We are still under attack by the developers. While we wait for Arun District Council’s decision on the 70 houses on Lansdowne Nursery and the 48 houses off Kingston Lane, and there is still time to object to the 133 houses opposite Sainsbury’s (A/2/23), we now have the application for 112 houses at Highdown Vineyard (F/180/22/OUT).

All this in addition to the 76 houses at Roundstone Farm and the 193 houses at Rustington Golf Centre and we still have the Court of Appeal case on Chatsmore Farm to come.

The Highdown Vineyard application is, of course, like all the others, contrary to Arun’s Local Plan and the Council must refuse it. The planning arguments are very clear and straightforward: the Gaps, agricultural land, wildlife, Highdown and the National Park, the isolation of the estate north of the very busy A259, the extra traffic on that already congested road, the lack of a safe crossing for pedestrians, the lack of school places, the demand on oversubscribed GP surgeries and other infrastructure.

Please show Arun District Councillors how much we value this Gap and how we deplore the digging up of the vineyard in order to plant a housing estate. The houses would not benefit anyone in Arun who is in housing need.  This is simply a money-making scheme.

You can see the details of the Highdown Vineyard planning application at:

https://www1.arun.gov.uk/aplanning/OcellaWeb/planningDetails?reference=FG/180/22/OUT

Please highlight and right hand click the above link then click on the ‘Enter Comment’ tab to have your say.

You can also send your objection by email: to planning@arun.gov.uk – using the above planning application reference number.

Ed Miller