Concerns about access to 250-home development on edge of Eastbourne

On Tuesday (November 24), Eastbourne Borough Council planners considered an application connected to proposals to build 250 houses on the Friday Street Farm site, off of Pennine Way.

While the farmland sits on the outskirts of Eastbourne, the majority of the site falls within Wealden District Council’s planning boundaries.

The wider proposals have already been given outline planning permission by Wealden but its access arrangements – via Pennine Way – need to get the go ahead by Eastbourne Borough Council as well.

Before making their decision, the committee heard from ward councillor Alan Shuttleworth (Lib Dem), who said: “This development should have been refused by Wealden council, as it was in May this year. 

“[The council] then subsequently, disgracefully and with very little change to the application, returned a different verdict as a result of enormous pressure from unrealistic government housebuilding targets.

“However, I do understand that Wealden District Council have agreed to grant planning permission and we can’t change that. 

“I understand that the issue before you is to consider the proposals for access to the site in Pennine Way and East Sussex County Council have not objected but have raised serious concerns about that situation. 

“The county council highways in their submission stated that planning permission should only be granted when there is confirmation of the full funding arrangements for the delivery of improvement works at the Linehill junction and at the A22 Golden Jubilee Way/Dittons Road junctions.

“That confirmation does not exist.”

Cllr Shuttleworth argued that the committee should refuse planning permission as details of this funding had not been agreed.

Several committee members shared Cllr Shutteworth’s fears around the wider scheme, criticising  Wealden District Council’s decision to grant planning permission. 

However, the committee did not feel as if there were sufficient grounds to refuse the application on highways grounds outright. 

After taking advice from officers, the committee came to the conclusion it should defer the scheme until more details of the highways works and their funding arrangements were brought forward.

Cllr Jane Lamb (Con, Meads) said: “Reading the papers I think this isn’t full though through at any level.

“First of all in terms of the Wealden Local Plan, which is not finalised in any way at all and secondly in view of the mitigating works that need to take place.

“Reading the papers it concerns me, alarm bells are going off, that there is no certainly very much in this. 

“I would regard this [application] as premature and would at least be considering in mind to support a deferral so that more certainty can be gained and more guarantees of funding for mitigation works and other works could be in place.”

Following further discussion the committee opted to defer the scheme until a legal agreement guaranteeing funding could be drawn up.  Officers said this would have to be negotiated with both the applicant – Wates Developments – and Wealden District Council. 

For further details see application reference 190706 on the Eastbourne Borough Council website.