Residents of the beautiful village of Barns Green, home of the famous Run Barns Green, and the annual Classic Car Show, have expressed their dismay to learn of a new housing development which will ‘strip out a key community asset and compound the mistakes of a previous development’.
“This proposal would be terrible for the village.” said Richard French, Chair of the local group working to oppose the application. “It would dump houses on a beautiful field, directly opposite our village pub and shop, both community assets at the heart of the Parish. As well as impacting these local amenities, the field on which the site is proposed is used every year for our Classic Car Show which raises tens of thousands of pounds for charity. A hedgerow would have to be torn out to provide access to the site. Our recently-made Neighbourhood Plan identified 2 sites elsewhere in the Parish for development. Those already provide for a significant local increase in housing provision.”
The proposal from Miller Homes is thought to be for 65 houses, and comes swiftly on the back of 32 new houses going up at Sumners Fields, a few hundred yards from the proposed new site.
“The recent Sumners Fields development is proof in bricks and mortar that further housing need is not there, and that what has been built exceeds infrastructure capacity.” said Richard. “Houses have not sold, and stand empty. There were promises made around affordable housing, but the prices are out of the reach of any local young person. Further promises were made about sustainable and eco-friendly approaches but those houses which are currently occupied have been running off diesel generators because of a lack of access to the grid, keeping local residents awake with the noise. It’s appalling.”
“We’re already taking our share of new housing.” he goes on to say. “The Parish recently voted in decisive support of a Neighbourhood Plan which identifies sites for ample new housing supply, including the site of a former school in Itchingfield, currently derelict. Instead of this brownfield site that is ripe for development and would have community support, the developer has chosen a site in the worst possible location, and the last place locals want to see developed.”
Landlord of the Village Pub, the Queen’s Head, Ben Shire says he is devastated by the plan. “The appeal of the pub is that it is a traditional, country village pub. The location on the edge of the village, adjoining open fields is one of the main attractions. This development will surround the pub with housing and have a significant impact on my business.”
“We are extremely proud of our village, which is noted for its major fundraising events: the Classic Car Show, which happens in the very field being proposed for development, and Run Barns Green. These events, which raise ten of thousands of pounds for local community groups and St Catherine’s Hospice, are reliant on the rural appeal of the village.”
The application for the development has not yet been formally lodged, but is expected any day now. “Please” Richard says “take the time to make your feelings known. Local residents can object: you can register an objection if you have legitimate planning concerns (in fact, you don’t even have to live locally, as long as your objections are valid). We must make sure as many objections as possible are lodged against this misguided development.”
Further information contact Emma Slawinski (member of local residents opposition group) – emmaruthslawinski@gmail.com or call 07708558612
