Andrew Griffith MP has revealed that more than 700 residents from Pulborough, West Chiltington and neighbouring villages have responded to his recent survey about Horsham District Council’s proposed ‘new town’ at Adversane.
The Arundel and South Downs MP launched a survey of resident’s views two weeks ago after the site was proposed in the Horsham District Local Plan to deliver at least 3,200 houses. The proposal would build on farmland between Pulborough and Billingshurst.
Mr Griffith intends to submit his own response to the consultation based on the feedback.
The survey remains open for responses and can be found www.bit.ly/4vmzbru.
The survey results received by Andrew Griffith reveal that:
- 716 of 733 respondents (98%) oppose the plans.
- Nearly 35% of respondents said they had not previously been aware of the proposals.
- Traffic on local roads was identified as residents' biggest infrastructure concern.
- More than 85% said a new railway station would not change their view.
- 700 respondents expressed concern about pressure on GP services and school places. A development of 3,200 homes could bring around 10,000 additional residents requiring these local services.
- More than 89% said new development should be prioritised on brownfield and former industrial land, while just 15 respondents supported building on greenfield sites.
Andrew Griffith said:
"Like local councillors, it is my job to listen to residents, and I was pleased to receive so many responses to my survey about the plans for a new town in this rural part of West Sussex.
We need new homes for local people, but West Sussex has already taken far more than its fair share of new housing and they should be in places where the necessary infrastructure exists such as existing towns.
It’s now up to the Lib Dem controlled Horsham District Council to show that they are listening to rural areas, not just the town of Horsham itself."
