The council states the revisions have been proposed following feedback from residents, the community and stakeholders.
They include a larger woodland area, revised access roads and improved drainage facilities. There would also be changes to the layout of homes, schools and community facilities. Sports and leisure facilities would be improved and a care home relocated.
The original plan, (application number: WD/2025/0922/MEA) was submitted last April, includes up to 1,700 new dwellings, including 35 per cent affordable housing and 50 residential care and later living units. It would feature a mixed-use neighbourhood centre, a two-form entry primary school, a multi-purpose sports hub and community allotments.
A dedicated Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) is also in the plan together with children's play areas. The developer says local woodlands would be retained. Two access points from the A22 are proposed.
A consultation has already taken place, and the application is currently under consideration. The site lies within the Uckfield New Town Ward and Uckfield, Ridgewood , Little Horsted, Danehill and Fletching parishes.
There has been extensive opposition from individuals and community groups such as Sabreowl. Their concerns have focused on the scale of the development, loss of open countryside, increased pressure on local infrastructure and a substantial increase in traffic.
Sabreowl campaigners say: “While the Owlsbury Farm neighbourhood would provide 1,500 homes, the location of the site is outside the Uckfield settlement and is not within a reasonable walking distance of the town centre or the station. Train services are also infrequent. It would urbanise a major area of the Wealden open countryside and sensitive landscape.
“Amendments have been submitted for the development and a new period of consultation opened. This runs until September 27. The buffers around ancient woodland areas have been altered and the amount of land allocated for sports pitches has been reduced.
“The proposal still relies on people crossing the A22. Three ground-level crossing points are proposed but there is no commitment to build a bridge. The cumulative transport problem has not gone away. The A22 simply does not have adequate capacity for development on this scale.”
Principal developers are Fairfax Acquisitions Ltd., (operating under Fairfax Properties,) a West Sussex-based regional land acquisition and development firm. Taylor Wimpey has also separately been involved in proposals to build 250 homes on the southern edge of the overall site boundary.