A Chichester district councillor has said it would be ‘absolute sacrilege’ to destroy a house in Runcton to make way for up to 92 homes.
Henry Potter (Con, Goodwood) spoke during a meeting of the planning committee on Wednesday (October 8) where the demolition of the house – Wheatlands – formed part of an application from Gleeson Land.
The house, on Lagness Road, dates back to the 1930s, but is not listed. It has been extended over the years and has eight bedrooms.
Mr Potter said: “Why can’t this handsome house be retained and build a few less houses? It’s just too nice a place to destroy.”
His views were shared by a number of his fellow councillors and, in the end, they voted to defer the application to allow for further negotiations about keeping the older part of the house – not the extensions.
The council received 40 letters objecting to the plans as well as objections from North Mundham Parish Council, Pagham Parish Council and Oving Parish Council.
Concerns raised included road safety and congestion, the impact on the Runcton Conservation Area, and the fact the site is outside the settlement boundary and not allocated for housing in the Local Plan.
Regarding the latter, a report to the committee said that the positives – especially the provision of affordable housing – outweighed ‘the moderate conflict’ with the Local Plan.
John Stuart, of North Mundham Parish Council, suggested that the plan had only been recommended for approval because officers were worried that the council would not meet its housing land supply needs after July 2026, when the requirement will increase.
To view the application, log on to publicaccess.chichester.govuk and search for 24/02724/OUT.
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