Ringmer development on former chicken farm turned down

On Wednesday (April 6), Lewes District Council’s planning committee considered an outline application to build commercial buildings and up to 53 houses at a former chicken farm in Uckfield Road.

While recommended for approval (subject to a legal agreement), the application had seen significant opposition from both local residents and councillors. 

Most of these objections were at least partly because the scheme would be in conflict with Ringmer’s Neighbourhood Plan, which allocates the whole site an area for employment use.

Among those to speak out the scheme was ward councillor Johnny Denis (Green), who said: “It needs to be turned into an employment site which generates the right kind of jobs for residents nearby

“Losing three-quarters of that site to homes, which are not required in the neighbourhood plan and for which this site is not allocated, is a complete mismatch of the local need.”

Cllr Denis went on to argue the site would not be sustainable (as it would rely on car travel), would contribute to highways issues in the local area and fall outside of Ringmer’s development boundary. 

The applicants, however, had argued that a purely commercial site would be financially unviable and would need housing to supplement the cost of construction. These financial constraints would also have meant the scheme could not provide the level of affordable housing required by council policy, applicants said.

As it stands, the site is covered in a number of now derelict chicken sheds, which have been largely disused for the past 20 years.  There were also concerns previous uses may have left contamination on the site. 

The committee, however, were largely opposed to the scheme, with most concluding that it was neither sustainable nor desirable to build housing on the site.

Cllr Laurence O’Connor (Lab) said: “If you develop this in the way being proposed it reduces the opportunity for future economic development in the Ringmer area and sustainability options by enabling people to work within their area. 

“That seems to be a bit of a problem and it is something that Ringmer did address in their neighbourhood plan.”

Cllr Richard Turner (Con) said: “This is just, I think, a development too far. It’s taken no account whatsoever of Ringmer’s Neighborhood Plan.”

He added: “I would suggest this is very far-sighted of Ringmer, actually wanting this to be a commercial site. It is totally inappropriate for housing.”

Following further discussion the application was refused on a majority decision with seven votes to one, with one abstention. It was refused on the grounds that it would be unsustainable location for housing and contrary to the Ringmer Neighborhood Plan.

For further information on the proposals see application reference LW/20/0011 on the Lewes District Council website.