Proposal to allocate 125 additional houses in the parish of Loxwood.

I wish to lodge a formal objection to the proposed allocation of 125 new houses in Loxwood Village.

I believe that the way the decision on which of the designated "Service Villages" and the allocation of number of houses in these villages was not adequate.

Only 8 of the identified "Service Villages" have been selected for housing development and of a total allocation of 500 houses, Loxwood has been a disproportionately allocated an excessive number of 125. Loxwood has been arbitrarily singled out for development, whilst villages in the neighboring Parishes of similar size and facilities (Wisborough Green and Kirfdford), have been allocated little or no allocation. This is contrary to the Chichester Local Plan Policy; to seek to disperse development across the plan area and support rural communities. Why has development not been dispersed amongst the other service villages and Loxwood been selected for an unsustainable allocation? Why also has there been no prior consultation with our Parish Council or the wider parish community?

The National Planning Policy Framework refers to sustainability of infrastructure capacity:
Transport, roads waste water (sewage) and
Environmental constraints, avoidance of flood risk areas.

Loxwood differs very little from its neighboring service villages in terms of its facilities and transport links, both of which are very limited.

With regard to Transport:
There is no sustainable public transport to or from Loxwood.
Loxwood currently is served by Compass Bus No.42, this service runs once a day from Monday to Friday only (but not on Public Holidays). It takes a circuitous route to Guildford of one hour+ and allows only two hours before the one return service of similar route and time.
Two other routes pass through the village (Nos, 64 to Horsham & 69 to Shoreham) each run one service, on only two days in the week (except public holidays). The journey times are one hour and one hour forty-five mins respectively, each has a two hour return time. All three routes also serve Wisborough Green and Kirdford.

Employment:
There is extremely limited employment in Loxwood Parish, which will not be able to sustain the need created by the proposed development. A significant increase in housing will only lead to further congestion on the roads as all in employment will have no choice but to commute by road.

Education:
Loxwood has only one small Primary School, capacity is limited to approximately 200 pupils and is at present at or near to capacity. Pupils are already brought in by car and coach from outside the village. The school will not be able to service the needs of the increase in pupil numbers resulting from the proposed level of development.

Infrastructure & Environmental Constraints:
Waste Water management - The waste water and sewage system in Loxwood has been repeatedly stated as being over capacity by the water authority (Southern Water). The system is old and in a bad state of repair. At times of heavy rainfall both surface water and ground water inundate the system leading to flooding. Southern Water currently have no plans or proposals for funding to upgrade the sewer system in Loxwood before 2025, and no commitment to include such plans in the five year period beyond 2025
Waste water is also fed into the Loxwood sewer system from other areas, such as Alfold, Surrey where there is currently a large development under construction, which will clearly impact on the already over capacity sewage system. It is plainly obvious that the Loxwood system is unable to support further development of the scale in the new plan and to would be contrary to NPPF policy.

Flood Risk - Parts of Loxwood are already designated as high risk areas of flooding by the Environment Agency, in respect of both fluvial flooding of the Loxwood Stream and also of surface water flooding. In the last year, which by coincidence (?) saw the construction in the village centre of a housing development (43 houses) on the Guildford Road. Loxwood experienced a surface water flash flood (May 2018), which inundated the sewer system effecting Guildford Road, Station Road and Burley Close.
In December 2018, the Environment Agency issued two flood warnings for the Loxwood Stream due the high levels of rainfall, surface water caused the level of the stream to rise dangerously high. The proposed scale of development if allowed would be an irresponsible decision given the known flood risks, the known inability of the sewage system to cope in its present state and the knowledge that there are no foreseeable plans to update them. This would pose a real risk to people and property of more frequent and more dangerous flooding including risk to life.

In conclusion this excessive proposed development and the loss of countryside will destroy the rural nature of our village and is not sustainable or in line with stated policy of the draft Chichester Local Plan or NPPF. It is not proportionate has no consideration of fairness, has been driven purely by developers. It is the easy option, taken without adequate consultation or involvement with the community. CDC should have looked to all their service villages and required them to identify sustainable development sites within their own parishes, in line with stated policy. Development of smaller sites across the services villages are likely to be more sustainable, will have been achieved through involvement of the communities and have less impact on them.

I request that my objections and comments be considered when CDC submit their Plan review to the next stage of consultation.