Ford Road Development

In November 2019, the Arundel Neighbourhood Plan Referendum (2) was held and it now included the proposed development on the field on the Ford Road. Of an electorate of 2809 there was a turnout of 984, just 35.03% of the population of Arundel. The number of those in favour of the plan was 790, and those against 193. Once it was confirmed the Norfolk Estate intended to apply for planning to build 90 houses on the Ford Road field, a petition was raised and 700 people signed to say they were against the development. This petition was submitted to the Duke of Norfolk. Since full planning was requested, there have been a further 127 letters submitted to Arun District Council’s planning department, objecting to these houses being built. This means, along with the original 193 objections to the Town Plan, 36.3% of the population of Arundel have now voted against the development, and the number is growing. This suggests that the reality of the impact this development will have on our Town is now of great concern to many residents, and I list some of these below.

1/ Ford Road, which is an already busy, congested, dangerous road, will be even more so with a minimum of 90 cars and, more realistically, 180+ cars feeding onto it from the development.

2/ Priory Lane is barely big enough for one car to use, but it will become a cut through for people coming from Chichester to the Ford Road development. They will also use Pearson Road, Torton Hill Road and Maxwell Road, as many already do, to save the bottle neck on Ford Road by the roundabout.

3/ The two local schools are already at capacity and,
now they have revised the development plan showing a potential new nursery school/community centre at the entrance to the west of Priory Road, many of these children will want places at the school.

4/ There is no easy access for secondary school children to reach either a suitable bus or train and, even if the new cycle route and footpath is built, the reality is that the children will be driven by car, further congesting Ford Road.

5/ The GP surgery in Arundel already appears at capacity as we often have to wait up to 3 weeks for a non-urgent appointment. With a minimum of 180 additional people, and it is more likely to be double this number once you count the young people too, this will impact further on the surgery and existing residents trying to get an appointment.

6/ The site will have 30 affordable and 60 private houses on it. Whilst few would question that affordable housing is important to encourage younger people to live in Arundel, by putting them on the outskirts of town, rather than using some of the brown field sites nearer or in the Town, this will not encourage them to use the shops, public transport, Churches and social activities to be as involved in the town as is hoped.

Most important of all, however, must surely be keeping this field, used for agriculture for hundreds of years, for that purpose. We are in an age where climate change is on everyone’s minds, and the preservation of our wildlife is imperative, so keeping as much green space as possible is vital. You only have to look at what is happening at Ford, Climping, Yapton, Littlehampton and Angmering, to see that once planning is granted for this site, we are likely to see houses on our fields all the way down to Ford Station. The fact this development is even being planned shows that Arundel is no different to any of these other places. So, if like many of us, you don’t want the uniqueness of the setting of Arundel to be lost in a sprawling mass of new houses, please write to the Duke of Norfolk at the Norfolk Estate Office, Arundel, BN18 9AS, urging him to rethink this application.