Horam housing development at Clear View Farm in Chiddingly Road refused on appeal

Last week, a planning inspector dismissed an appeal connected with plans to build 51 homes at an equestrian centre at Clear View Farm in Chiddingly Road.

Wealden District Council had refused the scheme in February, raising concerns about the site’s location and design, among other issues.

These concerns were shared by the planning inspector, who concluded that these issues would “significantly and demonstrably outweigh” the benefits of new housing.

In their decision notice, the inspector said: “The proposal would harm the character and appearance of the area due to its failure to integrate into its wider surroundings. It would fail to deliver a high-quality, beautiful scheme.

“The [National Planning Policy] Framework indicates that development that is not well designed should be refused. This matter carries very substantial weight.”

The council had also taken issue with the scheme’s drainage plans, raising concerns about harm to an area of ancient woodland. Whitehall Homes, the developer behind the scheme, submitted amended plans during the appeal, however, which the planning inspector deemed to be acceptable.

Both the council and Whitehall Homes had been seeking appeal costs from the other party due to the handling of these drainage plans.The council had argued that relatively-late submission of the alternative drainage plans had been unreasonable, while the developer argued the council had been unreasonable as these matters could have been covered by the imposition of conditions.

Neither of these applications for costs were successful, with the planning inspector judging neither party to have acted ‘unreasonably’.