Residents voice their fears over plans for four homes

DOZENS of residents are up in arms and claim a plan to build four new homes in a Shoreham road will lead to a '˜scar on the landscape'.
Residents have objected to plans for four news homes on a plot in Lesser FoxholesResidents have objected to plans for four news homes on a plot in Lesser Foxholes
Residents have objected to plans for four news homes on a plot in Lesser Foxholes

The plan, by applicant Chester Hunt, proposes to demolish The Lodge in Lesser Foxholes and build four detached dwellings with landscaping and parking.

The four-bedroom, three-storey homes will have balconies that look towards the River Adur.

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Jean Pierre Pirault has lived in the road for more than 40 years and said he had seen many changes during that time, but nothing to this extent.

“We are not ‘nimbies’, we’d go for it and have a nice building there but the plan is not in keeping with the estate, it’s overbearing,” said Mr Pirault.

He also said the four homes would look ‘quite obtrusive’ because they would be more than a metre higher than the existing building.

Bernie Harris has lived in Lesser Foxholes for two years and said the application has the potential to impinge on the everyday lives of people living there.

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She said: “One accepts that sites and houses will 
be redeveloped.

“It’s part of progress, but it should be in keeping within the area. They will cause a lot of problems for access, parking and traffic.”

Mrs Harris said if the committee approves the application she would be ‘exceedingly disappointed’ .

In her letter of objection, she said: “The proposed four houses crowd the plot and are out of keeping with the general layout of the estate.”

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Mrs Harris also raised issue with drainage, the material used and access during construction.

Another resident, Mike Watts, told the Herald if the plan is approved ‘it will be to the detriment of all the people around the area’.

He said: “I would be very unhappy if the council approved it.

“We have been here for about 20 years.

“We are not objecting to a development on the site, I just think this plan is wrong.

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“There’s a narrow private driveway to access the site and this will cause problems for lorries entering it during construction.”

A number of consultations have been held with residents, including an exhibition at the Ropetackle Arts Centre in May last year. In the planning portal, Neil Sanders’ letter of objection said the development will not complement the historical value of the area.

He said: “Just south from the proposed development there is St Nicolas’ Church which is listed as Grade I by English Heritage.

“The new proposed design would be a scar on the landscape to visitors when approaching the area.”

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Mr Pirault remembered one of the previous owners of The Lodge, known as Scotty Rothwell, who was married to one of the writers of the early Carry On films.

He said: “Apparently, people like Kenneth Williams and Shirley Eaton used to come down here and have a big party, so it also has historical interest.”

A spokesman for Planning Resolution Ltd, which represents Mr Hunt, said the site is not readily visible from the surrounding streets and is, therefore, able to contrast with that of the surroundings.

He said: “The reduction in the number of units from that originally considered has enabled the new houses to be pulled back from the boundaries.

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“The reduction in the number of units has also sought to address residents concerns about the associated level of parking and traffic.”

The architect, Will Alsop of ALL Design said: 
“Our proposal for Lesser Foxholes embodies the character of British seaside modernism, of which 
many of the finest examples are found along the 
south coast.”

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