Issue - meetings

            FG/74/19/PL – 2 No. commercial B1/B8 use buildings with associated car parking, access & refuse storage.  This application is a Departure from the Development Plan, Highdown Industrial Park, Littlehampton Road, Ferring  Having received a report on the matter, together with the officer’s written report update which detailed an additional condition requiring precise details of the materials to be submitted to the Local Planning Authority for consideration and a consultation response from County Highways of no objection, the Committee participated in some discussion on the proposal.

            In opening up the debate, Member comment was made that the designated gap between Angmering and Worthing must be protected and that the encroachment over the years into this particular area must be stopped in order to protect the views from Highdown Hill.

            It was acknowledged that the site had existing industrial uses and that it would be difficult to refuse a proposal that would be improving what was already there into a better form.

            However, when voting on the matter, the Committee did not accept the officer recommendation to approve and therefore

RESOLVED

That the application be refused for the following reason:-

The proposed development would compromise the open nature of the gap between settlements contrary to policy SD SP3 of the Arun Local Plan and, due to the proximity to the South downs National Park, the proposal would also have a detrimental effect on the setting of Highdown Hill and be contrary to policy LAN DM1 of the Arun Local Plan.