Development for another 55 homes near Hailsham is approved

Developers want to build on greenfield land to the west of North Street.

When it was originally submitted the plans were for up to 67 homes, but this number was reduced after planning officers raised concerns about whether they could fit on the site.

An outline application was approved by the council’s planning committee south on Thursday (March 24).

Neil Cleaver (LDem, Hailsham North West) said: “Yet again we are putting houses where there is a sewage problem. It is not good enough.”

He highlighted how improvement to the Boship roundabout may take place in the future but ‘is not here yet’.

Officers described how East Sussex highways had said the development in isolation would not cause a problem to the surrounding road network, but cumulatively ‘there very well could be’.

However Community Infrastructure Levy funds were paid for by developers in order to manage that impact.

Meanwhile on drainage, officers explained a blockage had been identified and replacing the drain ‘should resolve the issues’.

David White (Ind, Hellingly) argued the pumping network ‘regularly fails’ and suggested improved drainage was dependent on third parties.

He also described how full funding for the required A22 improvements had not yet been secured, adding: “We are seeing massive development in this area of North Hailsham and I believe the effect on the existing road network will be disastrous unless the improvements are carried out.”

The plans were approved by eight votes to three.

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