Controversial plans for a major East Sussex housing development are deferred

On Wednesday (October 9), Lewes District Council’s planning committee considered proposals, from developer Thakeham Homes, to build 95 new homes on land to the north of Lewes Road.

While recommended for approval by officers, the scheme had seen significant pushback from local residents. In all, the council received at least 146 letters of objection, raising concerns around design and location, as well as infrastructure pressures.

Objections had also been lodged by Ringmer Parish Council, which argued the scheme’s design did not comply with policies set out in the village’s neighbourhood plan.

Speaking on behalf of the parish council, councillor John Kay said: “Ringmer Parish Council strongly opposes this proposal. We believe it is in an entirely unsuitable development site and that the proposals for the affordable housing element are completely inadequate.”

Cllr Kay went on to argue the scheme did not comply with the district council’s affordable housing policies, which requires such housing to be integrated throughout the development site and “indistinguishable in design and materials from the market housing on the site”.

Similar objections had been raised by ward councillor Emily O’Brien (Green), who stressed concerns around the scheme’s location resulting in the coalescence of Ringmer and the nearby village of Broyleside.

Cllr O’Brien said: “Effectively what we are saying is instead of two separate villages with their own identity we merge those. How you can possibly say that isn’t a huge impact on the landscape and character of that area is completely beyond me.”

In their report, officers had acknowledged that the scheme would result in harm to the “landscape setting, through the erosion of the green gap” between Ringmer and Broyleside, but concluded that this harm would be outweighed by the benefits of the scheme.

The committee also discussed the erosion of the gap in the context of another development on the other side of Lewes Road. That scheme, which sought outline permission for up to 100 dwellings on land adjacent to the Broyle Gate Farmhouse, was granted planning permission through an appeal lodged on grounds of non-determination.

During the appeal, the council had argued the scheme would have been refused on several grounds, including the “harmful coalescence” of Ringmer and Broyleside. However, the planning inspector ultimately concluded that this harm would be outweighed by the “very considerable shortfall in housing land supply” within the district.

With this appeal result in mind, Cllr Graham Amy (Lib Dem) put forward a motion to grant planning permission in line with the officers’ recommendation (something he said he was doing “reluctantly”). This motion was lost as it was not seconded by another committee member.

After further discussion, the committee ultimately decided to defer the application in hopes of reducing the development’s impact on the green gap. In reaching this view, the committee said the scheme would otherwise be refused on the grounds it would erode the green gap and “present as unacceptable sprawl into the rural environment”.

The proposed scheme would comprise 18 one-bed flats, 14 two-bed flats, nine two-bed houses, 31 three-bed dwellings and 23 four-bed houses. Of these, all the flats and six of the three-bed houses would be classed as affordable housing.

For further information on the proposals, see application reference LW/23/0752 on the Lewes District Council website.