Decision due on Horam housing scheme

On Thursday (March 22), Wealden District Council’s Planning Committee South is set to consider proposals for a 41-home development at the Horeham Flat Farm site in Chiddingly Road.

The site already has planning permission for a 36-home scheme (granted under application WD/2018/2526/MAO), meaning the proposal is essentially a request to add five additional houses.

While the site is outside Horam’s development boundary, Wealden planning officers are recommending approval, pointing to the existing permission as evidence the site is appropriate for a housing development.

In a report set to be considered by the committee, a council planning spokesman said: “The proposal seeks permission for 41 dwellings in a location, beyond any development boundary in the adopted development plan. The weight to be given to the conflict with the council’s development strategy however is substantially reduced due to a shortfall in housing land supply.

“The application proposes development in a layout and of a scale that is reflective of development in the wider area.

“Whilst it introduces a housing development to this side of Chiddingly Road, in a new location, this in itself would not be harmful. The access proposed also provides safe access onto and into the site, with a crossing point to enable connectivity into the main village of Horam.

“Having regard to the planning balance and the considerations set out in the main body of the report, it is recommended that the application is approved, subject to S106 Agreement and conditions as set out.”

The scheme has seen objections raised by Horam Parish Council, which describes the proposals as an “overdevelopment” of a site which is “not situated in a sustainable location.”

Similar objections have been raised by Chiddingly Parish Council and a number of local residents, who have expressed concerns about the level of parking provision and extra houses adding to infrastructure pressures in the area.

If approved, the scheme would be made up of a mix of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom homes, of which 15 would be classed as affordable housing.

For further information see application reference WD/2022/1899/MAJ on the Wealden District Council website.