THEY MET with the approval of national park planners but work on a 200-homes in Petersfield cannot start until the government gives its approval.

Last Thursday the South Downs National Park Authority’s (SDNPA) planning committee agreed an estate could be built on fields at Causeway Farm.

But before the decision was made, SDNPA director Tim Slaney said the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) was to look at the plans.

National park spokesman Jo Glyde said it wasn’t known who had advised the government department about the application for the biggest greenfield development yet in any national park.

She added: “It wasn’t the SDNPA, but the department can look at any planning application it chooses to.

“But now work can’t start until the department decides if it is happy with the plans.

“It could take months for them to notify us if they are happy or not, and nothing can happen until then.”

At present, DCLG experts are just looking at the plans for the estate put forward by David Wilson Homes and Bovis Homes.

The South Downs approval will be treated only as a recommendation until a decision is reached, said the department, whose spokesman didn’t say why an interest was being taken in the development.

But the spokesman said that anyone, or any organisation, could ask for plans to be looked at by the department.

And there could be a number of reasons for the Government’s scrutiny. The plans don’t totally meet all the criteria in the Petersfield Neighbourhood Plan and the DCLG is supportive of neighbourhood plans.

Also, it could be there aren’t enough homes proposed – the Government is keen to see house building forge ahead.

In a national park the landscape is of national importance, and the DCLG may want to ensure the estate is right for the area.

If after studying the proposal Whitehall is happy, building can then go ahead.

But if the department isn’t satisfied, it will call in the Causeway Farm plans for a public inquiry. This would be chaired by a planning inspector or lawyer, and a final decision made by the Secretary of State.