Kingston is a small Parish in West Sussex. We are asking for your urgent help to raise funds to take forward an application for Judicial Review of a planning application for 47 dwellings approved by Arun District Council (ref K/46/23/PL).
We have received legal advice on this and it suggests there is an issue that gives grounds for a judicial review and Council urgently needs to raise £35,000 to cover the potential costs of this should the application fail.
450 objections to the application were made to Arun District Council and it was obvious that this was a very emotive and important issue for both Kingston and neighbouring communities.
The site is in Kingston but backs on to dwellings in East Preston, so both parishes are affected as well as other nearby communities.
Access to the 47 dwellings will be from Kingston Lane on the first bend south of the junction with North Lane and representations were made about the hazards this will create. The site is a much appreciated and beautiful area of countryside visible from Kingston Lane and it sits within the Gap between Settlements (detailed in the Arun Local Plan). Importantly for sustainability, the development will result in the irreversible loss of Grade 1 agricultural land – that is the best and most excellent quality agricultural land.
If the application for Judicial Review is successful the Arun District Council decision is “quashed”. This means that Arun District would have to reconsider the matter correcting the legal mistake which has resulted in the decision being quashed.
It is important to understand that the outcome of this redetermination by Arun District Council might be that the same decision will be reached. But it should allow the community to make further representation.
For Council to carry on with this process it needs to urgently raise funds to cover future expenditure and potential costs that may be awarded. (if the case is lost it could as an estimate be as much as £35,000). We are hoping that this can be raised with contributions from Kingston residents and residents of nearby communities who care about protecting this site.
.Any monies not spent will remain in the Council’s Planning Matters Reserve Account to address future planning issues in the parish around development on agricultural land and/or in the Gap between Settlements.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and we do hope you will lend your support so that the application for judicial review can be progressed.
You can see updates on our website: https://kingston-wsx-pc.gov.uk/ under ‘Latest News’.
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