Last week I met with residents in Barnham who have been affected by flooding, forcing them out of their homes. I asked Southern Water to join me during the meeting to observe for themselves, first hand, the impact on residents of local flooding on roads, fields and even people’s homes. However, I am afraid that flooding around Barnham, Eastergate, Aldingbourne and Westergate is simply the inevitable consequence of the sheer number of housing developments placed on the villages – something that those in the Town Hall of Arun District Council were long warned about. The only way to prevent this in the future is for Arun District Council to impose a complete moratorium on all further development in the area.
Planning is a key theme this week as elsewhere I share residents frustration about Horsham District Council’s new local plan. Having promised not to, the new Lib Dem leadership aim to build houses on precious greenfield land in areas where local roads are already full to capacity. Nature-rich sites such as Melton Drive and Northlands Lane in Storrington, and Rock Road in nearby Thakeham, are all slated for nature to be bulldozed whilst better brownfield sites exist elsewhere within the district. Ultimately, it is Horsham councillors who must be held to account, but I stand with residents in opposing their flawed plan.
Finally, I have received the first results of my survey about Chichester Council’s car park parking charge increases in Petworth and Midhurst – which are set to rise by twice the rate of inflation along with plans to end free Sunday parking. This will hit residents and traders alike. In just the last week alone, over two hundred local residents have expressed their disappointment in the plans, with 96% agreeing with me that charges should not go up. It’s not too late. We can stop this so please sign up on my website.
