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Fields of Southwater, West Sussex
Photography by John Parsons

What can you do?...

This is a dynamic situation and Save Rural Southwater is working together with the Southwater community to make sure everyone is well informed, so that we can actively scrutinise the actions of Horsham District Council and ensure our voices are heard and heeded.

Together we can make a difference...

Email your councillors

These Councillors were very vocal in their election campaigns in attacking the Tory development plans for the village and stated that the “Lib Dems don’t want the same flawed plan all over again after the election”.

As was repeatedly pointed out to the Lib Dem Councillors, there was no Tory plan to build more houses in/around the village. The Tory Councillors did not support the draft plan put forward by HDC planning officers which would have imposed more houses, so it was never put forward for consultation and never became a Tory or any other plan and to state that there was a Tory plan was simply misleading. Just like promising a school which the Lib Dems under questioning acknowledged they did not control and could not guarantee.

Our Lib Dem Councillors continue to maintain that their plan, for indeed having approved the draft and put it out for consultation this is properly described as a Lib Dem plan, is good for the village, but they fail to clarify why it is good, other than to repeat that it was better than a Tory plan which never in fact existed. Residents might wish to ask our Councillors to explain why their plan is so good for the village.

Southwater North

Peter van der Borgh - peter.vanderborgh@horsham.gov.uk

X Resigned X Mike Wood - mike.wood@horsham.gov.uk X Resigned X

Southwater South and Shipley

Colette Blackburn - colette.blackburn@horsham.gov.uk

Alexander Jeffery - alex.jeffery@horsham.gov.uk

Sign the Petition!

Sign the Save Rural Southwater Petition and register your objections to mass development.

Sign here >

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD IN THE CONSULTATION
The HDC Consultation has now closed.
Thank you to everyone who submitted
comments and objections.

WHAT NEXT?

Comments and objections can be submitted through an on-line portal on the HDC website or in writing by email or post. If you wish to object by email or by post visit our step-by-step guide here >

Later this year the plan, and all comments received on it, will be reviewed by an independent government inspector who will test its legality and soundness before the plan is approved (or not) by the inspector.

KEY OBJECTIONS?

After extensive research regarding the impact on this extreme residential development

SRS have identified 5 keys areas which should be significantly meaningful to the Inspector

reviewing the HDC Local Plan. We have shared our submissions on these areas on the SRS website.

You are welcome to use these responses to create you submissions - either copy or amend with your own content:

ARE YOU ANGRY OR CONFUSED OVER THE 'GUARANTEE' OF A NEW SENIOR SCHOOL?

The HDC draft Plan does NOT mean that a secondary school will be built in Southwater. It merely identifies a site where a school could be built.

Councillor John Milne (who is leading this Plan) stated at a Southwater village meeting on 3 February that HDC has NO CONTROL whatsoever over whether a school will be built or not. And the prospects are not good in terms of pupil numbers, available government finance, timescale - regardless of the understandable hopes and fears of parents. A school was promised as part of the Broadbridge Heath development and it was never built, leaving many feeling cheated and misled. People in Southwater are divided about whether a secondary school is wanted or not. Some prefer their children to complete their education in Horsham schools. Some parents don’t want to see increased road traffic in Southwater from hundreds of pupils being brought by car and bus from outlying areas.

The issue of the school is a red herring. It is being used by HDC to get their Plan agreed, with over 1000 more homes built in our village, but is no more than empty words. The most likely outcome is that a new school will not get the necessary financial backing and Berkeley Homes will then have no further planning obstacles to building yet more houses on that site.