Plans for 78 homes in Ifield rejected by councillors

An application was submitted to Horsham District Council by Gladman Developments Ltd to create 78 new homes east of Emanuel Cottage in the village.

At the council’s Development Control North committee meeting, held at Parkside, on Tuesday, the application was thrown out by councillors with none voting in favour of the plan.

Many residents have come out in protest against the developers plans to build in Ifield.

Back in February the Gladman Developments Ltd also had an application to build 95 homes north of Rusper Road in the village rejected by the council.

Planning officers recommended councillors refuse the latest application as it ignored key policies in the Horsham District Planning Framework and fears the site was too isolated with limited access.

Chairman of the committee Liz Kitchen (Con, Rusper and Colgate) agreed with the officers report and felt areas such as Ifield needed protecting from further development.

She said: “I absolutely support the officers recommendations to refuse this application.

“The pressure there is in that part of the world and the speed in which these applications are coming in is really quite frightening.

“With Crawley building out all over its boundaries the area of Ifield is under threat almost everyday of the week.”

Councillors voted unanimously to reject the plans.