Why are so many houses being imposed on West Sussex?

Background

In 1997 West Sussex County Council mounted a very high profile campaign together with the local MPs, to try to prevent the Labour Government from increasing the number of houses to be built in the county by an extra 12,800. The Deputy Prime Minister ignored the advice of his own Planning Inspector and overturned a perfectly good agreed plan. The County Council subsequently took the case to the High Court but the Government’s figures were upheld and 43,350 (net) homes were imposed on West Sussex, 10,175 of which must be built in Mid Sussex between 2001 and 2016. A copy of two key speeches that I made in the House of Commons as part of the campaign can be accessed at the end of this section. What I said then stands good today.

What are the implications for Mid Sussex?

The West Sussex Structure Plan was formally adopted in October 2004 and covers the period from 2001 – 2016. The Plan can be viewed here. The proposals for the Mid Sussex District within the Plan are progressing through the Local Development Framework (LDF) for Mid Sussex (via the local planning authority; Mid Sussex District Council).

Information on the proposals which include the Small Scale Housing Sites Allocation document for 2006-2016 and the East Grinstead Strategic Development Area Action Plan can be accessed here.

Fighting to protect Mid Sussex

Now that the Labour Government has imposed such an extensive, unwelcome and potentially disastrous volume of new building on our county, it is my urgent priority to try to minimise the consequences and to make sure, where possible, that all the infrastructural and design problems are dealt with in a sensitive and proper manner to preserve the unique character of Mid Sussex. These complex issues were discussed in detail at my Planning Seminar at the House of Commons in February 2003 and my Infrastructure Seminar in East Grinstead in March 2006.

Action… I meet regularly with District and County Councillors and with the Leader and Chief Executive of Mid Sussex District Council as they undertake the important task of implementing the Structure Plan proposals through the LDF. I also meet regularly with interested parties in the constituency and make representations to the relevant authorities on their behalf.

I have used every resource at my disposal to lobby the Government to stop playing lip service to the principle of sustainable development. I have secured three meetings with the Minister for Housing and Planning; presented a petition from my constituents and an audit paper on the infrastructure deficit in Mid Sussex; asked many Parliamentary Questions and spoken in several debates to try to persuade the Government to be more even-handed with its infrastructure investment. My speech on the Infrastructure Audit Bill on the 14th July 2006 can be viewed in the Speeches section.

East Grinstead Area Action Plan

The consultation on the draft East Grinstead Strategic Development Area Action Plan commenced on the 22nd May 2006 following a public meeting that I chaired on behalf of Mid Sussex District Council.

Information on the Plan and the expected timetable for progress can be viewed here.

My submission to the consultation can be downloaded here.

Additional Housing Targets…. South East Plan

In January 2005 the South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA) opened a consultation on the draft South East Plan. The final Plan will set out planning proposals for the whole of the South East region through to 2026.

For up to date information on the progress of the plan please access the SEERA website by clicking here.

Together with my fellow Conservative Parliamentary Colleagues representing constituencies in the South East I have lobbied the Chief Executive of SEERA and the Minister for Housing and Planning over the implications of the proposed additional housing targets for West Sussex. At a meeting with the Minister and local Council Leaders in May 2006 we made it clear that development along the scale envisaged by the Government could not possibly take place without vastly increasing Government expenditure on local infrastructure to cover rail, schools, health facilities, roads, water, sewage and all the other requirements in which we are short in West Sussex.

I urge all my constituents to take an active role in the consultation process.

A copy of my submissions to the draft South East Plan consultations can be downloaded by clicking on the links below.

Click here to download South East Plan Response (07/04/05) 

Click here to download South East Plan Response (20/06/06)

Update - July 2008 - Secretary of State publishes consultation on the proposed changes to the draft South East Plan

For the latest update click here

Links

West Sussex County Council

Mid Sussex District Council

South East England Regional Assembly 

Department for Communities and Local Government 

Government Office for the South East

Background Speeches

Debate on Development Policy 2nd February 2000

Click here

Debate on Planning 3rd February 1999

Click here