Cripps advises Wates Developments on sale of consented residential site in Storrington

Cripps has advised Wates Developments Limited on the sale of its residential development site in Storrington, West Sussex (Horsham District) to Matthew Homes Limited, following the grant of outline planning permission in December 2025.

The consented scheme will deliver 62 new homes, contributing to local housing need and representing a significant milestone after many years of land promotion, technical work and strategic planning.

During Wates’ ownership, additional land was acquired to facilitate connectivity between the site and an existing residential development. A key complexity was the requirement to safeguard an access corridor to adjoining land identified by the local planning authority as having potential for future housing. To address this, a carefully structured and forward-looking easement option was put in place, preserving the ability to secure future rights of access and connections to estate roads, cycleways and public footpaths.

The transaction was completed against a challenging backdrop, including a late attempt to judicially review the planning permission. Cripps’ strategic land, planning and dispute resolution teams worked closely together to successfully resist the challenge and ensure the sale completed smoothly.  The Cripps team was led by Garry Brett, with support from Beth Gascoyne (planning), Nitej Davda, and James Blyth (dispute resolution). Oliver Robinson of Batcheller Monkhouse advised Wates in relation to sourcing bids for the site and shadowing the successful sale process.

This deal highlights Cripps’ experience in supporting developers through the full lifecycle of strategic land projects, from promotion and planning through to managing risk and delivering successful disposals.