future use of the building: Storrington and Sullington Parish Council / The Glebe Medical Practice, Storrington /  Medical Centre Developments Limited /  NHS Coastal West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group / and  NHS England. This request to include notes of any meetings between the Council and any of the listed parties.
4. Details of all development and building appraisals commissioned by the Council, Glebe Surgery, NHS England or the CCG relating to the proposed future use of the Mill Stream building as the main primary care facility for the village of Storrington. This to include all plans, sketch schemes, building cost plans, valuations and development appraisals. Please include copies of all correspondence between the parties relating to this work.

We’ve got an answer to the first one but the other three questions have been left unanswered. The Council declined to answer question (2) on the basis that the information is “legally privileged”. It says: “The Council has applied the public interest test to this information and whilst there is a public interest in disclosing the information as it gives insight into Council decision making on this occasion the public interest in upholding legal privilege is greater.”

So, we are still none the wiser as to why the Mill Stream remains closed.

The Council also declined to answer questions (3) and (4), citing that “it would take a Council employee an inordinate amount of time to search to find and assess the information requested” (ie gathering the answers would exceed the costs limit of FOI requests!). Doesn’t say much for the Council’s filing system.

We will be asking for a review of these responses and fine-tuning our questions so that we can understand why the Council’s (presumably good) intentions in acquiring Mill Stream back in 2014 have not manifested in a new health centre for Storrington!

The Glebe is a very special place in the heart of Storrington. We’ve been asking locals for their own stories of The Glebe under a series of updates entitled My Storrington Glebe.

Our first interview was with Sylvia and Toby (who was quiet but, with tail wagging, still very supportive of our efforts!):

Silvia has lived in Storrington since she was married in 1956 and she has very fond memories of walking with her husband across The Glebe and enjoying the outdoors.

She remembers her late husband talking about his childhood football games on The Glebe before, during and after school. His former school is now Storrington Museum. She knows her late husband would be “so upset if he was still here to see what was being proposed” for The Glebe.

The Glebe means “everything” to Sylvia now. She walks her dog Toby there twice a day and loves the fact that it’s so safe. Due to ill health she’s unable to walk very far now and no longer drives. It also gives her a chance to talk to other dog walkers and meet people during the day.

Sylvia believes that having the old MillStream Surgery re-opened for non-emergencies (i.e. hearing tests, X-rays etc) would be a good idea. She is absolutely against development of The Glebe and thinks that it’s totally unacceptable especially when they’re closing schools nearby.

Photo credit: Simon J Pope

YOUR GLEBE MATTERS! Do you have a story of The Glebe? Fond memories? Are you a regular user of the footpaths and open space that The Glebe offers? Please get in touch.

Storrington’s (revised) Neighbourhood Plan is now out for consultation. There’s a six-week period (which starts today 6th July 2016) during comments from local residents can be submitted.

The Glebe Field scored a healthy 13 points – see the Site Assessment Report for all sites here – which would effectively lock out future development.

Noted as a Local Green Space, where development would be ‘very likely’ be detrimental to village greenspace/treasure and where access is ‘very likely’ to cause local traffic congestion and delays (and more pollution)!

We encourage everyone in Storrington to submit support for protection and preservation of The Glebe using the following lines (and, it’s so easy – just email your support to clerk@storrington-pc.gov.uk):

“I/we support the proposal detailed in the Pre-Submission neighbourhood plan to designate ‘Local Green Spaces’ as stated in Policy 16 of the draft plan and supported by the Local Green Spaces Report.  I/we feel that every effort must be made to protect the Storrington Glebe Field (Site 24) which is the only significant green space remaining within the built up area boundary (BUAB) of Storrington village. The Glebe Field is currently under threat from development, principally for residential use for up to 32 dwellings.  The proposed development of this valuable area of open space is also contrary to policies contained in the National Planning Policy Framework 2012 and Horsham District Planning Framework 2015.”

Please note: It also might be worthwhile slightly re-working the wording to avoid all the responses being identical!!

Remember 13 can be a lucky number after all…

“Neighbourhood planning has been a really good feature of the Localism Act, and where these plans have been finalised they have been popular and successful, giving local people control over development in their villages and protecting green spaces,” comments Nick Herbert, our local MP (Arundel & South Downs), in his online blog.

“These plans are democratically agreed in parish referendums. This has already happened in Kirdford and Arundel, two of the earliest neighbourhood plans to be adopted in the country, and others in West Sussex are in the pipeline.

“But neighbourhood planning and community support for this important process are undermined when speculative applications by developers are allowed before the plans are put in place.

“I am especially concerned when the Planning Inspectorate overrides sensible decisions by our local councils, and I intend to move amendments to curtail the power of this quango at least, and indeed to abolish it outright.

“I believe we should be maintaining the green spaces between settlements and protecting our villages from excessive development.  We all understand the need for some additional housing, but this should be at reasonable levels and agreed by the local community.

“Horsham District Council has produced a responsible plan which makes substantial provision for housing, mostly through development north of Horsham rather than in our villages, and I do not think their plan should be second guessed or undermined by developers when it is on the point of going through.”

SPANGLE says: Thanks Nick. We wholeheartedly agree with you and look forward to your support as we fight to Save The Glebe in Storrington (which has indeed been listed as Local Green Space in the Neighbourhood Plan)