Homes England is not fit for purpose. As a government-backed developer, it is acting with immunity and impunity—proposing and promoting this large-scale development without impartial oversight. This undermines local democracy and bypasses the planning system intended to serve communities, not developers.
The West of Ifield development masterplan, comprising 10,000 new houses with an initial phase of 3,000, poses serious risks and serves no genuine public or national interest.
Seven reasons why Homes England is not fit for purpose:
1.Abuse of Power and Process. Homes England is acting as both proposer and promoter—without impartial oversight. It bypasses local plans and public consensus, undermining the integrity of the democratic planning system.
2.Unsustainable and Unaccountable. The West of Ifield site is ecologically sensitive, historically significant, and lacking the essential infrastructure even for the initial phase of housing. Homes England is disregarding local concerns entirely.
3.Failure to Address Actual Housing Needs.
These developments do not serve local affordability or social need. They meet distant housing targets and private interests over public ones, with no guarantees for affordable housing, essential services, or environmental protection.
4.Environmental and Heritage Destruction.
The proposed development would destroy ancient meadows and wildlife habitats, and erase centuries of parish history, including Iron Age and Roman heritage, medieval moated sites, and solstice-aligned landscapes.
5.Contrary to National and Local Planning Principles.
This proposal contradicts the National Planning Policy Framework, which requires development to be sustainable, locally supported, and respectful of heritage assets. The Planning Inspector has already stalled the Horsham Local Plan partly due to the inclusion of West of Ifield.
6.Not in the national interest. Not in the public interest.
This is not just a local issue. It is a national concern. If a publicly funded body like Homes England can ride roughshod over ancient parishes, ignore local democracy, and destroy irreplaceable environmental assets, then no community in England is safe.
7.Our duty as citizens.
We must oppose the exhibition and resist the planning application.
We must stand together to protect the ancient parish of Ifield—for present and future generations.
We will not be silenced.
Richard W. Symonds
Ifield Society ‘Save Our Ancient Parish’ Campaign
Ifield Street, Ifield Village
Crawley, West Sussex