Development of 33 homes, shops and offices in village off A27 between Lewes and Polegate approved

Proposals for a mixed-use development in Berwick have been given the go ahead, marking the next step of a long-running planning saga.
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On Thursday (June 16), Wealden District Council’s Planning Committee South approved an application to build 33 houses, three shops and two offices in place of a number of agricultural buildings in Station Road.

The scheme has a lengthy planning history. It was previously approved by the council in 2016, but quashed shortly afterwards in 2017 following a legal challenge over advice the committee had received from officers at the time.

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Before making its decision, the committee heard from Lord Lloyd of Berwick — a party to the original legal proceedings — who said that his solicitors had formed a view that a re-approval could also be challenged in court.

Aerial impression of the proposed Berwick developmentAerial impression of the proposed Berwick development
Aerial impression of the proposed Berwick development

Lord Lloyd said: “On the 14th June they wrote to the committee expressing a view that planning permission here if granted would be susceptible to legal challenge on the grounds that first it would be contrary to the development plan, but second that any benefit conferred by the plan would be far outweighed by the unsustainable location of the new development.”

He added: “It seems to me that before the committee reach any decision on this matter it is important that they should see the letter and the grounds on which any decision in favour would be opposed by the rest of us.”

While there was some discussion around whether committee members had seen the letter, officers said they had weighed its contents and did not consider it changed their recommendation to approve the scheme.

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Officers acknowledged the scheme lies outside of Berwick’s development boundary and as a result was in conflict with a number of local planning policies. However, they also said the council’s lack of a five-year supply of housing land meant the scheme should be approved.

While objectors disputed whether the development could be considered to be sustainable due to its rural location, the committee ultimately came to the same conclusion as officers.

Proposing approval, Horam and Punnetts Town councillor Bob Bowdler (Con) said: “It is very difficult, but I can’t get my head around why Berwick thinks it is so special. East Hoathly, Horam, Hellingly, lots of others have suffered with housing they didn’t want.”