Horsham
Liberal Democrats

Horsham Lib Dems stand by HDC’s Local Plan as Planning Inspector cancels hearings without ‘specific reasons’

17 Dec 2024
Horsham District Council offices

The Horsham Liberal Democrats stand by the Horsham District Local Plan currently before the Government’s Planning Inspector, despite the Inspector’s abrupt cancellation of the final three weeks of hearings.

Horsham Lib Dems were surprised to learn on Monday, 16 December, that the Horsham District Local Plan 2023-2040 Examination Inspector, Mr. Luke Fleming, had instructed the Programme Officer to cancel all further scheduled hearings.

Horsham District Council (HDC) responded in a letter stating Mr. Fleming had provided ‘no forewarning’ to the Council that concerns existed prior to the hearings commencing, and queried the ‘lack of specific reasons given for the decision to cancel the further hearing dates’.

An end to ‘Tory planning chaos’

The Lib Dems won a majority in May 2023’s local elections, with a manifesto pledge and mandate to end ‘Tory Planning chaos’ which had left Horsham District exposed to speculative development without a legally required Local Plan for years and saw the downfall of four Conservative Council leaders.

The Lib Dem-led administration worked tirelessly with HDC officers to deliver an enhanced Local Plan.  The current plan has higher levels of affordable housing, more protection for our green spaces and environment and it requires new homes to be built to higher standards of energy efficiency.

Importantly, it has lower, more deliverable housing targets which balance the demands of government policy to boost housing supply, with what is actually possible in Horsham District where we are operating under the unique constraint of water neutrality. 

Labour’s extreme and undeliverable new housing targets

Meanwhile, just last week, the new Labour Government unleashed a new phase of planning chaos with its new planning rules and targets, via changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Any new targets for Horsham would be significantly higher than those used in the developing Local Plan, which has been drafted under previous versions of the NPPF.

Lib Dems therefore agree with HDC who went on to ask the Inspector to contemplate re-opening the examination hearings in the new year.

Horsham MP, John Milne, who also served as HDC Cabinet Member for Planning and Infrastructure when the Regulation 19 Local Plan was passed said:

“For the last 2 years Horsham District has lived through a crazy situation whereby one law says HDC has to build at least 900 homes a year, and the other says HDC can’t build any homes at all if they require more water.

“This latest delay risks HDC having to switch to preparing a plan under Labour’s new rules, and that means even less local control over development.

“Under the previous Conservative system HDC was forced to accept urban sprawl across the countryside. It’s extraordinary to see the new government acting to make things even worse.”

Commenting on the current situation, Cllr Martin Boffey, Leader of Horsham District Council, said:

“Horsham residents demand that the current Local Plan has its fair hearings as scheduled by the Planning Inspector.

“All 26 of our Liberal Democrat HDC Councillors have supported the Council’s efforts to finally put an end to ‘Tory planning chaos’.

“We are aware that some people think defeating this plan will save their area from large new developments. Sadly, this could not be further from the truth as indicated by the new Government’s recent statements on planning reforms.

“Horsham deserves better than further delays and more unwanted, speculative developments.”

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