Public urged to reserve seat at planning meeting

The West Sussex County Council planning committee meeting has been moved to County Hall North in Horsham due to ongoing repair work to the council chamber ceiling in Chichester.

As a result, public space is limited to 100 people. Priority will be given to people who have already made representations about items on the agenda.

The committee is due to consider a number of items, including one for temporary oil and gas exploration at Lower Stumble Wood near Balcombe and for inert recycling at Burlands Farm near Crawley.

When plans for temporary oil and gas exploration were discussed in Chichester last year, people protested outside County Hall.

The farm was also the site of major protests when the oil company Cuadrilla started its exploratory drilling work.

Anybody who wants to attend the meeting is asked to reserve their space by contacting Matthew Evans by email at [email protected] or calling Matthew on 0330222538 by noon on Monday April 28 to avoid the disappointment of being turned away on the day.

Due to the limited public space, the meeting is being webcast live and can be viewed here.

The full agenda for the meeting, along with officers’ reports and recommendations, can be read in full at the county council’s website.