Feedback sought on West Sussex soft sand review changes

The document put together jointly by West Sussex County Council and the South Downs National Park Authority sets out how the authorities have addressed the issue of soft sand supply.

In West Sussex, soft sand deposits run from east to west and there are a small number of active extraction sites in the west and central parts of the county.

The review has proposed three allocations for soft sand, a new site at Ham Farm near Steyning as well as extensions to existing sites at West Heath near Rogate and Chantry Lane near Storrington.

The soft sand review was submitted to Government in April 2020 and is being examined by an independent planning inspector, who has indicated that the submitted changes need to be modified to make them ‘sound’ and suitable for adoption.

These changes have been approved by both WSCC and the SDNPA.

Stakeholders and members of the public are now being asked for their views on these modifications until January 8, 2021.

The consultation is available online.

Once the consultation has concluded, the inspector will consider any representations received alongside the proposed modifications, reconvene hearing sessions if necessary, and issue a final report on the review, after which it will be formally adopted by the authorities as changes to the joint minerals local plan.

Deborah Urquhart, the county council’s cabinet member for environment, said: “As a mineral planning authority, West Sussex County Council is required to plan for a steady and adequate supply of minerals, including soft sand.

“Following examination hearing sessions earlier this year, the planning inspector has suggested a number of relatively minor modifications to the soft sand review, that we have prepared. This is a normal part of the process.

“These modifications must now be subject to a further period of representations before the proposed changes to the Joint Minerals Local Plan can be formally adopted.”

Tim Slaney, the SDNPA’s director of planning, said: “We’re entering the final stages of this important planning process and would like to thank everyone for their feedback so far.

“The site allocations are set in a policy framework that looks for soft sand resources outside of the national park in the first instance and seeks to avoid, minimise and mitigate any impacts that arise from development.”

Further details about the representations period, the Soft Sand Review, and how to access documents is available at www.westsussex.gov.uk/mwdf

At last week’s county council meeting David Barling (Con, Bramber Castle) restated his opposition to the Ham Farm allocation.

He pointed out how trees would need to be cut down to improve visibility at the access point, which he labelled a ‘great shame’.

He also predicted ‘great issues’ with highways, while the lives of the few people living next to the site would be ‘ruined by this development’.

He added: “I think we will find, in the fullness of time, it will be a mistake to have included it.”