The Parish Council has set up this designated web page to keep the community informed regarding the planning application in relation to the Foxbridge Golf Course site. 

It is important to note three matters: -

1. The exhibition information provided to the public and Parish Council on 18th May does not directly corollate to the applications subsequently made to the Local Planning Authority (LPA), Chichester District Council (CDC), by the Applicant at either pre-application stage, or as an Outline Planning Application. The information represents ideas and aspirations only, for illustrative purposes.

2. The application submitted is an Outline Planning Application. Outline Planning Applications are used to gain an understanding as to whether the nature of a development is acceptable. Specific details, known as ‘reserved matters’, are confirmed later once planning permission is granted by the LPA. Planning permission, if granted, is subject to the condition that the ‘reserved matters’ are approved by the LPA before development begins. In this instance, all matters are reserved, except for means of access. Therefore, the appearance, design, scale etc of the development (121 holiday units; the construction of a spa with accommodation of up to 50 bedrooms; the conversion of the former clubhouse into a restaurant and farm shop; new internal roads, footpaths, cycle routes and car parking areas; the construction of a concierge building and new hard and soft landscaping, including the formation of new ponds) may bear little resemblance to the material presented to the community and Parish Council on 18th May.

3. It is not within the power of the LPA to condition a planning permission to ensure the Applicant upholds 'promises' made at public consultation. Therefore, statements within the exhibition material that "discounted incentives will be made available to residents living locally" and "discounts for local residents will be available across some of our services" cannot be enforced and may come to nothing. It is important to remeber that the site anticipates more than 800 paying guests, who will have priority over all services offered.

On 31st May, an application for an Environmental Screening Opinion in relation to a proposed redevelopment of the site was made to the LPA: -

22/01423/EIA | Request for an EIA ScreeningOpinion in relation to a proposed redevelopment of former Foxbridge GolfClub. | Foxbridge Golf Club Foxbridge Lane Kirdford BillingshurstWest Sussex RH14 0LB

The Proposed Development included

- Up to 121 holiday lodges

- 40-50 bed spa accommodation

- Farm shop

- Restaurant & bar

- A wellness centre

- Outdoor sport and recreation facilities (outdoor pursuit centre)

- Ecological, swimming and fishing ponds

- Ecological parks

- Nature trails

- The formation of a new vehicular access from Foxbridge Lane

- Internal access roads

- Car parking areas (the existing car parking area would be retained (68 spaces) and an additional 128 spaces will be provided between the restaurant and spa).

- New hard and soft landscaping

- Creation of walking and cycling routes

Plaistow and Ifold’s Planning & Open Spaces Committee considered the application at its Planning Meeting on 29^th June.

The Parish Council submitted the following letter of comment arguing that, given the nature and scale of the proposal, its sensitive location, and environmental conditions of both the site and surrounding countryside the proposed development is likely to have significant effects on the environment by virtue of factors such as its nature, size, and location and does constitute EIA development for the purpose of the EIA Regulations. Therefore, it will require the submission of an Environmental Statement with any planning application.

On 10th August, the LPA issued its Screening Opinion under Part II Regulation 5 – Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017, concluding that the proposal did not constitute EIA development.

Prior to making an Outline Application in 2022, the Applicant applied for Pre-Application advice from CDC. This took place in 2020 / 2021.

Pre-application advice is often sought prior to the submission of outline/full planning applications, as it allow the Applicant to get a better understanding of how development policies will apply to their proposals; gain advice from a planning officer about their ideas for development; identify any potential problems and be in a position to rectify them before submitting their outline/full planning application.

The Applicant made the following application: -

20/02097/PRESMP| 40 no. holiday houses together with a farm shop, restaurant and bar, kitchen garden, a wellness centre, a farm yard / petting zoo and outdoor pursuit centre set within a re-landscaped site along with ecological, swimming and fishing ponds, ecological parks and nature trails.| Foxbridge Golf Club Foxbridge Lane Kirdford Billingshurst West Sussex RH14 0LB

CDC issued two decision notices: -

In September 2022, the Applicant submitted an Outline Planning Application for redevelopment of the site: -

22/02346/OUT|Outline application for a wellbeing and leisure development comprising up to 121 holiday units; the construction of a spa with accommodation of up to 50 bedrooms; the conversion of the former clubhouse into a restaurant and farm shop; the formation of a new vehicular access from Foxbridge Lane, new internal roads, footpaths, cycle routes and car parking areas; the construction of a concierge building and new hard and soft landscaping, including the formation of new ponds. All matters reserved except for means of access.|Foxbridge Golf Club Foxbridge Lane Plaistow West Sussex RH14 0LB

The Parish Council considered this application at its full meeting on 9th November 2022 and resolved to OBJECT to the application. 

The Parish Council has taken professional advice from SW Transport Planning Ltd; Troy Planning and Design, an independent Planning Consultant and the 'in house' skills and expertise of its Planning Working Group.

The following reports have been submitted to the LPA in support of the Parish Council's objection

These reports can also be viewed on Chichester District Council's planning portal for the application here.

Kirdford, Wisborough Green and Loxwood Parish Councils have also objected. Their submissions can be viewed as follows: -

Kirdford Parish Council letter of objection

Wisborough Green Parish Council letter of objection

Loxwood Parish Council letter of objection

On Wednesday 29th March 2023, the Parish Council considered additional documents provided by the Applicant. 

The Council resolved to continue to support its objection and submitted the following letter and Landscape Addendum Technical Note

On 29th June 2023, the Parish Council submitted a further letter of objection in relation to new documents provided by the Applicant.

On 11th October 2023, the Parish Council submitted a further letter of comment in relation to new documents provided by the Applicant.

On 7th November 2023, the Parish Council resolved to submit a further letter of comment in relation to Chichester District Council Policy Team's response. 

On 29th November 2023, the Parish Council resolved to submit a letter of comment in relation to new technical drainage documents.