Jobs are motive enough

I WILL happily trade motives behind development proposals in Arun with Derek Waller (Gazette letters, July 30) and Nick Herbert MP, who has also sought to cast doubt on my motives, if there is a chance we can persuade them to move on from denial of desperate housing need and to recognising the deprivation which follows from high-cost housing in a low-pay district.

It calls for a different approach to strategic planning. It means challenging the entrenched views of fellow Conservatives and the views of planning officers.

No place for populism in support of self-interests against re-use of 266 acres of concrete-covered wasteland so that people can get better jobs and bring up their children in a decent home.

No place for party political interests in order to gain power. When this Labour government gives way to Conservatives, the homeless and hard-pressed will still be with us, and greater in number.

Ford Enterprise Hub (FEH) grew naturally out of the county structure plan. In 2005, it went through the area committee, a democratic process created jointly by county and district councils, and specifically asks "... that all options for development in the area post 2011 west of the River Arun are open for consideration". All options, gentlemen, and not just those which council officers and Arun cabinet members have fixed in their sights.

It seeks to ensure that the disused airfield at Ford is considered for major development ahead of greenfield sites at Bersted, Aldingbourne and Barnham.

Curiously enough, Mr Waller had earlier written to a planning inspector: "I have no overall objection to the building of home ... especially on the essentially brownfield sites of the now disused Tangmere and Ford airfields".

Now that's the spirit! County councillor Derek Whittington was a supporter of FEH at the area committee, but is no longer.

Compare the FEH pro-active approach through the process established by local authorities with the knee-jerk reaction of a nimby group called forth by the leader of Arun and then given officer support and accommodation.

The raison d'etre for CAFE is to prevent the use of Ford Airfield for homes and jobs.

FEH seeks to provide both on that wasteland. Motive enough, I think ?

Harold Hall

Snowdrop Cottage

Warningcamp

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