UPDATE July 2010: The Council is to prepare an Interim Statement on ‘Managing Development’. The Interim Statement will indicate how it is proposed to address the shorter term housing needs in the District, on the basis of a proactive approach towards meeting the requirements through specific land releases for residential development, possibly in the form of smaller scale developments in certain of the locations currently being examined for much larger strategic development.

The Interim Statement on ‘Managing Development’ will sit between the adopted Local Development Framework Core Strategy (February 2007) and the proposed Core Strategy Review, which is not now likely to be adopted until 2013. This approach will enable local communities in the District to avoid the vagaries of multiple planning applications or appeals in locations that would not otherwise be preferred for development and to consider further the issues relating to the larger scale development options, without the pressures of the shorter term housing supply situation. The proposed approach and any land releases will be worked up in conjunction with the relevant local communities and landowners or developers, where appropriate, and will be the subject of wide consultation through the publication of a draft document for public comment.

See the News Release on the main Council website.

Update Feb 2010: A short list of development sites to be the subject of further work has been issued as part of an update to the Core Strategy Review. As part of the process of consultation and technical work, it has been decided that some of the development site options should be excluded from further investigations because their locations meant it would be harder to create cohesive communities with sufficient services to meet the needs of future residents.

Instead, attention will be focussed on a ‘short list’ of the site options to ascertain from the further work whether they are appropriate and deliverable for inclusion in the preferred strategy. Of the nine original site options, the Council will not now proceed with further work on sites Faygate, Chesworth Farm (South Horsham), Adversane/North Heath and Pulborough as potential strategic development locations in the period to 2026. It will now focus its attention on sites West of Ifield, North Horsham, West of Southwater, and East of Billingshurst, with parallel feasibility work taking place on a possible new market town in the Gatwick Sub-Region, jointly with neighbouring authorities.

See the News Release on the main Council website.

The Horsham District Core Strategy sets out a framework for planning the future of the District, including how the District Council intends to meet the Governments requirements for development. The existing Core Strategy covers the period to 2018 but we now need to look even further ahead as the Government has approved the South East Plan, which sets out new requirements from 2006 to 2026.

The first stage in the process of preparing the Core Strategy Review has begun. The Core Strategy Review Consultation Document is called 'Leading Change in Partnership to 2026 and Beyond' and was published for consultation on 4 September 2009. The document sets out some of the key issues in planning the future of the District and some options for how our development requirements can be met. Comment were invited on these issues and options during the consultation period, which ended on 16 October 2009.

Please Note: The comments and representations made on the Consultation Document can be viewed online via the Council's consultation portal.

A formal introduction from Councillor Robert Nye, Leader of the Council and Councillor David Jenkins, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, to 'Leading Change in Partnership to 2026 and Beyond' is available to download.

Leading Change in Partnership to 2026 and Beyond - Core Strategy Review Consultation
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The Core Strategy Review Consultation Document is also supported by a number of background documents, which are available to view and download.