I would like to Object to certain sections of the new local plan. My particular concern is the large increase in housing numbers allocated to Loxwood compared to that required from the other 3 service villages in the North of Plan area of the district.
My understanding of the NPPF guidance on determining the distribution of houses is that local councils should consult with the communities to provide an understanding of the impact and sustainability of the proposed developments. This did not happen in this instance and the Local Council planners simply relied on developers coming forward with suitable land. There was no attempt to spread the houses over the other local service villages as was the case in the previous plan. Hence the Planners had delegated their duties to the developers.
Not only were the planners at fault for now working within the NPPF guidance but seemed to completely to ignore some of the sustainability issues.
For a start the sewage system is already at capacity and apparently Southern Water has no plan to update the system in its 2020 to 2025 spending plan. Remedial action has had to be introduced to prevent the sewage from the Nursery Green site overpowering the system.
Then there are the flooding issues where from time to time properties become inundated from heavy rain and when that water gets into the sewage system as well, raw sewage will appear in resident's gardens.
Travel without a car is near impossible in Loxwood. There are two bus services, No 42 to Guildford once per day Monday to Saturday and No 64 to Horsham one per day on Monday and Thursday. In both services passengers have less than 2 hours before having to return.
There are few employment opportunities in Loxwood and most people will have to use cars to get to their place of work.
The primary school is effectively at capacity and already has had to use its library as a classroom. With more than 60 houses from the current Neighbourhood Plan gradually coming on line and a further 125+ yet to appear the school will be unable to cope.
None of the above suggests that adding a further 125 houses to the village can be considered sustainable when judged against the definitions in the NPPF and CDC's draft Local Plan 2035.
I believe the decision to build most of the houses required in the North of Plan area in Loxwood should be reviewed again and spread them more evenly across all the service villages. It is difficult to believe that in these other villages that land is not available for development.