Residents have been urged to “join the fight” to “save” a piece of green belt land from a developer.

Worthing Borough Council is continuing its campaign to prevent Persimmon Homes building 475 homes on 20 acres of land at Chatsmore Farm between Worthing and Ferring.

In March 2021, the council rejected the planning application submitted by Persimmon.

However, this decision was later challenged by the housebuilders who appealed and were supported by the planning inspectorate. The council then appealed itself in the hope of going back to its initial decision and a bench of three judges at the High Court eventually ruled in favour of the council in June.

In a written statement Judge Sir Keith Lindblom said the High Court had been right to overturn the decision of the planning inquiry because the planning inspector had not explained why he thought the development would not damage the national park.

A Persimmon Homes spokesman said the council’s court bid was successful due to a “procedural shortcoming” from the inspectorate rather than a judgement on the suitability of the development.

The appeal remains undetermined and will be decided by a new planning inquiry with a new planning inspector appointed.

It will now be considered at a new public inquiry to be held at Worthing Town Hall from February 6 to February 8, February 13 to 15 and February 20 to 21.

The council has submitted to the public inquiry additional grounds for why the application should not be allowed, including that "the development lies outside the built-up area, would damage the designated green gap and would negatively affect the setting of South Downs National Park".

Residents have now been urged to submit their comments on the proposal.

Councillor Dr Beccy Cooper, the leader of Worthing Borough Council, said: “We have said it before and we will say it again - Chatsmore Farm is not for housing and we will fight to protect it.

“We’re preparing our case for the public inquiry but we would welcome the support of anyone from the community who wants to add their voice to this campaign.

“We have told Persimmon no and our citizens have said no. It’s really disappointing that Persimmon continues to push ahead with its challenge, but we can and must win this battle to save Chatsmore Farm.”

Commenting in September about the ongoing planning battle a Persimmon Homes spokesman said the company hopes to deliver “more affordable homes for local people”.

“The council’s legal challenge was successful on the basis of a procedural shortcoming rather than a fundamental judgement on the issue of housing need or principle of development,” they said.

“The standard legal process, following this technical error, is for the application to be reconsidered by a new planning inspector and that is the process which is being followed by the independent Planning Inspectorate.”

People can have their say by submitting comments at acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk or by emailing tim.salter@planninginspectorate.gov.uk, using appeal reference 3281813.

The deadline for comments is Monday, November 6. Any comments on Persimmon’s application that have been made previously will also be considered again by the inspector.