You Can’t Put a Hole Where a Hole Don’t belong!
Campaign group the South Downs Society has today (25 May 2010) called on West Sussex County Council to reject a bid to take 1.5 million tonnes of sand from a new site near Fittleworth in the South Downs National Park over a 20 year period.
The Society is working with local residents and other environmental groups to fight the scheme, at a site known as Horncroft Common. Said Society Planning Officer Steve Ankers, “Only recently we celebrated the establishment of the new National Park and its inclusion of a large area of fine sandstone landscape in Hampshire and West Sussex. That just has to be a crucial factor in any future planning decisions. National planning policy says that sites within the Park can only be considered in very special circumstances, and when it’s clear that there are no suitable sites outside. The County Council hasn’t done that work yet. This would have a major environmental impact in a very sensitive part of the Park.”
The planning application, put in by landowners, the Barlavington Estate, was the subject of extensive public consultation before being submitted but has triggered many objections from local residents and three parish councils. Until April next year, when the new National Park Authority takes on responsibility for planning, decisions rest with the local planning authorities.
Steve Ankers again, “Most of the councils in the Park want to have much of the planning work delegated back to them by the Park Authority. How West Sussex handle this one will be a test of their credentials.”