Goring Gap: Worthing Borough Council in High Court battle
Worthing Borough Council is challenging a decision by a planning inspector to approve the project at Chatsmore Farm.
Worthing Borough Council will have its day in court this week as it fights a 475 home development.
It will challenge a decision by the Planning Inspectorate to allow 475 homes to be built at Chatsmore Farm, also known as the Goring Gap.
The development prompted more than 1,200 letters of objection and the appeal decision led to a protest by local residents.
Worthing West MP Sir Peter Bottomley asked several times for the decision to be reviewed in the House of Commons.
WBC vowed to appeal the decision in the High Court and a hearing is set to take place on Wednesday (20 July).
The council says the land is an important green space and 475 homes would adversely affect the South Downs National Park as well as adding to congestion.
Developer Persimmon says the proposed homes are needed to meet demand, adding that the development ‘would not represent a new outward incursion into the open countryside’.