Tory development threat to Southwater continues

Southwater residents are rightly celebrating the success of their campaign to stop Berkeley Homes building another 1500 houses to the west of the village.

The application was in any case headed for refusal on multiple legal planning grounds.

But far from ’saving’ Southwater, Horsham Conservative policy is the direct reason further large scale development remains likely for the village.

The Conservative’s Draft Local Plan still allocates this area for development

Key facts:

• The Conservatives previously selected a separate Berkeley Homes proposal for the West of Southwater site in the Draft Local Plan, allocated by officers for at least 1200 homes (see Cabinet papers for 15 July, 2021, Appendix 1 p62)
• The decision was taken by the Conservative group ONLY in private session
• Conservative Councillors claim they’re fighting for Southwater tooth and nail – so why did they do the opposite back in 2021!
• If the Conservatives win the next election, they are set to bring back much the same Local Plan
• If the Lib Dems win, we will reconsider both the sites and the policies, but because the Local Plan is so advanced we can only choose from the same Conservative shortlist

The biggest threat to Southwater continues to come from the Conservatives’ own Draft Local Plan.

Additionally, many residents are unaware that this pre-existing proposal is unaffected by the withdrawal of the 1500 application.

Statement from Cllr Ruth Fletcher (Shadow Member for Planning):

“Southwater residents have fought an impressive campaign and they’ve made their feelings clear.

“However, residents may not realise roughly the same Southwater site remains in the Conservative’s Draft Local Plan. If they win the next election, they expect to bring back their Plan more or less unchanged. Just as they did with Rookwood in 2019, the Conservatives are hiding the bad news under the carpet till after everyone has voted.”