Bid for extra gypsy pitches in Pulborough

An application was received on March 30 to change the use of land at the junction of Hill Farm Lane and Stane Street – an area that used to house a Southern Water depot. A statement from Appleton Town Planning, submitted with the application, said: “The site has been prepared for development by the clearing of scrub and material that was left when used by Southern Water, and during this time it was discovered that the hard-surfaced area is more extensive than previously thought. “It is on this basis, and, having regard to the positive comments of officer’s in the report to planning committee and at the meeting regarding the suitability of the site, that my clients feel that they could offer more pitches on the land.” Officers may have given ‘positive comments’ about the previous application but their sentiments were not shared by some residents. The council received 60 objections, with questions asked about road safety, the effect on the character of the area and whether there was a need for such sites in the first place. Councils are required to have a five-year supply of land to be used as accommodation for gypsies, travellers and travelling show-people – something Horsham does not have – so the answer to the final question was ‘yes’. To view the application, log on to horsham.gov.uk and search under ‘planning’ for DC/20/0636. A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton: Thank you for reading this story on our website. But I also have an urgent plea to make of you. In order for us to continue to provide high quality local news on this free-to-read site and in print, please purchase a copy of our newspaper as well. With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on our town centres and many of our valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you buying a copy. Our journalists are highly trained by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards anywhere in the world. Our content is universally trusted - as all independent research proves. As Baroness Barran said in a House of Lords debate this week on the importance of journalists: “Not only are they a trusted source of facts, but they will have a role to play in rallying communities and getting the message across about how we can keep ourselves and our families safe, and protect our NHS. Undoubtedly, they have a critical role.” But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis. In return we will continue to forensically cover the local news - not only the impact of the virus but all the positive and uplifting news happening in these dark days. In addition, please write to your MP urging the Government to provide some additional financial support for local newspapers and their websites like this one and ensuring that supermarkets continue to stock them. I cannot stress enough how important such an intervention would be. We thank all our readers and advertisers for their understanding and support - and we wish YOU all the best in the coming weeks. Keep safe, and follow the Government advice. Thank you.