Goring Gap: Government backs Chatsmore Farm homes ban

The planned homes were originally refused by Worthing Borough Council

The government's planning agency has backed the decision to refuse permission for 475 homes in Worthing.

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 then appealed and won its case at the High Court, and now the Planning Inspectorate has confirmed the ban.

It has been given permission to take the case to the Court of Appeal.

The Planning Inspectorate rejected the argument put forward by the house-builder that the site is not a green gap but a mere "indentation" in otherwise continuous development.

The inspectorate said it was clear Chatsmore Farm was "demonstrably special" and a WBC spokesman said "the local community benefits from the access it provides to the open countryside".

Dr Beccy Cooper, the leader of the council, said: "I'm really pleased that the Planning Inspectorate agrees with us that Chatsmore Farm should be protected as a precious resource for the community to enjoy.

"But at the same time I am so disappointed that Persimmon continues to push ahead with plans that no one in Worthing wants.

"We will not give up in the fight to prevent the Goring Gap being concreted over, and I would urge Persimmon to say 'enough is enough' and to walk away from this development."

A spokesperson for Persimmon said: "The Council's emerging Local Plan only provides for a quarter of the houses Worthing needs, so there remains a shortfall of over 10,000 homes for local people and families.

"Based on our most recent development in Worthing, 85% of our homes were sold to local people and 92% were sold to first-time buyers.

"Our proposed development would help the council meet this shortfall and deliver much-needed new homes."

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail]