Update on the Prince Albert, Copthorne

Published: 16 January 2026

On Thursday January 15th 2026, Mid Sussex District Councillors voted to unanimously reject the planning application for a retail unit and four new homes on part of the Prince Albert site in Copthorne.

Worth Parish Council Chairman Tony Dorey (speaking as a local resident) and Councillor Liz Williams spoke at the meeting. The transcripts of their comments are below:

Tony Dorey Presentation to Planning Committee on 15th January 2025 - DM/24/2957 - The Prince Albert

I am speaking today as a member of the public and 30-year resident of Copthorne, but I have also been a WP Councillor for the last 10 years, and Chair for the last 5 years. During this period, I also served a term as a District Councillor. I am here to give my own views on what is undoubtably the most ludicrous planning application I have seen in that time. As I only have two minutes, I will focus on two issues core to our village.

Although it may be deemed that my comments do not constitute ‘material planning reasons’, I feel these have been outlined in the briefing paper submitted to all committee members, but this is a heartfelt plea for some common sense to prevail. Firstly, is the issue of the only remaining pub in Copthorne. The initial planning application included a lengthy report claiming that the viability of the pub would not be compromised by the proposed development. This is just not true. If you build a supermarket on the garden of the pub, build flats that remove any possibility of extending the pub, and reduce the car park to virtually zero, the pub is not viable. The pub will die and the 4000+ residents of Copthorne will be left without a pub at all.

Second issue is the very professional and expensive-looking report relating to retail and the desperate need for more of it in Copthorne. All these claims were comprehensively refuted by Worth Parish Council’s responses to the submissions, but regardless of whether there is a need for more retail in Copthorne or not – not there! We have two new developments in West Copthorne totalling 550 houses with zero retail – so if there is a need - build there! Putting a supermarket on the pub garden metres away from the busiest junction in Copthorne is crazy. The fact that it is also 50 metres away from a newly refurbished retail shop that also houses our only Post Office, and less than 500 metres from the other two existing retail offerings defies belief. The permission of this application is likely to lead to lead to the failure of the Kwik Mart and therefore the loss of our Post Office. So, in summary, I am pleading with every member of this committee to see some sense here and reject this ridiculous application to save our pub, save our Post Office and save our village.

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Planning Application No DM/24/2957 - The Prince Albert

Copthorne Bank Copthorne Crawley West Sussex RH10 3QX

Dear Committee Members

Thank you for letting me speak to you today.

Worth Parish Council sought advice from a well-respected planner based in our parish but not in Copthorne. Our submission that the application fails to meet the standards required under the District Plan, Neighbourhood Place and the NPPF was based on his expert advice. Advice from a consultant with good local knowledge should be given more weight. The Prince Albert pub survived Covid, is surviving NI increases and survived a period without a chef. We believe the Savills report on this application is flawed. It fails to point out that during inspection the kitchens were closed due to an unfilled vacancy for a cook. Does that really define it as a “wet” pub? Or was it a business able to withstand a crisis? The report draws conclusions without adequate investigation. Its findings on viability should be treated with caution.

Copthorne already has 3 grocery type stores, with one housing the post office. It doesn’t need a 4th. Decent sequential testing should be conducted before another shop is added. The poor design of the proposed retail outlet - a low-quality shack with unattractive cladding - is not in keeping with the character of Copthorne Bank. The NPPF calls for high quality design. It is not. The inadequate parking provision is also detrimental to the local amenity. The 4 flats are not included for the enjoyment of their inhabitants. They are there so international investors can benefit at the expense of Copthorne residents. The likely noise from the pub will cause tension with the new residents – who in Copthorne could well be Gatwick shift workers. The new homes are too close and overbearing for existing neighbouring properties and will be detrimental to their amenity. Even without a 5-year housing land supply, under current guidelines housing sites can be rejected if they are unsuitable. Please do so. This application is a disaster for Copthorne. Please reject it and stand up for high quality design, even in these difficult planning times every little helps.

Cllr Liz Williams

Worth Parish Council