Planners at Lewes District Council are currently considering an application for a complex which includes more than 80 residential care rooms and 74 flats.

The company behind the application, Manifold Investments Ltd & Retirement Villages Ltd, said the £30million scheme will create almost 100 jobs for the area and open some of its facilities to the wider community.

But the application, to build on land at Gradwell End near Chailey School, has already attracted criticism from local residents.

Nick Webber, who lives close to the proposed development in South Chailey, said: 'I and several other residents are very concerned about the enormous environmental impact of a proposed massive development of a three-storey high glass and steel retirment village.

'They are trying to take an old field and put in a huge building.

'They say it's a retirement village but I don't think a three-storey high glass and steel building bigger than Chailey School is a retirement village.

'The developers also say it will blend into the countryside but it's too close to the woods, too big and inappropriate.

'It will take two years to build and it will mean heavy traffic coming down a road where two children have already been knocked down in recent years.

'My concern is that people in the area don't know about this and it will be too late for them to comment on the application.'
The proposed building is called Gradwell Park.

A spokesman for Manifold Investments Ltd & Retirement Villages Ltd said: 'The care provision includes both nursing and dementia care as well as domiciliary care which will support the local community in addition to the new apartments.

'There will be direct benefit to South Chailey and the wider area with a number of the Gradwell Park facilities and services available for the local community to use and enjoy.

'In addition, the application forecasts the creation of up to 98 new jobs by the third year of opening.'