Walberton Housing Survey

Case Study

Was: A rural green field

Now: Subject to a planning application to deliver 5 new properties including 4 two bedroom semi-detached houses for local people.

A planning consultant approached Landspeed for thoughts on delivering affordable accommodation, on an exception policy basis, in the West Sussex village of Walberton. The landowner was willing to construct and deliver a number of affordable homes for the local community in return for securing a consent for a single private dwelling – this in keeping with Arun District Council’s policies (allowing one third of an exception scheme to be open market).

Given the sensitivity of the location – and the fact that the local authority’s exception policies would support a scheme driven by needs data – it was advised that a specific parish survey should be undertaken. This was discussed with both the parish and Arun District Council and a template proposed by Landspeed was circulated for comment. Aside from a couple of minor amendments (and the addition of a new question) the survey form was approved and subsequently distributed to every property and business within the parish council’s area. It was hand delivered in an envelope identifying what was inside and accompanied by a Freepost return envelope.

In all – from 850 distributed – 175 forms were returned (20%) within a 3 week deadline and, of these, 169 included at least one answered question. The remaining 6 were blank (aside from some ill-founded aggressive comments!).

The responses were analysed and provided sufficient support to the application which was subsequently submitted accompanied by a unilateral undertaking detailing the mechanism for delivery.

Planning consent was granted at appeal in 2019.