Press Release
Inquiry Refused
For Immediate Release.
News that Government have refused a Public Inquiry into the housing
development and Titnore Lane road works (1) in West Durrington near Worthing approved
recently by Worthing Borough Councils Development Control
Committee (click), has
angered environmentalists.
In the letter (2) sent from the Government Office for the South East to the
applicant and to all those who made representations to Ministers and officials
within the Government Office for the South East and central Government
departments, it was stated that the Secretary of State’s general approach is
not to interfere with the jurisdiction of local planning authorities unless it
is necessary to do so. He will, in general, only step in if contentious planning
issues were of more than local importance.
It was judged in this case that there is not sufficient conflict with national
planning policies i.e. Planning Policy Guidance Note 3 (PPG3): Housing; PPG13);
Transport; (PPG9): Nature Conservation; Or Planning Policy Statement 7 (PPS7):
Sustainable Development in Rural Areas; or any other sufficient reason, to
warrant calling in the application for his own determination.
It was acknowledged that the proposal has generated considerable opposition
locally. However, it has not given rise to national controversy, or to
substantial regional controversy.
In the final paragraphs the letter said: “As the proposal does not raise
matters of more than local importance, the Secretary of State has therefore
decided that he should leave the decision on whether or not to grant planning
permission in this case to the local planning authority”.
However the letter does go to state that: “ In considering whether to exercise
his discretion to call in this application, the Secretary of State has not
considered the adequacy of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) produced in
support of this application. The local planning authority responsible for
determining this application remains the relevant authority responsible for
ensuring that the requirements of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental
Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999 are complied with.
In response John Clark from campaign lead group Protect Our Woodland said: “We
are deeply concerned that this refusal of our justifiable request for a Public
Inquiry will now lead to non-violent direct action from others. It would not surprise me if the
developers and road builders became the center of attraction to Swampy type
actions, last seen in the Newbury’s of the 90’s”.
“For a Government that states its determination to protect the environmental
heritage of the countryside and then not to examine in public this massive
greenfield development, is breath taking. Any Government that sweeps aside the
concerns of some of the most highly skilled nature conservation professionals,
and allow pressurised Town Hall officials make decisions that
will destroy such a sensitive area, is unforgivable”.
ENDS.
Editor’s notes.
(1) A MASSIVE battle is now shaping up to save unique ancient woodland in West
Durrington near Worthing in West Sussex under serious threat from
property developers and road builders. Titnore Lane and the development site are
located to the north east of Highdown Hill between the A27 and A259 to the
South. To the north of the site and the A27 lie Clapham Woods (the largest dip
slope unitary ancient woodland complex on the South Downs) and the South Downs
where the ground rises to above 300 feet.
Titnore Lane for many years has been a rat run for traffic commuting between the two major south coast trunk roads - now made even worse since being wrongly classified as an 'A' road when the A27 Patching spaghetti junction was built - but its origins date back into prehistory as a droveway. From those very earliest times the Lane has been an important feature in the life of community's, whether it be for moving animals, food or timber the chances are that it has always followed the same meandering trial. But not anymore if the planners get there way.
The first stage of the horrific plans involve 850 new homes - together with the widening and straightening of Titnore Lane to cope with the increase in traffic between the A27, A259 and the new developments. The proposed road works would plough through rare ancient woodland, some of which has been there since the last ice age. The whole area has been designated a Site of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI) and is completely irreplaceable. Several hundred trees would have to be felled, many over 150 years old and comprising oak, ash birch and willow. The woods are home to many protected species of wildlife, including bats, crested newts, dormice, slowworms etc.
These trees are part of one of the last remaining areas of ancient woodland on the coastal plan and ironically even the developer accepts that the ancient woodland is of great conservation importance, as it is known to support a considerable variety of bird species, Long Tailed Tit, Blackcap, Treecreeper, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff. They also accept that the Oaks along Titnore Lane are of lichenological interest and include Schismatomma quercina, which is very rare in Sussex and the uncommon species Arthonia vinosa.
Titnore Lane itself is part of our cultural heritage, reaching back at least to the Anglo-Saxon period and most probably way before that. It was part of a longer track that reached northwards across the Downs and is rich in archaeological remains. The woods below Highdown hill, the important Iron Age hillfort hat is cared for by the National Trust, is an important amenity for local people, it's setting would be severely affected by the massive housing estate - and by the increase in traffic. It should also be noted here that Highdown Hill is the oldest part of the South Downs. But that's not all. Although the present development application covers over 125 acres - some within the designated South Downs National Park - but crucially much is outside.
The full area threatened by future development is bordered by the A27, Adur avenue, Fulbeck Avenue, Titnore Way and Titnore Lane The central OS Grid Reference is TQ 10499 05317. This area contains the Grade 1 listed Castle Goring, it's historic parkland and lake, together with Roman and prehistoric archaeology as well as the unique ancient woodland.
It is worthy of note that in his report, the inspector who carried out the
recent Local Inquiry into the Worthing Draft Local Plan stated: 'Proper
recognition should be given to the importance of the Castle Goring Conservation
Area'.
Finally the full horror of this nasty development scheme will be clearly
seen from Highdown Hill (National Trust) as the trees are felled one by one and
their canopy is removed. Then, for all to see will also be the willful vandalism of the widened Titnore Lane
that will dominate and destroy the setting, towards the north, of the South Downs
that hopefully will be the next National Park .
(2) Dear Sir
TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990
TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ON GREENFIELD
LAND) (ENGLAND) DIRECTION 2000
OUTLINE APPLICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT OF LAND FOR RESIDENTIAL, RECREATION, RETAIL,
COMMUNITY AND EDUCATION PURPOSES AND IMPROVEMENT WORKS AT TITNORE LANE, WEST
DURRINGTON, WORTHING
APPLICATION NO: WB/04/00040
APPLICANT: THE WEST DURRINGTON CONSORTIUM
1. I refer to your letter of 14 June referring to the First
Secretary of State under the Town and Country Planning (Residential Development
on Greenfield Land) (England) Direction 2000, an application for planning
permission for the above development.
2. As you know, the Secretary of State’s general approach is not
to interfere with the jurisdiction of local planning authorities unless it is
necessary to do so. Parliament has entrusted them with responsibility for
day-to-day planning control in their areas. Local planning authorities are
normally best placed to make decisions relating to their areas and it is right
that, in general, they should be free to carry out their duties responsibly,
with the minimum of interference.
3. There will be occasions, however, when the Secretary of State may
consider it necessary to call in a planning application to determine himself
instead of leaving it to the local planning authority. His policy is to be
very selective about calling in planning applications. He will, in
general, only take this step if planning issues of more than local importance
are involved and if those issues need to be decided by the Secretary of State
rather than at a local level. Each case is, however, considered on its own
facts.
4. We have carefully considered all the matters raised about this
application. The issue before the Secretary of State for decision is not
whether the application should be granted planning permission, but whether or
not he should call it in for his own determination. In particular, in
deciding whether or not this case raises issues which would justify a decision
by him rather than the local planning authority, in respect of this application
the Secretary of State considers that the main matters relevant to his decision
are his policies with regard to:
the housing requirements of the whole community, including
those in need of affordable and special needs housing; the creation of
more sustainable patterns of development by building in ways which exploit
and deliver accessibility by public transport to jobs, education and health
facilities, and shopping, leisure and local services, as set out in Planning
Policy Guidance Note 3 (PPG3): Housing;
land, and, where such land must be used, ensuring it
is not used wastefully; promoting a range of uses to maximise the
potential benefits of the countryside fringing urban areas, as set out in
Planning Policy Statement 7 (PPS7): Sustainable Development in Rural
Areas;
promoting accessibility to jobs, shopping, leisure
facilities and services by public transport, walking and cycling, as
set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 13 (PPG13); Transport;
minimising the adverse effects on wildlife where conflict of interest is unavoidable, and to meet international responsibilities and obligations for nature conservation, as set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 9 (PPG9): Nature Conservation.
5. This is a substantial proposal involving all the
issues set out above. Having considered carefully these and other planning
issues raised by the proposals, together with all representations received, and
having regard to his policy on call in (1), the Secretary of State has
concluded, on balance, that intervention would not be justified, as there is not
sufficient conflict with national planning policies on the above matters, or any
other sufficient reason, to warrant calling in the application for his own
determination. The proposal has generated considerable opposition locally.
However, it has not given rise to national controversy, or to substantial
regional controversy. As the proposal does not raise matters of more than
local importance, the Secretary of State has therefore decided that he should
leave the decision on whether or not to grant planning permission in this case
to the local planning authority.
6. In considering whether to exercise his discretion to call in this
application, the Secretary of State has not considered the adequacy of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) produced in support of this application.
The local planning authority responsible for determining this application
remains the relevant authority responsible for ensuring that the requirements of
the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and
Wales) Regulations 1999 are complied with.
7. A copy of the permission that may be granted by the Council for the
development should be sent to the Secretary of State at the above address.
8. A copy of this letter is being sent to the applicant and to all those
who made representations to Ministers and officials within the Government Office
for the South East and central Government departments.
Yours faithfully
(1) The Secretary of State’s policy on call in is set out in a Parliamentary
reply to Bill Michie, 16 June 1999, and a copy is attached.