Hello, I am Alan Manton

BREAKING NEWS! 19th August 2025 Horsham District Council

Approve ANOTHER 62 Houses on the Green Gap!

 

A Travesty of Democracy.

Storrington Residents let down again by Horsham District Council.

 

This morning a Resident contacted me and said: “The Council Officers muzzled Councillors and manipulated the process” & “It’s clear the whole debate was rigged for approval” – What is this about?

 

I am Councillor Alan Manton of Horsham District Council, Read on…..

Last night, 19th of August, I attended Horsham District Planning Committee to hear the Planning Application (DC/24/2006) submitted by Wates Development Ltd to build another 62 houses north of Melton Drive Storrington, next to the 62 homes currently under construction on the Green Gap Buffer, at Downsview Ave, by Croudace Homes Ltd.

 

This Greenfield site is part of the Coalescence buffer between the two Communities of Storrington and Sullington Parish and West Chiltington Parish, where I and two colleagues are the Ward Councillors. It is known as The Green Gap in the made Neighbourhood Plan.

 

We three Ward Councillors for West Chiltington, Joy Dennis, Philip Circus and Alan Manton, were banned from speaking at the Planning Meeting by Len Ellis-Brown Chairman of the Planning Committee, who had taken advice from HDC Officers.

 

I believe there were many issues where the consideration of this Planning Application DC/24/2006 was seriously flawed.

There appeared to me to be little Weight given by HDC Planning Officers or the Planning Committee Members to the Storrington and Sullington Neighbourhood Plan 2018-2031 created in accordance with the legal requirements of the Localism Act 2011. The Neighbourhood Plan was formally adopted and became part of the statutory development plan on 5^th September 2019. The Plan covers the period from 2018 to 2031 and provides a framework for Planning Decisions in the area.

 

Surprisingly HDC Planning Officers felt Weight should be given to Horsham District Council’s lack of Land Supply for building on this Green Gap!

I can’t help but think this lack of Land Supply is more down to the debacle over the Horsham District Council Local Plan which was thrown out by Luke Fleming, the Government Planning Inspector 22Apr25. Mr Fleming concluded the Plan was unsound due to a number of failures, he recommended that HDC withdraw the Plan.

 

Unfortunately HDC has, for the past 4 months, vasilated between Withdrawal, Appeal or starting again with a New Local Plan. The HDC Administration seem frozen in the headlights unsure of what to do next! This has left HDC vulnerable to unsuitable developments and the Planning Officers scared of being put into Special Measures.

 

Planning Officers seem to be more concerned Government may put them into Special Measures and remove their ability to continue as a Local Planning Authority, they appear to be desperately seeking salvation by finding an land to build upon and domonstrate their allegience to the NPPF. The Head of Planning, Emma Parkes, even took pains in the meeting to remind Committee Members of the potential consequences of not approving more developments such as this.

 

Some Planning Committee Members, in particular the redoubtable Jay Mercer and Anthony Frankland, were rightly concerned about the possibility of “Mission Creep”, as Jay put it, spreading across the Green Gap set in the made Neighbourhood Plan.

 

Unfortunately the Officers presentation, televised on the displays, which should importantly inform Members of the setting, was quite unclear regarding existing development currently being built on the Green Gap, and, for some reason, the Head of Planning did not draw Jay and Anthony’s attention to this point. I could not do so as I was banned from speaking on behalf of my Ward!

 

Mission Creep was already happening, and left ignorant of this fact by HDC Officers Planning Members voted to approve.

 

The answer may have been very different if only the Planning Committee Members had been informed.

 

A very good case for making Site Visits.

 

So the result was Officers get to keep their jobs for another three years until Horsham District Council is abolished under Local Government Reorganisation, and the Residents of Storrington, Sullington and West Chiltington get hundreds of new cars out on their streets creating congestion and pollution as the Communities become joined together to become one big Urban Sprawl.

 

I applaud the excellent & factual arguments made by the public speakers Richard Evea, Colin Campbell & Anna Worthington-Leese. I know you put much effort into this and I am upset that I was prevented speaking with you.

 

Councillor Alan D Manton, District Ward Coucillor for the abutting Ward of West Chiltington. Independent