Property developers launch appeal after Havant Borough Council fail to consider development application in statutory period

The planning application for 195 new homes at Sinah Lane, Hayling Island, has been lodged with the Planning Inspectorate for non-determination in the hope a decision can now be made.

The Council’s Development Management Committee (DMC) has said they were due to consider the application on March 20, but the meeting had to be cancelled because of the coronavirus lockdown.

The application appeal, which included the change of use of land from agricultural to a Wader and Brent Geese refuge area, also includes the construction of a new pumping station, sub-station and new access road.

The Council’s deputy leader, Cllr Tim Pike, said: ‘Councillors and officers had been working towards holding our first virtual DMC to determine this application. I was therefore disappointed with the decision of the developer to take this to the inspectorate.

‘We were gearing up for this by running practice committees to ensure everything was going to work in the actual digital meeting.’

‘Now an appeal has been lodged, the council can no longer determine the application. However, the DMC will be asked in due course what its decision would have been, if it were able to have determined the application.

Once the Planning Inspectorate makes the appeal ‘valid’ the public will be invited to send views directly to the Inspectorate.

Hayling Island residents’ Save Our Island campaign group have previously raised concerns about further housing developments in the area and the impact on an already strained infra-structure.