Homes plan for Shripney caravan site debated

Arun District Council’s development control committee agreed a panel of members should look at Shripney Garden Centre, off Shripney Lane, and report back next month.

Committee member Cllr Simon McDougall (Bersted) said: “I believe there are visual and residential amenity issues involved here.

“Councillors should go and have a good look at the site and make that assessment themselves.

“This is quite a controversial application up there and everybody’s views need to be taken into consideration.”

Site owner Carl Lineton wants to extend his business by adding 17m eastwards on to farmland to install 12 previously-approved mobile homes.

He also intends to change an access and the parking layout.

But his proposal is strongly opposed by his neighbours.

Shripney Lane resident Gordon Bell said: “The layout of the proposals in this application consumes more than twice as much land for each mobile home than the existing Shripney Gardens site and more than 30 per cent more land than was approved in 2010.

“This proposal urbanises much more grade one agricultural land than is necessary or justified.”

Mr Lineton’s planning agent, Dawn Appleton, said: “This site already has planning permission for the 12 extra mobile homes.

“This application relates to the extension eastwards which is due to the spacing required for the caravans and the desire to protect two trees under which mobile homes can’t be located.”

Arun received 32 letters opposing the plan. Bersted Parish Council had no objection but noted the ‘considerable disharmony’ in the matter.