Newick housing development refused again

On Wednesday (August 12), Lewes District Council planners turned down an application to build 69 homes at the Woods Fruit Farm site.

The committee’s decision to refuse the scheme – against officers’ advice – centred on the fact that the proposals went beyond the level of development laid out in Newick’s neighbourhood plan, which allocated part of the site for the construction of 39 new homes. 

An earlier version of the application had been refused on the same grounds last year, but developer Thakeham Homes resubmitted a broadly similar scheme arguing it was designed to be economically viable and make efficient use of land.

In a statement read at the meeting, Thakeham spokesman Olivia Forsyth said: “The application makes a positive contribution to the need for new homes in Lewes, delivering a largely allocated site with additional windfall development to assist the council in maintaining a five-year [housing] supply.

“This development constitutes exemplar proposals designed in-line with Lewes [District Council’s] climate emergency objective, while also providing over £800,000 in Community Infrastructure Levy payments without compromising on affordable housing delivery.

“The application is recommended for approval and we hope that members will support it today.”

While broadly similar to the previous proposals, the latest version of the scheme had seen alterations to the layout and housing mix, with more smaller homes and fewer large four-bedroom properties.

The proposals also included a 40 per cent allocation of affordable housing, energy efficiency measures and on site solar panels as well as fast electric car charging stations at every home.

Despite the changes, Thakeham maintains that the refusal of the original scheme was not justified and has put forward an appeal.

Cllr Laurence O’Conner (Lab, East Saltdean and Telscombe Cliffs) said: “This proposal put forward by Thakeham is a good development. It is an exemplar development. But we’ve got to remember that they have chosen to do this development beyond the neighbourhood plan boundary.

“That is at the core of this. I know people have said the neighbourhood plan is really the thing we should look to and I do look to it and I would think Lewes District should look to that as well.

“[The council] should stick as a district council which recognises the localism act and the effort that local people have put in and the faith they put in the plan when they approved it at referendum.” 

This view was broadly shared by other committee members, who agreed to refuse the application following further discussion. 

For further details of the application see planning reference LW/20/0298 on the Lewes District Council website.

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