Parish Council news

58 Parish Council News

Ashington Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan update

February 2020 will see the publication of Horsham District Councils (HDC) local plan review which is a full review of their strategy for delivering new homes. Members of the Parish Council attended a presentation by HDC and understand that some key principles of the current HDC framework will likely remain ie settlement hierarchy (town, village, hamlet), building in or adjacent to Built-Up-Area-Boundary etc but it seems probable that there will be new policies, possibly including the building of brand-new settlements. The facts are: HDC still need to find land for 9,000- 16,000 homes to 2036; they are assessing 500 sites across the District, including Ashington; they are considering 8 strategic sites (>1000 homes) –4 are ‘add-ons’ to existing settlements (Ifield, Southwater, Billingshurst), 4 are essentially new settlements (Kingsfold, Adversane, Buck Barn and Mayfield); it seems likely that they will choose some new and some add-on strategic sites and the remaining balance of homes will come from ‘smaller’ (<1000 homes) sites spread across the District; they are fully aware of neighbourhood plans and are taking these into consideration but, going forward, they want to deliver homes through their own allocations process so that they can be sure that the minimum

numbers required by Government are being delivered at the right times. Failure to achieve the right numbers means all potential sites could come forward for development. Ashington’s Neighbourhood Plan is at an advanced stage and HDC have asked that it continue to make progress towards completion. Some archaeological information is still needed, and this is being chased as a matter of urgency. Once the HDC local plan review is published a meeting will take place between HDC and every Parish in the District to look at housing numbers, site allocations, Neighbourhood Plans and the future. Email: clerk@ashingtonpc.org.uk Tel: 07851 009655 www.ashingtonpc.org.uk

through the door

ParishCouncil News 59

Storrington & Sullington

Sullington Recreation Ground –Outdoor Gym I am pleased to announce that the tender process to design and install an outdoor gym facility at Sullington Recreation Ground will shortly be underway. The brief is to create an innovative and exciting facility that can be used by a wide range of ages from young adults to older people who want to improve their health and fitness. Public Toilet - As reported last month, the matter of the public toilet has been suspended whilst we try to ascertain whether these will be available as part of the plans to reopen the garage on Old Mill Drive along with a new convenience store. If it turns out that these facilities are not available to the public then we will press on with the plans to install a toilet in the Library car park but I hope that we can clarify this during the next few weeks. Community events - I am pleased to report that the Storrington Village Day and SADCASE Classic Car Show will be held again this year and we look forward to working with the organisers to ensure that these continue to be successful. Visitor Information Board - Horsham District Council is carrying out a project to install digital information boards for visitors in rural towns and villages and the first one for Storrington is due to go live this month on Place Villerest. These boards will provide infor- mation about what is available, where to shop, what to see and do in the parish as well as details of any community events that might be occurring. We look forward to seeing the facility being used by visitors and locals alike. Air Quality - We have written to West Sussex County Council to ask what they intend to do regarding their use of high polluting school buses and have arranged a meeting with the relevant Cabinet Member so hopefully, I will be able to report on this next month. We are reviewing the actions that have been undertaken by the Air Quality Management Steering Group. There are a couple of alternatives that were previously rejected for what at the time were good reasons but may warrant a fresh look now. Climate Action - We now have all the data we need to calculate our carbon footprint as a Parish Council and will be reporting on this at the next Infrastructure, Communications and Environment Committee meeting and discussing ways we can reduce it. In the meantime, the contract to supply electricity to the Memorial Pond (for the two pumps that clean the pond) came up for renewal in January. The Parish Council used the opportunity to switch to a renewable energy supplier, saving 1.8 tonnes of CO2 each year. Next Parish Council meeting is on 26th February at 7pm. Text by Anna Worthing-Lees, Parish Council Chairman. For more information on SPC please contact www.storrington-pc.gov.uk 01903 746547.