The petition of residents of the constituency of Crawley
Declares that proposals put forward by Homes England for up to 10,000 housing units on land to the west of Ifield are unsustainable, and would see the loss of greenfield sites and intolerable pressure on local public infrastructure
The petitioners therefore urge the House of Commons to ensure the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities work with Homes England to ensure these proposals are withdrawn
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Henry Smith, Official Report, 13 December 2023; Vol. 742, c. 961.]
[P002890]
Observations from the Minister for Housing, Planning and Building Safety (Lee Rowley):
The Government absolutely recognise the challenges that can be associated with significant proposals for housing development and any subsequent delivery of those large-scale projects. Getting planning policy right is a difficult balance, as are the benefits and disbenefits of individual planning applications and proposals.
The Government are keen to ensure the provision of housing that supports the needs of local people and to give people the important opportunity of home ownership. As part of that commitment, Homes England has a strategic plan to create high-quality homes across the country to fulfil those overarching aims. A copy of the agency’s 2023 to 2028 strategic plan can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homes-england-strategic-plan-2023-to-2028.
We accept that proposals can present challenges at times and need to be weighed up in the balance as part of a planning process. On the specific West of Ifield site, this proposal is not yet a committed Homes England project, but rather one being promoted as part of the Horsham local plan process. The local authority is responsible for deciding where housing is delivered, working with neighbouring authorities, statutory consultees and local communities to ensure proposals are appropriate. This involves taking account of constraints in any individual local area.
Any development proposals brought forward by Homes England will follow a rigorous process, with the decision on their appropriateness sitting principally with the local planning authority, which will consider the suitability and acceptability of the site for development in determining whether it should form part of the local plan or not. Any applications will be determined in accordance with the local democratic process. Where sites are identified to meet housing needs, potential impacts should be fully considered both as part of the local plan site selection and as part of specific future planning applications, should the scheme be taken forward.
Given the Secretary of State’s quasi-judicial role that can be exercised in individual planning applications, it would not be prudent to comment on the merits of this scheme specifically, and it is ultimately for the local authority through its plan-making process to ensure that the sites being proposed are right for the area.
I would encourage both my hon. Friend and his constituents to engage with the local plan-making process to ensure local voices are heard.