How can councils support these plans?

Your report seemed to suggest the firm would be presenting its scheme, "a new plan for 750 homes north of the A259", engineered on the basis of some "proposed urban extension to Littlehampton", as a public consultation exercise in conjunction with councils; policies.

In effect, it proved not to be associated with any approved structure or local development plan, but a spin-off from an exercise in February/April, 2009, when Arun District Council presented three "options for growth" in conjunction with the now-defunct Ford Eco-Town.

Even so, the Courtwick Lane project then featured only as a minor 500-homes prospect in one of those schemes.

Nonetheless, the Gleeson spokeswoman revealed that her company did not consider it necessary to approach any of the wide portion of the community living north of Courtwick Lane, although it is obvious they would be the most affected by any prospective development.

In these circumstances, it is staggering to believe either Arun or West Sussex County Council, as your report implied, would engage in such preposterous overtures.

However, on making inquiries with the developers, it is revealed that the two councils have been working closely, through officers in county highways and in Arun's development control department.

For 10 years since completion of the adjacent estate, officers and developers have prevaricated over the completion of highway management and public open space ownership.

For this developer to suggest that its scheme should, as you have highlighted, "trigger highway improvements" can, in the light of current spending cuts, only demonstrate the implausibility of the proposals.

I do hope council members will give these observations due respect, and rid the public of those developers intent on fishing trips into their departments.

The position here and elsewhere causes upset to the stability of public relations, since it is clear that the unreasonable demands for housing and associated infrastructure, imposed by central government, are soon to be adjusted.

Derek Hulmes

Kingfisher Drive, Littlehampton

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