Decision delayed on major Hassocks development due to road safety concerns

Gleeson Strategic Land wants permission to build up to 500 new homes north of the Clayton Mills development.

The site is included in Mid Sussex District Council’s local plan, but when the outline application was discussed on Tuesday (December 17) by members of the development control committee repeated concerns were raised about the planned t-junction access off Ockley Lane.

Councillors voted by eight votes to three to defer the plans so the access could be looked at again, with several expressing a preference for a junction with a dedicated right turn lane for southbound traffic.

The potential for large queues of traffic forming was the biggest safety concern especially during pick-up and drop-off times for the proposed new primary school.

Ian Gledhill, a West Sussex County Council highways officer, had described how a right turn lane would be a significantly urbanising feature in the area and suggested increasing the width of the road could actually increase traffic speeds.

He pointed to the other road improvement measures already proposed such as shifting the road eastwards to improve visibility at the site access junction, lowering the speed limit on Ockley Lane, two new vehicle activated speed signs and a new gateway feature.

But Sue Hatton (LDem, Hassocks) said: “I’m very concerned about the access and I do not think that saying the access would be an urbanising feature is enough. I think 500 houses will be urbanising the place far more.”

Her sentiments were echoed by several other members including Rex Whittaker (Con, East Grinstead - Imberhorne) and Rodney Jackson (LDem, Hurstpierpoint and Downs).

Meanwhile Richard Bates (LDem, Haywards Heath - Ashenground) who also voiced support for a right-turn lane, added: “I’m sure it will become Hassocks Hill before too long and the whole of the district is one big urban area.”

Earlier in the meeting members heard from Hassocks Parish Council’s Nick Owens, who asked if they would ever see another road link north of the development across the railway line, described how residents saw Ockley Lane as dangerous and questioned the safety of the access arrangements as currently designed.

Peter Rayner, who owns the Grade II* listed Ockley Manor near the development, requested revisions to the layout so a block of homes is moved away from the designated heritage assets east of Ockley Lane.

Meanwhile Benedict Dempsey, a Lib Dem district councillor for Hassocks, raised access issues, wider traffic problems, green infrastructure and sustainability.

While still ‘strongly opposed’ to development here he acknowledged the site was included in the district plan.

He added his voice in favour of a right-turn lane and asked why no assessment had been done on the development’s impact on both Lodge Lane and the New Road/A273 junction at Clayton.

Mr Dempsey also requested that landscaping making up the site’s green buffer could be protected and not included in back gardens where they could be removed by homeowners.

Lastly he questioned the level of sustainability measures in the scheme and given the drive to reduce carbon emissions asked whether they should be ‘setting the bar higher’.

Robert Salisbury (Con, Cuckfield), chairman of the committee, said members had to balance their own views against those of the highways experts, who had not called for the inclusion of a right-turn lane.

But Mrs Hatton concluded: “I think it needs looking at again.”

Her motion to defer was then approved by the majority of councillors.