Development at West Durrington
Objection Letter

If you wish you can copy and paste this message and Email it to mike.bleakley@worthing.gov.uk to Planning Department, WBC, with your name and address, and signing it.
If you would like you can get a paper copy by ringing Richard Waller on 01903-248782 and leaving your address on the answering machine.
Or just print this page and attach it to your letter to Planning Department.

Many thanks for supporting us in this opposition.

Worthing Society
Goring Residents' Association
Ilex Conservation Group
Goring Gap Preservation Trust

Mr M Bleakley
Head of Planning
Worthing Borough Council
Portland House, Richmond Road
Worthing BN11 1LF

Dear Mr Bleakley

WB/01/01010/OUT - West Durrington Development

We object to the above development on the following reasons:

1. The siting of the proposed business park is entirely out of place, in the middle of attractive countryside, and a bad precedent to other developers.
2. The proposed business park will be a physical barrier for the wildlife, and be a visual intrusion to the views from Highdown looking North to an AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), and from Patching looking South.
3. The proposed path and cycle track across the land south of Castle Goring, between the business park and the proposed new housing will lead to wholesale damage to the large stand of oaks.
4. Titnore Lane should not be widened with the loss of up to 503 standard trees, all of which have Tree Protection Orders, in a SNCI (Site of Natural Conservation Importance). The character of the lane will be completely changed, and the road will become just another fast road.
5. We object to the use of the West Durrington land for housing. As with the business park it will cause severe ecological change, and a visual intrusion.
6. There will be threat to wildlife and scarce birds and the loss of good agricultural land.
7. 75 important trees, 80 clumps of hazel, and 550 metres of hedgerow will be lost. Only about 50% of trees replaced with new planting will survive vandalism, and in any case would take many years to mature.
8. There will be increased traffic because the proposed site is a long way from anywhere, and local facilities are never going to satisfy all the local needs for education, shopping and leisure.
9. It seems likely that the money set aside for social and community facilities will be used in other parts of Worthing. This would be unfortunate since already the local needs are very pressing.
10. Because of the abnormally high water table which caused such problems last winter, the plans for surface water drainage are inadequate to prevent flooding downstream of the site. We note that 20 pumps operated from December to March last winter, and there was still discharge of untreated water into the Rife.