REX’S NOTES APRIL 2025 Local Council Updates

Councillor Rex Whittaker brings us up-to-date with local government news in and around the town and district …

PLANNING
During the past months the Government has published the new Planning & Infrastructure Bill which has been introduced as a Green Paper for parliamentary committee discussion and consultation before becoming a formal White Paper later in the year. This is another radical policy initiative that is designed to streamline , simplify and speed up the planning process, following hard on the heels of the new National Planning Policy Framework which became operational in December 2024.

The acceleration of the Government’s planning agenda continues as local planning authorities across the country are gradually losing control of their previously agreed local plan housing numbers.

Mix Sussex District Council started their new forward plan (to 2039) examination in October 2024, but since then the independent government-appointed Inspector has stayed deliberately silent –without even the courtesy of an interim reply or report – let alone resumption of the actual plan examination. My view is that this is deliberate Government policy to frustrate the planning authority to impose far greater housing approval numbers over the coming years.

Neighbouring Horsham District Council fared even worse this week when their equivalent local plan was found ‘unsound’ by the Inspector. They no longer have a five year housing land supply and are therefore very vulnerable to far greater ‘unplanned’ housing numbers in the coming years.

GATWICK AIRPORT
Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander MP, has published the Independent Inspectors report for the Gatwick second runway Development Consent Order (DCO) planning application.

Despite the Inspector not agreeing to the consent, the ministerial decision is to be ‘minded to approve’ the DCO subject to certain conditions being cleared by October 2025. This involves further work being undertaken to satisfy noise, environmental and infrastructure concerns raised during the year-long examination process.

DEVOLUTION
After the big public announcements about local authority reorganisation (Devolution)
in early 2025, the dust has settled a little as all Sussex County and District authorities are now looking at potential future merger plans etc. This work will continue through the summer with further announcements expected in September 2025. New Unitary Authority Mayor elections are set for May 2026.

TOWN DIARY DATES
3 May                   Mid Sussex Marathon
5 May                   EG Lions May Fair
8 May                   VE Day 80th Anniversary
1 June, 6 July
& 3 August          East Court Live events
7 September       Classic car day
18 October          EG Bonfire procession event
9 November       Remembrance Parade
15 November     Big Reveal & Christmas lights
7 December        Christmas Market

Rex Whittaker
24 April 2025