As part of the planning application process, Horsham District Council and West Sussex County Council will assess the capacity of existing social infrastructure and confirm whether financial contributions are required as part of the planning permission to enable improvements to local schools, doctors, dentists to be funded.

Before any planning permission is issued, we will agree the appropriate financial contributions towards local services in a legal agreement with the Council, a Section 106 agreement, which will be tied to the planning approval. The application will also include a Community Infrastructure Levy which is a financial contribution based on the proposed floorspace of development. This contribution is made to the Council to spend on infrastructure within the district.

Local councils have to show that they can meet the demand for new housing in their area, demonstrating they can meet at least five years’ worth of housing demand.

Horsham District Council currently only has enough land identified to meet about one year’s worth of housing need for the district, including the former Chanctonbury Nurseries site and land West of Ashington School, which are both allocated in the Neighbourhood Plan.

More land needs to be identified to help deliver the 1,357 homes required each year across the district.

We are proposing 74 new homes in a planned and sustainable location, which would make a valuable contribution towards providing the new homes needed in the local area. Our site has been previously allocated for housing, making it a natural and appropriate extension to the village.

The site sits between existing houses to the west and a new residential development under construction to the east, within walking distance of local schools and services, making it a natural and sustainable location to deliver additional homes for the village.

The site has been previously allocated for housing in the withdrawn Local Plan, which identifies it as being considered suitable for housing by Horsham District Council.

The proposals will deliver 35% affordable homes. This equates to approximately 26 affordable homes.

Our aim is to create a balanced community by building a broad mix of intergenerational and affordable new homes, helping people to get on to the housing ladder or downsize in later life.

Before any construction work starts, we will prepare and agree a detailed Construction Management Plan (CMP) and Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) with Horsham District Council. Together these documents set out the methods of work, how any impacts will be mitigated, site hours and delivery times, and the routes for construction vehicles.

We will continue to engage with local residents throughout construction to provide timely information and respond to any concerns.

Taking cues from the traditional architecture found throughout Ashington, the new homes adopt a traditional material palette, including red and buff bricks, white render and brown and grey roof tiles, that are firmly rooted in the local context.

In line with the surrounding residential context, the majority of dwellings will be two-storeys, with a small number of 2.5 storey dwellings to act as focal points within the development for wayfinding.

We have thoroughly considered the relationship with neighbouring properties within the proposed design, with enhanced planting buffers between existing and future residents and appropriate back-to-back distances.

The site has been surveyed for protected species including reptiles, breeding birds, bats, dormouse and badgers. Ecologists have confirmed that the site offers limited value and habitats for these protected species, however, the proposed development will include mitigation measures to protect any on site species and will improve biodiversity both on-site and off-site (in line with biodiversity net gain legislation).

In accordance with biodiversity net gain legislation, the proposed development will include a 10% biodiversity net gain through both on-site and off-site measures. Invasive species will be removed and native species will be enhanced on site.

Existing water courses will be protected and enhanced, open space to the south and north of the site. Appropriate buffer zones will also be included for all trees.

After consulting with the community, we anticipate submitting a planning application Summer/Autumn 2025, with a planning decision by Winter 2025, and construction to start on site in Spring 2026 with the new homes completed towards the end of 2027.