Chatsmore Farm appeal dismissed

Posted on March 29, 2025 by David Bettiss

Yesterday, we delighted to learn that the Planning Inspector had dismissed the appeal by Persimmon Homes against the decision to refuse them planning permission to build a total of 475 new houses at Chatsmore Farm. This is a excellent decision for the local communities of Ferring and Goring on what would have been a very damaging development. So a big thank you to all those people who have submitted their objections, attended demonstrations and fought hard over a number of years. Also well done to Worthing Borough Council who have been forthright in standing up to Persimmon Homes. We now hope that this company give up on the idea of developing this land, and work with local communities to maintain it as a valuable natural habitat.

The decision notice runs to 17 pages, so far too long to replicate here, but below are some relevant short extracts:

Appeal Decision

Inquiry held on 17-18 and 24-26 September 2024 and 1 and 3 October 2024. Site visits made on 16 and 19 September 2024 by Y Wright BSc (Hons) DipTP MSc DMS MRTPI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State

Decision date: 28th March 2025

Appeal Ref: APP/M3835/W/21/3281813

Land North West of Goring Station, Goring-By-Sea, Worthing

The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 against a refusal to grant outline planning permission.
The appeal is made by Persimmon Homes Thames Valley against the decision of Worthing Borough Council.
The application Ref AWDM/1264/20, dated 7 August 2020, was refused by notice dated11 March 2021.
The development proposed is mixed use development comprising up to 475 dwellings along with associated access, internal roads and footpaths, car parking, public open space, landscaping, local centre (uses including A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, D1, D2, as proposed to be amended to use classes E, F and Sui Generis) with associated car parking, car parking for the adjacent railway station, undergrounding of overhead HV cables and other supporting infrastructure and utilities.
This decision supersedes that issued on 25 February 2022. That decision on the appeal was quashed by order of the High Court dated 1 August 2022.

Decision

The appeal is dismissed.

Main Issues

I consider the main issues are:

The effect of the proposed development on the Local Green Gap;
The effect of the proposed development on landscape including the setting of the South Downs National Park; and
Whether the proposed development would be in a suitable location having regard to other local and national planning policies and the need for housing.

I conclude that the appeal proposal would result in substantial harm to the LGG which would conflict with LP Policy SS5. It would also not accord with LP Policy SS1 on the basis that the development would be outside the BUAB, would not protect this remaining area of countryside and would substantially harm an important gap between settlements.

I conclude that the resultant harm from the proposal to the character and appearance of the local landscape would be substantial and would conflict with LP Policy SS1 which requires gaps and landscapes outside the BUAB to be protected, including those between settlements. It would also be contrary to LP Policy SS4 due to the adverse impact to the character of the area.

I conclude overall that the proposed development would result in moderate to modest harm to the SDNP over the lifetime of the development. Accordingly, this would not accord with LP PoliciesSS1 and SS4 and the Framework in this regard. It would also conflict with the duty in s11A of the 1949 Act, as it would not meet the legislative requirement to seek to further the statutory purposes of the National Park.

For the reasons given above, I conclude that the appeal proposal conflicts with the development plan when read as a whole. Whilst there would be some benefits to the scheme to which I have afforded weight, these material considerations, when taken together, do not indicate that the appeal should be determined other than in accordance with the development plan. I therefore dismiss the appeal.

April Community Project morning

Posted on March 23, 2025 by David Bettiss

Our next Community Project session will be on Thursday 3 April at 10am – meeting at the Sea Lane boat at the foot of Sea Lane. We’ll be tidying up the boat and its surrounds to make a good show of wild maritime flowers again. If you’re able to help, please bring a trowel and a pair of gloves with you, and it will be a maximum of an hour as usual.

Sussex Wildlife Trust

Posted on March 13, 2025 by Stephen Abbott

Bluebell Hues April 2025

By Kerry Williams: Communications Officer – Conservation

Like many people, Bluebells are a blast of nostalgia for me. I remember woodland days out as a kid; clambering up trees and scrawling thrilling finds like ‘Woodpigeon’ in biro in soggy exercise books. Bluebell season always required a visit. There’s not much like the all-encompassing violet thwack of Bluebells in ancient woodland. Sickly-sweet scent in your nostrils, the hues of the rich indigo carpet somehow also hanging in the air, and the understory buzzing with busy pollinators, who, just like you, are making the most of this abundant explosion.

We love a limited edition, a special experience that we must make the most of. Like one-off characters in your cereal box, like happy hour, like Nightingales. And Bluebell fever is no different. Every April and May, Sussex woodlands erupt with millions of these vivid beauties, announcing that spring truly, finally, fabulously, has sprung. This early flowering provides a welcome bounty for struggling wildlife and allows Bluebells to make the most of the sunlight before the woodland canopy becomes too dense.

Like many of our native wildflowers, the British Bluebell is up against it. At risk from habitat loss of precious ancient woodland, and threatened by a changing climate, the plant is also in competition with an interloper; the Spanish Bluebell. A non-native species, the Spanish Bluebell tends to outcompete its native counterpart for resources such as light and space. It can also hybridise with our native species, diluting the native Bluebell’s characteristics. So how can you tell these two species apart?

The native Bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, has narrow leaves and tubular-bell shaped flowers of deep-violet blue which curl back at the edges. The flowers are generally down one side of the stem, which has a distinctive droop to it. The Spanish species, Hyacinthoides hispanica, has broader leaves and a paler blue, conical shaped flower. The stem is upright and covered with flowers on all sides. A big difference between the two is the Spanish has no scent, whilst the native Bluebell smells sweet.

The idea of plants ‘escaping’ your garden invokes notions of under-the-cover-of-darkness creeping, but it’s easier than you think for non-native species to go astray. Uncovered cuttings and garden waste can easily blow into communal areas or can be carried by animals, to proliferate in new, wild areas. If choosing to plant Bluebells in your garden, it’s best to choose the UK species for this reason. In a small way you could be supporting our native species to recolonise our wild woodlands, and to keep them smelling sweet.

Culberry Nursery at our February meeting

Posted on March 3, 2025 by David Bettiss

Members and visitors welcomed Martin Jarvis, the owner of Culberry Nursery in Angmering which has been in existence for over 75 years. Martin explained that in the beginning it was run by his parents as a market garden with a 99-year lease where they lived in a caravan on the site; this is where Martin’s sister was born. By the time Martin came along his parents had bought a house and had begun to grow mushrooms which they initially grew in old wooden fish boxes but this soon progressed to greenhouses. Good hygiene became crucial to prevent the introduction of bacteria or viruses to the crops – this also applied to the areas around the greenhouses. Interestingly at one time there were around 100 mushroom farms in West Sussex.

These days, Culberry Nursery only supplies bags of highly regarded mushroom compost and also grows and produces a wide variety of plants, including a large selection of herbs. These are all grown without the use of chemicals and instead beneficial bugs are used. The Nursery staff attend many local Farmer’s Markets which produces an additional income and much to the delight of the many keen gardeners among the audience, Martin brought along a good selection of plants and herbs to sell during the break for refreshments.

Following a short break, Pete Coe and David Bettiss delivered February’s Nature Notes by showing some excellent photographs of wildlife along the Rife taken by member and keen wildlife photographer James King. There had been many reported signs of spring being sprung, including Snowdrops in Sea Lane, Crocuses on the Village Green, and Daffodils at the Community Orchard. Brent Geese, Chaffinches, Lapwings, Skylarks and a Song Thrush had all been spotted in and around the vicinity. David also delivered the sad news that the body of a deceased dolphin had been washed up on Ferring Beach.

To conclude the meeting Stephen Abbott advised the audience of recent planning news. There is still no decision by the High Court regarding Persimmon’s Appeal on Chatsmore Farm. The planning application for 3 houses at the back of Ferring Nursery remains undecided together with the Pool House proposed at ‘Mayfield’ Florida Road. Stephen also advised the Group of a new application to convert a garage into a self-contained annex at 8A South Drive in Ferring.