Detailed plans for 300 Pagham homes approved

Arun District Council’s planning committee gave the thumbs up with conditions during its meeting on September 8.

The development at Hook Lane, Pagham already gained outline permission in 2019 but sought approval for remaining details.

A collection of detached and semi-detached houses, as well as bungalows and maisonettes, are expected on the site with a total of 90 affordable homes.

Houses will sit in two ‘parcels’ either side of a green space and are joined by a road which connects the development to Hook Lane and Pagham Road.

A children’s play area and 869 parking spaces are planned for the site.

Objections have been raised owing to developer contributions (also known as section 106) relating to a care home and primary school on the site.

In a statement, Pagham Parish Council said it had ‘major concerns’ about the development.

The parish council said: “It does not include facilities agreed, namely a care home and primary school – There is no evidence to suggest the care home will ever be forthcoming.”

It added that local schools ‘cannot provide the places’ that would be required once the development is complete.

Richard Bower (Con, East Preston) said: “It seems to me Pagham Parish Council are seeking to open the argument about the principle of the application again and we are long beyond that.”

Developer Hallam Land Management Ltd’s agent said there have been ‘many years of working with the council’ on the development.

They said the section 106 agreement ‘does not require provision of a primary school on this site’ due to other nearby provisions.

John Charles (Con, Barnham) questioned why a care home which was planned for the site ‘had not been mentioned’.

Council officers said the care home could still come forward at a later stage and confirmed that space had been set aside for one.

Committee chair Terence Chapman (Con, East Preston) noted that the reserved matters application sought approval for internal roads, footpaths, cycle ways and landscaping and ‘not the school or care home’.

Objections have been made to the development citing ‘unsafe’ access and crossing points and the Hook Lane access being too narrow which could pose problems for large vehicles and cause congestion.

Hugh Coster (Ind, Aldwick East) said: “We’ve been creating roads within developments in the area that are far too narrow.”

The provision of safe pedestrian and cycle paths to the proposed school were also discussed.

West Sussex County Council highways authority had no objections to the plans, but said road widths should be consistent and access be made suitable for a 30 mph road. WSCC said the cycle route and crossing points should be revised.

There were also suggestions that wildlife corridors and habitat could be lost.

But Natural England had no objections as it said impacts on the environment were no different to those when outline permission was granted.

A report to the planning committee said many of the above issues had been dealt with at the outline permission stage and that conditions and section 106 contributions had already been agreed.

More information about the plans can be found at the Arun planning portal using reference: P/132/20/RES.