Conversion of vacant Hadlow Down care home given green light

The proposals -to convert a former care home at Marlowe House in School Lane, Hadlow Down – were approved by Wealden District Council’s planning committee north at a meeting on Thursday (October 18).

As a result developers have permission to split the large Victorian building into three separate dwellings and to build an extension containing a further dwelling on the site.

Before making a decision, the committee heard representations from Andrew Tyler and Clive Wilson, a highways consultant and architect acting for the developers. The committee also heard from neighbour Steve Godfrey, who objected to the proposals.

In his representation, Mr Godfrey raised concerns about proposed the entrance to the site saying it would become unsafe with vehicles parked nearby.

He said: “This will no longer be an exit from a couple of houses. It will be an exit from a close of houses. In fact it becomes a road junction and needs to be considered as such.”

“Should the development be allowed to proceed as planned, I would request that the council or the developer arrange for the existing double-yellow lines to be extended for the safety of all the existing and new residents in this section of school lane.”

Mr Godfrey, who told the committee he had been a Highways Agency employee, also raised concerns about the impact of construction on residents as well as the the potential for increased traffic in the area.

However Mr Tyler asked the committee to disregard this argument as the parking and proposed entrance had both been deemed acceptable by East Sussex Highways.

Mr Wilson, meanwhile, argued that concerns around the proposed design were invalid as the site already has planning permission for a larger redevelopment.

The proposals were put forward for approval by Peter Roundell (Con. – Danehill, Fletching and Nutley) and Susan Stedman (Con. – Horam).

Cllr Roundell said: “In principle I can’t see a problem with this development, although I do take the comments made about the delivery and the construction process. We should see what we could do to mitigate the effect on neighbours and traffic.”

Following some discussion, the committee unanimously agreed to grant planning permission but imposed additional conditions limiting deliveries to the site until after 10am. Committee members said this was intended to prevent neighbour being disturbed and to avoid further traffic problems with the nearby school.

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