Horsham District Council’s Planning Committee resolved to permit Full Planning Permission for the development of 32 dwellings and commercial space at Sumners Ponds in Barns Green.
The Sumners Ponds site has been family-run for decades and they, along with the Parish Council, wanted to deliver a legacy for future generations. The site was agreed to be allocated for a mixture of Residential and Commercial Uses within the Neighbourhood Plan as well as within the Draft Horsham Local Plan.
The agreed proposal consists of 32 new homes comprised of a mixture of 2, 3, and 4 bedroom houses, along with 1 & 2 bedroom apartments in a range of open market and affordable tenure types. In addition, new commercial units are proposed along with a replacement reception facility.
The scheme provides for an innovative water neutrality solution through significant upgrades to the existing facilities at Sumners Ponds, which provides for a net gain in water usage across the new development, when factored into the water-saving measures associated with the new buildings.
The collaborative and iterative approach to the scheme has evolved over the last year or more, including several meetings with the Parish Council and local people and we are thrilled that the committee were able to support this proposal that has been developed alongside the local community aligning fully with the fundamental aspects of Localism in planning.
