Crowborough’s former ambulance station to make way for new homes

At a meeting last Thursday (July 23), Wealden District Council’s planning committee north approved proposals to demolish a former ambulance station in Crowborough Hill and build a pair of semi-detached three-bedroom homes in its place.

While approved by the committee, the scheme had seen some objections raised by local ward member Kay Moss (Con, Crowborough North) due to concerns around traffic affecting nearby schools.

In a letter to the committee, Cllr Moss said: “Currently this site is used as a single storey office with very light traffic movements. 

“The site is next to Beacon Academy. Right next to the site is a pedestrian access to the academy and a puffin crossing used by hundreds of school children daily. 

“The development is likely to increase the traffic entering and exiting the site at peak times and make the road more dangerous when it is very busy with school children walking to Beacon Academy and Sir Henry Fermor School, a short distance further up the road.”

Cllr Moss also raised concerns about parking and the design of the houses, which she argued would be too cramped and out of keeping with existing properties. 

She also raised concerns about the houses – which would replace a one-storey building with two two-storey buildings – impacting on a neighbouring property’s solar panels. Similar concerns had been raised by that property’s owners.

Officers, however, disputed some of these concerns saying the designs were “simple [and] well-proportioned”, while the taller  building would not cause “a harmful loss of light to the solar panels.”

Officers, who had recommended the scheme for approval, also argued that the scheme would generate less traffic than the office site could as fewer cars could be parked there.

Ultimately, the committee shared the officers’ views voting 11 votes to none to approve the scheme. Gareth Owen-Williams (Lib Dem, Crowborough Jarvis Brook) abstained from the vote but did not give reasons.

Putting forward a motion to approve the scheme, Helen Firth (Con, Uckfield New Town) said: “I have seriously looked at this development and I am quite happy to propose we approve it as I can see no harm whatsoever.”

For further details of the application see reference WD/2019/1273/F on the Wealden District Council website.

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