I wish to object strongly to the new draft Chichester District Council Local Plan.

I am a resident in Loxwood. I understand that the new draft Local Plan includes an additional 125 houses for the Parish of Loxwood in addition to the 60 already added in the current Local Plan.

Other neighbouring parishes which were also allocated 60 houses each, namely Wisborough Green and Kirdford and Plaistow/Ifold, have been allocated 25 houses and zero houses respectively in the new draft Local Plan. The is patently unfair and will have a huge impact on the landscape quality, the historic environment and the settlement character of Loxwood.

I understand that the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires that Local Plans and planning applications deliver sustainable development. Loxwood does not meet the tests of sustainability for the following reasons:

1. Sewage Infrastructure. Southern Water has no plans to upgrade the infrastructure in its 2020-2025 budget. They state that Loxwood sewage is running at capacity and, in fact, the current new development known as the Nursery Site already has had to have sewage tanks installed which will have to be emptied by tanker.
2. There is virtually no public transport system. There is only one bus a day that goes to Guildford.
3. Loxwood does not have any local businesses that would offer employment opportunities to new residents, thus new residents would have to commute to work by car (no public transport to speak of see above). Additional cars would have an impact on the local environment and add to the burden of the A281. Guildford/Horsham Road, which is already running at capacity.
4. There are areas in Loxwood which are prone to both fluvial and surface water flooding.
5. Loxwood does not have a demand from existing residents for open market housing, most houses that come on the market are bought by people moving from elsewhere.

The obvious conclusion of the above points is that 125 new houses in Loxwood in addition to the 60 already allocated cannot meet the tests of sustainability and therefore cannot be considered to be Sound as defined in the NPPF.


/2.......contd
Furthermore, I understand that it is contained within National Planning Guidance that district councils should carry out desktop studies of potential new housing sites and then consult with local councils.

Chichester District Council, however, after calling for sites, allocated Loxwood 125 new houses on sites In Loxwood that have been proposed by developers. No parish consultations took place and no action has been taken to share the housing burden across the three parishes of Kirdford, Wisborough Green and Loxwood defined as "service villages" by Chichester District Council.

Surely Chichester District Council should have followed National Planning Guideline during the process of the development of its new draft Local Plan.