Goring Gap: High Court overturns 475-home development plan

The planned homes were originally refused by Worthing Borough Council

Plans to build 475 houses in Worthing have been overturned by a High Court judge.

Worthing Borough Council (WBC) rejected the plans by Persimmon Homes in March 2021, but the developer was given the go-ahead after appealing to the government.

WBC leader Beccy Cooper said she was "pleased to see that the voices of the community have been heard".

A Persimmon spokesperson said they were "disappointed" with the decision.

They said: "The judge's concerns relate to the process by which the planning inspector reached his conclusion, rather than the conclusion itself," adding that the developer would "now reflect on this judgement and consider our options."

'Massive victory'

Mrs Justice Lang ruled that a government inspector had not given enough weight to the impact the development in the Goring Gap would have on the South Downs National Park.

Worthing West MP Sir Peter Bottomley said: "This is a massive victory for our local councils and for our communities."

Ms Cooper said: "The decision justifies our actions in taking this appeal forward."

"We remain committed to protecting our green spaces, ensuring that the climate emergency is at the heart of all our decision making, alongside moving forward with a strong social housing offer on our brownfield sites to ensure that all our Worthing residents can live, work and thrive in our town."

The council's legal costs will now be covered by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whose inspector gave the plan the go-ahead earlier this year.

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