Horsham District Council Draft Local Plan 2023 (Regulation 19)

Dear Residents,

The draft Horsham District Local Plan 2023 – 2040 will be considered by the District Council on 11 December. The agenda is now available online where the various documents can also be found: https://horsham.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=188&MId=2536

The draft Horsham District Local Plan 2023 – 2040 is available here: Appendix 1 - Horsham District Local Plan Regulation 19 Dec 2023.pdf (moderngov.co.uk)

Southwater Parish Council has registered a slot to speak, where the Chairman (Councillor Derek Moore) will be making representation.

The question submitted to Horsham District Council in advance of their meeting was as follows:

'The Local Plan designates Southwater as a village/small town suitable for development and a Strategic Site. The plan states that development up to 2040 will be an extra 285 homes (plus 450 homes in the Southwater Neighbourhood Plan), 735 homes plus the build out of the existing Berkeley site (of Broadacres) circa 300 in total over the plan period to 1,035 homes and another 265 for the period beyond 2040 at a build out rate of 50 per year will take the development period to 2045. Also noting the impact of the peripheral sites of Rascals Farm and Woodfords of just under 200 additional units right on the boundary of Southwater. The Local Plan will effectively turn Southwater into a building site for the next 22 years. Is this fair to the residents of Southwater and is it sustainable?'

It is worth noting that the Draft Regulation 19 Local Plan was only released late on Friday 1 December 2023, yet Horsham District Council required questions to be submitted by midday on Wednesday 6 December 2023.

Southwater Parish Council will be making a more informed response to the draft Horsham District Local Plan in accordance with the Regulation 19 timelines.

Southwater Parish Council will also be holding a public meeting early in 2024 to listen to residents’ views. There is no fixed date yet, but we will give notice of it in due course. We look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Southwater Parish Council