The Parish Council supports the vision and overall strategic objectives of the Local Plan 2021-2039.

Spatial strategy:

Westbourne is identified as a Service Village and there is a given allocation for new development of 30 dwellings. In general terms this seems like a reasonable level of new growth that can be accommodated. However, the plan recognises that in the general area the scope for new development between the National Park boundary and the A27 is limited outside of Southbourne due to physical and environmental constraints. Given these limited opportunities to find land for new development around the village, which was confirmed in the Neighbourhood Planning process recently completed, the scope for Westbourne to take further development is very limited. The Parish Council would urge the District Council to see this quantity of 30 as a maximum target. We would ask the District Council to confirm that it would not suggest a new strategic development being brought forward in the allocations plan for Westbourne as the constraints of the National Park setting and other countryside policies severely limit the scope for further development.

Policy H4, affordable housing policy:
The existing policy only requires on-site provision of affordable housing for 10 or more dwellings. The proposed changes to require commuted sum payments in defined rural areas on sites for between six to nine dwellings is supported. However, this as drafted currently excludes Westbourne. Westbourne Parish Council would urge the District Council to ensure that this policy applies to Westbourne as it has limited opportunity for larger sites which makes it difficult to bring forward affordable housing and there is a clear need for more affordable housing in the Parish.

Policies H12 and H13:

The Plan indicates that there is a high level of unmet need generally for Gypsy’s Travellers and Show People. The high levels of existing and unauthorised pitches in Westbourne is also mentioned in the Plan. The neighbouring parish of Southbourne is also mentioned as a location with high levels of pitches and unmet need. The relevant extract on the approach to meeting this need is as follows. “the council has had to utilise a wide range of options for meeting this need. This entails providing pitches on the strategic housing allocation sites, supporting increases in the density of pitches on existing authorised sites which have been assessed as being acceptable in principle for additional pitches, and allowing pitches to come forward on a case-by-case basis. The council will also consider allocating additional pitches via the forthcoming Allocations DPD.”

Westbourne Parish Council is concerned to avoid intensification of the authorised and unauthorised Gypsy and Traveller and Showman’s Pitches located within the Parish. Westbourne already has one of the highest concentrations of such uses anywhere in the District and further intensification will have an adverse impact on the balanced and cohesive community that we seek to protect. We would argue that other locations with lower intensities of such use should be sought to meet this need.

The site in Cemetery Lane at Greenacre is identified as a location for an additional four pitches. There have been many enforcement issues in this area with unauthorised pitches and unauthorised industrial and commercial development, and further increases in the quantity of pitches will exacerbate the situation to the detriment of the balanced and cohesive community that the Parish Council seeks to protect and enhance.