An investigation has revealed that an unpopular development in West Sussex, backed by Liberal Democrat and Green councillors on Horsham District Council, is to be built in part on land owned by a Green councillor.
The online news site, Guido Fawkes, has reported that one of two plots of land involved in the development, which are to be published using public funds, is owned by a Green Party councillor. The land was valued at £160,000 in 2016 and is believed to now be worth substantially more following the development’s inclusion in the draft Local Plan.
The development of 70 homes, north of Melton Drive in Storrington, had been blocked by the previous Conservative council administration and the Planning Inspectorate on appeal. The site is also not included in the Storrington Neighbourhood Plan. Despite this in December the new Lib Dem and Green alliance at Horsham District Council voted to approve the development as part of the Local Plan proposal.
Commenting on these revelations Andrew Griffith MP said:
“This news seems extraordinary. Local residents had shared with me their surprise that this land - which was not in the local neighbourhood plan - made it into the Horsham Council plan voted for by Greens and Lib Dems.
Storrington is represented by three Green Councillors on Horsham Council. Did they declare an interest about their fellow Green councillor’s ownership of this land? And whilst we local Conservatives have been opposing developers bulldozing nature on our precious green land, it looks like the Greens are in cahoots with the developers themselves.
I hope that Horsham District Council undertake all proper due diligence to ensure no one is improperly benefitting from development at the expense of local residents.”
