I would like you to consider this letter as a formal objection to the CDC Local (development) Plan in its current form. Specifically to the proposed allocation of 125 new houses to Loxwood village in addition to the 60 contained in the existing Local Plan.

I accept that there is a nationwide need for new homes, but I object to the scale of this plan as it impacts Loxwood based on the principles:-

* The process thus far appears to have allowed developer led site availability to direct a disproportionate share of new build to Loxwood village.

* Development on this scale is not compatible with existing and planned infra-structure and services in the Loxwood area.

Developer Led Process
The current proposal allocates 125 new homes to Loxwood, yet only 25 to Wisborough Green and none at all to Plaistow, Ifold and Kirdford. All these villages are similar in their provision of services (eg school, shops) that are required to support new housing development. Why therefore has Loxwood been allocated the huge majority of the proposed development? If, as it appears most strongly, it is the result of sites being declared available by land owners and developers, then it is reasonable to challenge why this criterion is given undue weighting in the overall process. Further consultation through the Loxwood Parish Council should be carried out as a matter of urgency.

Infra-Structure and Services
Loxwood village has expanded through new housing developments consistently over recent years. The situation has now been reached whereby certain services essential to support an increase in the village population are at or near capacity:-

* Sewage and surface water drainage is a matter of significant concern within the village (which is prone to flood in periods of high rain and/or water run off). The recent 40+ housing development on the old Nursery land required the installation of sewage holding tanks with the associated need for emptying by means of road tanker. Southern Water has gone on record stating that its systems in Loxwood are at capacity. Furthermore it has no plan in the foreseeable future to address the situation.

* Loxwood primary school is almost full. Indeed it has converted space occupied by its library to provide much needed classroom capacity.

* Public transport in Loxwood is almost non-existent. The once a day bus service between Cranleigh and Guildford does not provide an alternative to car usage for the vast majority of journeys.

* Most Loxwood residents in employment need to commute to nearby towns, notably Guildford and beyond or Horsham/Crawley district due to the lack of job opportunities in what is essentially a rural residential and agricultural area. The occupants of new housing development will probably need to find similar employment. The pressure will increase still further on local roads, notably the A281 Guilford-Horsham road. [This is under significant pressure driven by approved developments at Alfold and Dunsfold Park in the adjacent Waverley DC area of Surrey]

In conclusion I therefore object to this existing CDC Development Plan as I do not believe it sustainable within the context of the Loxwood area infra-structure and I do not believe that the process thus far has been fair and equitable within the North-East area of Chichester DC.