Police launch investigation over “incident” at planning committee

Police are investigating an incident involving "verbal threats" made at an Arun District Council planning committee meeting last month.

A council spokesperson said the incident happened at a planning committee meeting on 20 March 2024, where a member of the public approached one of its councillors.

They added that the local authority would like to "make it clear that threatening behaviour or language of any kind towards a councillor, officer or member of the public, is taken very seriously".

The spokesperson said: "We will not tolerate our councillors, officers or any member of the public visiting our premises, being made to feel unsafe and in fear.”

According to the council, the incident was related to plans to build a 47-home development on land north-east of Kingston Lane, East Preston.

Councillors voted to grant the application permission at the meeting with six votes for and five against.

Sussex Police made a call for anyone with information to contact them and confirmed an investigation is underway to establish the full circumstances of the incident.

The planning application has been opposed by some, including Kingston Parish Council, which argues that the application is in direct conflict with the Kingston Parish Neighbourhood Plan, the district council's local plan and certain policies in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

In March, the parish council requested the Secretary of State for Levelling Up call in the decision, citing conflicts with the NPPF.

Adam Carey