Enough land found to build 3,000 homes

The availability of the sites between next March and March 2018 means Arun District Council has achieved a crucial planning measure to enable it to withstand challenges from developers.

It can boast 5.26 years of land for new housing to meet a key government target of having five years’ worth of sites plus a five per cent buffer.

This will be a valuable defence to use when applicants appeal against the council’s refusal of planning permission for a site. But the possible locations include 160 homes on the Regis Centre site as well as approved schemes like the former community college.

Arun’s planning head Cllr Ricky Bower said the land supply should stop battles with developers.