ALMOST 20 new homes could be built on the site of a former orchard.

Chichester District Council has agreed to an initial application for 17 private homes to be built in a paddock at Loxwood Place Farm in Loxwood.

The proposed development by Martin Grant Homes would include a mix of two, three and four-bedroom homes, including seven affordable properties.

The three acre site, which is off the southern end of the High Street in the village near the Wey and Arun canal, has most recently been used for grazing animals.

Historically it was an orchard, when Loxwood and Kirdford’s main industry was wholesale apple growing.

Martin Grant Homes, which describes itself as a "family housebuilder" said it is their first acquisition of the year, but the developer now needs to provide more detailed plans to the council for approval.

Lee Atkins, senior land manager for Martin Grant Homes, said: “We are delighted to be building in such a popular location as Loxwood.

"We hope to work closely with the local community and create a desirable new collection of homes for the village, as set out in the local Neighbourhood Plan to meet local housing needs and attract more families and young first-time buyers to the area.”

Martin Grant Homes said it expects to start building at the site by the middle of the year, pending approval from the council.

The developer has planned to have an on-site sales and information centre at the site for summer.

Managing director Chris Hamilton said: “This is a great start to 2021 and we look forward to bringing a positive impact to the village community of Loxwood with a collection of quality, beautifully finished new homes.

"As a local housebuilder, we are delighted to bring our knowledge and expertise to this stunning location and be back building in our heartland.”

A revised version of the Loxwood Neighbourhood Plan was submitted to Chichester District Council in December last year.

The plan includes specifications for any development on land south of Loxwood Farm Place, and states that a minimum of 30 per cent of housing should be "affordable dwellings".

It states that traffic calming measures should be provided at the junction of the B2133 and Station Road, near the site, and that any development should be "sensitive to the significance of nearby listed buildings".

The plan reads: "The Revised Neighbourhood Plan will place emphasis on good design and layout which fits the vernacular of the village and the development’s setting within the village.

"Any development in the rural area will be limited primarily to that which requires a rural location, is sensitive to its setting by means of size, bulk and location and supports rural diversification and sustainability of the rural area."