Plans for 19 homes in Barnham refused - here's why

The outline application was for land adjacent to Highfield House, Yapton Road, where previous applications for a care home and 30 homes had been refused.

Officers said the proposed development would result in 'settlement coalescence, and introduce built-form that would harm the semi-rural character of the area' and was therefore contrary to Arun Local Plan policies.

They said the illustrative layout shows single storey with back gardens and a central road through the site. The existing footpath on Yapton Road would be widened to 2m. There would be 42 parking spaces.

A previous application for a 70 bed care home and 14 assisted living bungalows were dismissed on appeal in 2021 after being refused as overdevelopment, for the loss of agricultural land and problems with the access to the highway network. Another for a development of 30 homes was refused in 2016.

Objections raised by Barnham and Eastergate Parish Council included that it conflicts with policies relating to sewage, design, heritage assets, development on agricultural land, dark skies, transport and employment land.

There were a further nine letters of objection with concerns including the impact on a grade II listed cottage, impact on pedestrians and cyclists, increase in traffic, the design being out of character, harm to the strategic gap, increased pressure on local services and the impact on views and ecology.

The decision notice can be found on the Arun planning portal using search reference BN/119/22/OUT.