Shripney fighting fund is set aside by councillors

The money will be spent by Arun District Council in justifying its approval of a plan to extend Shripney Garden Caravan Park.

A judicial review has been lodged to challenge that decision.

Cllr Ricky Bower (Con, East Preston) said at the cabinet meeting on Monday, July 19: “We have no option. We have to defend the decision the council has taken.

“This is one of those matters where the legal costs are unpredictable. We have to just bite the bullet and hope we win the case at the end of the day.”

Council leader Gillian Brown (Con, Aldwick East) said: “It’s important to defend this and be strong about it.”

The council’s development control committee approved an application to extend the caravan site, off Shripney Lane, with a further 12 mobile homes last March.

It was the fourth application made 
for the extra accommodation. It included a market needs assessment which showed a demand existed for the planned homes. This influenced the outcome.

The previous refusals were centred around the loss of top grade farmland, the lack of need for extra mobile home holiday accommodation and the possibility of other sites within the 
built-up area.

Karl Roberts, the council’s assistant director of planning and economic regeneration, said: “These form the basis of the claimant’s grounds together with concerns regarding policy references and summaries.”

He did not expect the review to be listed for a hearing before Christmas.