Villagers to unite over 3,000-homes proposal

On Monday villagers are expected to gather to discuss proposals which could see 3,000 new homes built between Barnham, Eastergate and Westergate.
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Barnham and Eastergate parish councils are holding a joint parish public meeting at Eastergate Village Hall at 6.30pm, Monday, April 9, to talk through the plans, which could see the A29 re-routed through the green gap between the two villages.

“We will brief you on the plans as we see them and provide an opportunity to comment on and input into the infrastructure needs that you think are most important,” the joint community newsletter states.

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“We will use this information to press Arun District Council (ADC) to include our needs in housing developer contribution agreements and to ensure that the infrastructure is in place before the houses and the families that will occupy them.”

The large site was identified for 1,685 homes in ADC’s local plan in 2015 and later upped to 3,000.

Its plan was suspended and inspected again last year after the council was told it must increase its annual housing target.

Barnham and Eastergate parish councils have always opposed mass housing, arguing it does not have the required infrastructure and the environmental impact.

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Both councils state that building 3,000 homes on prime agricultural farmland ‘will have a negative effect on the food chain’.

However, they are now resigned to the fact that homes and a realignment of the A27, through the Poling Motors site, will happen.

They now want to make sure the community needs are met.