Coombe Farm – How to have your say

If you click on related documents and then associated documents you will find the application and its supporting papers, and the responses received so far. We don’t recommend you wade through all the 44 documents the developer has submitted. If you choose one, it should be the Planning Statement (Final), which is effectively a summary of all the others.  

You can respond by using the online template or emailing the case officer directly: stuart.malcolm@midsussex.gov.uk. Which you choose depends on how much you want to say. If you email directly, quote the reference number (DM/25/2661) and give your postal address.

Two very important points to bear in mind: the more local people respond, the better – weight of numbers will count. And you must make your objections in your own way, in your own words. If it becomes clear you just cut and pasted from others, your response will be discounted. 

We have set out below the key objections which we think are relevant to this application. You may have others, and you should of course include them. And you might want to look at other responses, which are posted as they come in. We’ll put ours up on our website, and Sayers Common Village Society have done an excellent one which you should find helpful.

• Flooding. The development site itself is on a low hill and probably won’t flood, but the plans won’t properly deal with runoff which will affect the B2118 – which already floods – and Wintergreen Way.
• Traffic. We can expect between 300-400 more cars, which will be used for several trips each day – for school, work, and shopping/leisure, because public transport links are too far away or inadequate. This will cause problems at the site entrance and through the whole of Sayers Common
• Landscape and Heritage. Coombe Farm and its setting provide a view of a traditional Sussex rural landscape for walkers, cyclists and other travellers using the Old London Road. This should not be sacrificed. Some of the farm buildings are grade 2 listed and will be totally surrounded and swamped by the development.
• Density and Design. There are too many houses proposed for such a small site, which is not in keeping with the countryside. Some are planned to be three storeys high , which is not suitable for this setting and sets a damaging precedent for other local schemes. 
• Biodiversity. This area  is recognised in the Sussex Local Nature Recovery Strategy as a valuable site. The developers plan to do away with woodland and replace it with grassland, which will destroy important habitats.  

Thank you!