The Steyning Society keeps an eye on Planning Applications for building developments that are submitted to Horsham District Council. We aim to influence any further developments of our lovely town.
Please see the latest Steyning and area planning news below
Glebe Farm
Outline planning permission, subject to conditions, was granted for the erection of 265 dwellings on the site at Glebe Farm on 28th September 2024. Applications have now been made to Horsham District Council (“HDC”) for approval of the matters which were reserved when outline planning permission was granted. The applications, their status and the supporting documents can be seen on HDC’s planning website. .
The South Downs National Park Authority’s Local Plan
As originally published, the South Downs National Park Authority’s plan did not include any sites in the parts of Steyning which are inside the National Park. The Authority considered a site at Bayards Fields on the Horsham Road for inclusion in the plan but rejected it as being unsuitable. However, the Authority changed its mind about the site last year and added it to the draft plan in December. The draft plan was put out for public consultation in May but, very unfortunately, this did not come to our attention for a variety of reasons until after the consultation period had closed. As the inspector examining the plan, who has yet to be appointed, has power to accept representations out of time, we have filed representations and asked the inspector to accept them in view of the extenuating circumstances. The Society’s representations can be viewed by following the link The Steyning Society’s representations.
Horsham District Council’s Local Plan.
The Present Position
Hearings about Horsham District Council’s proposed Local Plan started in December 2024. The inspector was changed on 28 January 2026 because it was no longer practical for the original inspector to complete the examination. The new inspector conducted preliminary hearings in April and published his initial conclusions at the beginning of May. Further hearings will be arranged after the Council has responded to the inspector’s initial conclusions. The Council has recently published a list of additional sites it wants included in the plan but none of these sites are in Steyning. Sites at King’s Barn Farm, near the new White Bridge, and at Clays Field, which is in Bramber Parish, were considered but were both rejected as being unsuitable. Full details can be found on the Council’s website by following the link Latest News from Local Plan Examination | Horsham District Council.
Steyning’s allocation under the Local Plan therefore remains 265 new homes to be built on Glebe Farm. Any findings the Inspector might make in respect of this allocation will not affect the planning approvals already given for this development. However, those interested in the Plan may find the following summary helpful.
The Plan
The Plan covers the period 2023 to 2040 and aims to deliver the social, economic and environmental needs of the District. It contains a number of strategic policies and general planning policies which identify development locations to meet employment, housing, retail and other needs and sets the framework for the protection of the natural and built environment. The South Downs National Park is excluded, its planning policies are set out in the South Downs National Park Local Plan.
The Plan has been prepared in accordance with National Planning Policy Guidance and takes account of the evidence base such as housing and employment needs, water supply, biodiversity, flooding and infrastructure.
Proposals for development
The Plan states that the key challenge for the District is how it can continue to protect its environmental quality alongside pressures for development and growth whilst maintaining a high quality of life for its residents.
The Development Hierarchy of the District is identified as Horsham Town as the main settlement surrounded by a network of smaller towns and villages and the rural countryside. Steyning and Bramber defined as part of this network “with a good range of services and facilities, strong community networks and local employment provision with reasonable rail and/or bus services.”
The Plan allows for development beyond existing settlement boundaries through site allocations and sets out a series of criteria to be applied –
- appropriate to the scale and function of the settlement
- meets local housing or employment needs
- does not prejudice long term development
- is contained within an existing defensible boundary and landscape and townscape character features are maintained and enhanced
- it can demonstrate water neutrality
Policies
The Plan sets out a series of policies covering Climate Change and Water; Conserving and Enhancing the Natural Environment; Development Quality, Design and Heritage; Infrastructure, Transport and Healthy Communities and Economic Development.
Housing
The Chapter on Housing notes that all local planning authorities are required by Government to calculate a “local housing need” figure based on a standard methodology. For Horsham District this is assessed as 911 dwellings per annum or 15,487 in the 17 year period between 2023 and 2040.
The Plan identifies previously allocated strategic sites at Horsham, Kilnwood Vale and Southwater together with new strategic sites at Ifield, Southwater and Billingshurst to provide nearly 10,000 of this need. The additional needs will be met by allocating sites in the towns and villages such as Henfield (55 homes); Partridge Green (255 homes); Small Dole (40 homes) and Storrington (125 homes).
Steyning – Glebe Farm allocation
This site allocated for Steyning is Glebe Farm and proposes that 265 new homes should be built on this site. As noted above, outline planning permission was granted for this development in September 2025. The plan provides for
- vehicular access from the A283 (Steyning by-pass)
- improved access to Steyning Town through improvements to local pedestrian and cycle networks
- landscape-led site layout and capacity, safeguarding key views to and from the South Downs and protecting all other elements of landscape character.
The site assessment (appendix 7b) published with the plan notes that Steyning is classified as a larger village, with a good range of services and facilities including a primary school, GP surgery, leisure centre and a range of shops in the centre. It notes that the site could be accessed from the A283 with secondary active travel and emergency access from Kings Barn Lane. It is assessed as having moderate capacity for medium-scale housing development, being relatively contained with the topography undulating across the site. Any design would need to minimise the impact on the South Downs. It states that the site and surrounding land are not designated as important for nature conservation and there are no overriding ecological constraints preventing its allocation.
The Plan states that it is recognised that any development would need to ensure that there are no impacts on the local wildlife site located to the east and should be designed to deliver biodiversity enhancements. Due consideration of the setting of the Grade II listed Northfield Cottage will be required. Allocation would depend on addressing issues concerning improving environment quality, safe vehicular access, supporting biodiversity and improving pedestrian and cycle connectivity to the village centre. Any scheme should be landscape led with green infrastructure provision as a key component. The site layout should also incorporate views of the South Downs.
There is no mention of the Lithium Battery Storage Plant and its potential impact on the site and future development
Steyning Society’s comments on Glebe Farm
The Society has concerns about this allocation and made representations that it should only be made and included in the Local Plan if the following conditions can be met –
- It can be shown that there is sufficient capacity in the town’s school and medical facilities such they can cope with the impact of this development
- There is no vehicular access to the site from Kings Barn Avenue, apart from emergencies and for cycles and pedestrians
- The principal access is from the Steyning By-pass with a new roundabout
- Landscaping conditions are imposed and biodiversity is enhanced
- The setting of the listed building to the south is enhanced
- Green infrastructure and views of the South Downs are incorporated
- Flooding and drainage issues are resolved particularly the existing flooding problems associated with the Downs Link and Kings Barn Lane
- Clarification that the Lithium Battery Storage Plant has no impact on the allocation
The Society recognises that Steyning will need to take its share of the District’s future housing needs but this must be proportionate and managed so that any impact on facilities, roads, drainage and landscape is appropriate.
There are existing brownfield sites at the former Steyning Grammar School, Brotherhood Hall, Church Street and Elm Grove Lane which do not seem to have been included in the assessment of development potential in the town.
The Society’s objections and representations can be viewed by following the link: Horsham District Local Plan Reg. 19 representation by Steyning Society copy 2[26147]
Proposed development in Elm Grove
The appeal against the Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for the redevelopment of the B & W Building in Elm Grove Lane was allowed in July 2021. Two applications have been made in respect of reserved matters, both of which were refused.
The decision allowing the appeal can be found using the link https://iawpa.horsham.gov.uk/PublicAccess_LIVE/Document/ViewDocument?id=B1FB13BC70F94CEB967FC54A5D70EDB5. You can read the Society’s objection to the proposed development here: Elm Grove DC200789 Steyning Society objection
