East Sussex residents object to the 'unsustainable development' of new houses on greenfield site

A government planning inspector will review appeals requested by developer Gleeson Homes and the Glyndebourne Estate, after two of their proposals to build up homes next to Ringmer Primary School were rejected by the district council in January.

Members of the Ringmer Against Greenfield Exploitation (RAGE) are attempting to get as many people to object to the plans before the deadline for gathering evidence is reached on March 23.

The group wrote on Facebook: “Imagine years of construction vehicles thundering along narrow lanes; Road traffic danger for young children due to site access right next to school (existing bungalow to be demolished); Walks and cycle rides along Potato Lane blighted by construction work and loss of countryside views; [the] Negative impact on views from Mill Plan.

"If this is allowed it would cause great harm to our village. If you agree please OBJECT!”

The developers downsized on the number of houses offered in its second application to 75, after their initial proposal for 200 homes on the site was rejected in July 2022.

The two appeals are linked and will be considered together at a Public Inquiry in June.

RAGE say the applications fail to make efficient use of the 13 hectare site, as the houses would be “crammed” into one field with the majority of the site left undeveloped.

They also say their is no acceptable access to the site; arguing that Harrisons Lane, Gote Lane and Potato Lane would all be all completely unsuitable for the “thousands of HGV trips” that would be required for the construction process.

Ann Duke, a RAGE member, said: “We have been speaking to parents and guardians outside Ringmer Primary School who are dismayed by these plans.

"The vehicular access for the site will be next to the school following a demolition of an existing bungalow. Given the narrow roads and lanes with non-existent pavements, parents are understandably very worried about road safety and the potential for road traffic accidents.”

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RAGE say that while the revised development proposal may be smaller, the new homes would still have the effect of bringing an urban town appearance to a much-loved rural lane.

They also argue the increase in the population from the development would severely damage their already overstretched infrastructure.

RAGE said: “The application assumes the children would just walk to the village schools, ignoring the fact that the primary and nursery schools next to the site are already full, so that in reality they would have to be driven somewhere else, a fact that the traffic survey ignores.

"Recent Environment Agency data, supplied by Southern Water, make it clear that the Ringmer sewage works, to which this development proposes to connect, already releases untreated sewage for more than 10% of each typical week.

“All the extra commuter and other traffic will add to the peak hour congestion at Earwig Corner and A26 road junctions past Lewes to the main highway network at Southerham roundabout.

"It is already next to impossible to get NHS appointments at the GP Surgery in Ringmer, and there is no NHS dentistry available.”

Gleeson Homes have been approached for a comment