Thousands of new homes and a £50 million road could be built on green spaces in coming years to tackle the housing crisis.

Officials are bracing themselves for mass development as they scramble to hit Government housing targets in the local plan to cover land use in the Arun district up to 2029.

Four new communities, including 5,000 homes, are earmarked for the area as part of Arun’s draft plan – and developers are already circling with interest.

Planning permission has been granted for more than 1,200 homes and 13,000 sq ft of commercial space in north Littlehampton.

Prospective developers would have to contribute to the construction of the Lyminster bypass, providing a vital link northwards to the A27.

Also included is another development of 1,000 homes on the west bank
of the River Arun, which would help to fund new flood defences for Littlehampton.

The council also wants to fill in the gap between the villages of Barnham and Eastergate for a 2,000-home city- style development which would straddle the coastal railway line.

The A29 would be extended from Barnham Road to south of the Lidsey Bends, with the £50 million cost to be met by the developer.

Finally, a new community of more than 700 homes is planned for the vil- lage of Angmering.

Two developers have already expressed an interest and have been told to come back with a fully fleshed out plan for the area.

The final draft of the plan will be considered by the council on May 29.

Arundel and South Downs MP Nick Herbert said he was “dismayed” by the plans for Angmering and Barnham, calling them “damaging”.

He said: “After all the outcry about the higher target proposed in the draft plan and the garden city proposals, I am dismayed to see that these remain in the new version.”

But Coun Ricky Bower, the cabinet member for planning on Arun District Council, said space had to be found for the district’s growing population.

He said: “We don’t want to see the character of the district change at all.

“But the fact is the population of Arun will increase by 15,000 people by 2029. Where will these people go?

“We also have the second lowest job density ratio in the south east. “These houses need to go where they will do the most good for the people of Arun.”