A longstanding campaign has been against the opportunistic attempt to build on the Goring Gap; supporting sensible developments of vital, new, good-quality homes through active engagement and cooperation with local residents and conservations groups and not concreting over every green gap and community space in our already tightly bounded local area.
The latest update on this important local campaign is resoundingly positive and, with confidence, conclusive to our ongoing work. Goring Gap is protected.
Earlier this month in the Commons Chamber, I asked a question to the Labour Party during a debate on housing provisions about how they would work to protect significant and necessary green gaps between distinct communities. Their response was far from encouraging.
I am glad that the then-conservative-led Worthing Council, with support from Ferring Conservation Group, lodged the necessary appeal to the Planning Inspector's reckless decision to overturn the Council's decision to turn down the concreting over of Chatsmore Farm. The incoming Labour administration did the right thing and upheld this appeal.
Last year, the Appeal Inspector quashed the Planning Inspector's decision and upheld the Council's decision to protect Goring Gap in its entirety.
We expected a further appeal from Persimmon, the developers who had hoped to concrete over Chatsmore Farm.
This week, the Persimmon appeal on Goring Gap was dismissed.
This is welcome news.
Furthermore, it is a decision which we expect will protect all the Gaps including Lansdown Nursery and Highdown Vineyard.
Worthing Borough Council are now preparing for what we all share in hoping will be the final victory needed to protect Chatsmore Farm from developers.
Persimmon Homes is continuing to press for permission to build 475 properties on the green gap between Worthing and Ferring despite losing a series of court challenges.
The company has refused to consider withdrawing its appeal.
The appeal will now be considered at a new public inquiry where all interested parties can present a stronger case following the adoption of the Worthing Local Plan and the Arun Local Plan - these are the planning blueprints agreed with government inspectors that set out where new homes can and can’t be built.
We can expect that this will be the end of this wanton attempt to concrete over this necessary green lung for our communities.
