Decision due on Newick houses

On Wednesday (October 9), Lewes District Council’s planning committee is set to consider a reserved matters application to build a pair of semi-detached three-bedroom homes on a back land plot between The Rough and Vernons Road. 

While developers already have outline planning permission for the homes, details of the design have not been approved and a previous reserved matters application was refused earlier this year due to concerns over size and bulk. 

Planning officers, however, say this new application, with conditions, should be approved. 

In a report to the committee, a Lewes planning officer said: “The ridge line would now sit below that of 6 Vernons Road and would not be as markedly above the height of 36 The Rough as shown in the previous application.

“In addition, the roof design has been amended with hipped ends as opposed to gable ends, and this has helped create spaces between neighbouring dwellings at roof level and also address the issue of bulk.

“While the reasons for the refusal of the previous application have not been fully overcome, the applicant has amended the details insofar as it is possible and the amendments can be seen to address a large part of the previous reasons for refusal.”

While recommended for approval by planning officers, the scheme has proven to be controversial with Newick residents.

In their objections, residents say the size of the properties proposed would be an overdevelopment of the site and have an unacceptable impact on the amenity of surrounding homes.

Objections have also been raised by Newick Parish Council, who do not consider the application to be significantly different from the one refused previously. 

For further details of the application see reference LW/19/0517 on the Lewes District Council planning website.