Henfield Parish Council has a Neighbourhood Plan that was accepted in 2021 through a democratic vote of its residents. It identified four sites for residential housing development. Planning permission has subsequently been granted in respect of Land North of Parsonage Farm and Land West of Backsettown, off Furners Lane for 235 and 29 houses respectively, although the developers have not yet commenced construction. There is an ongoing planning application in respect of Land south of the Bowls Club, off Furners Mead that was allocated for 10 single-storey houses. No application has yet been received for the fourth site, Land East of Wantley Estate, that was allocated for 25 houses and owned by West Sussex County Council.

There have been two successful planning applications in addition in relation to sites not included in the Neighbourhood Plan – Sandgate Nurseries and Land South of New Hall Lane in Small Dole for 82 and 45 houses respectively. Since May 2021, there have been 32 successful applications for in-fill development or conversion of existing non-residential buildings.

The Parish Council is aware that applications have been received for two further large-scale developments both east of Wantley Estate and the Croudace Estate for 191 homes and approximately 500 homes. Horsham District Council declined the former application but this has now been appealed by the developer at a national level and this appeal will be heard on 28^th April. Horsham District Council has not yet considered the Taylor Wimpey application for approximately 500 homes.

The position of Henfield Parish Council is clear – we support development of sites identified in the Neighbourhood Plan. Large-scale development outside the scope of the Neighbourhood Plan threatens the integrity of our Plan and will be opposed accordingly. We recognise that speculative applications will occasionally come forward and we are seeing this at the current time as speculators seek to take advantage of the lack of an approved Horsham District Local Plan that shows a sustainable housing supply - a key defence to such applications. Horsham District Council has put forward a Local Plan and the process of examining this by a National Planning Examiner is recommencing later in April.

The Parish Council is only an advisory body in respect of planning – the decisions are taken by Horsham District Council or a National Planning Inspector in the event of an appeal. Nonetheless, we seek to influence those decisions to the best of our ability.

April 2026