Small housing development on outskirts of Crowborough turned down

On Thursday (February 3), Wealden District Council’s Planning Committee North considered an application to build three four-bedroom homes on land off of London Road, next to a site set aside for the as-yet-unbuilt Cooks Corner Day Centre. 

While it had been recommended for approval by planning officers, the scheme had proved to be controversial among residents due to its position within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Among those to speak against the application was newly-elected ward councillor Rachel Millward (Green). She said: “When I had the great pleasure of meeting many of my residents on the doorsteps at the end of last year, the striking majority expressed deep upset at the continued building on our AONB, seen as wilful destruction of precious land and biodiversity. 

“The primary reason the people I met choose to live in Hartfield is its astonishing beauty. They are right to want to preserve this for their children and generations to come. 

“They are morally right, but I think they are also correct to believe that the government has issued protection of the land, which does not permit such destruction.”

She added: “The protected nature of this land gives a reason to refuse planning permission and as a result all arguments about the five-year supply [of housing land] and presumption of sustainable benefit are rendered irrelevant. 

“On a normal balance I cannot find any benefit resulting from the proposed plan which outweighs the harm.”

Similar views had been shared by other groups objecting to the proposals, including both Crowborough Town Council and Withyham Parish Council. A common concern was the continuation of a ribbon of development further into the AONB and its potential to be extended in future. 

Other common concerns were around the impact on the landscape, the size of the proposed buildings and whether its location could actually be considered to be sustainable in planning terms. 

This view was not shared by officers, however, who had argued that the scheme would produce a net benefit by providing new houses and would only result in limited harm to the AONB. 

Officers also pointed out that the proposals had followed on from a previous application to build housing on the site, which had only been refused on highways safety grounds.

With the application being almost identical to the previous scheme, officers said this would also be a material consideration, especially as no concerns had been raised by East Sussex Highways this time round.

On this basis, officers had recommended that the application should be approved.

The committee felt differently however, as members largely came to the conclusion that the benefits of the scheme would not outweigh the harms. 

Proposing refusal, Crowborough St Johns councillor Richard Hallett (Con) said: “It is in the AONB and not just that it is visible for miles. It is in a prominent location.

“It is argued it is a sustainable location. It is not a sustainable location. All the journeys into Crowborough will be by car. We have approved developments in the AONB but they have been within walking distance to the town centre and things like that.

“We do have to make a judgement and the judgement is, ‘does the benefit outweigh the harm’. Well it is three dwellings, it doesn’t include any affordable dwellings it makes a minimal impact on the housing supply issue.

“Therefore I think it is impossible to argue that very small benefit outweighs all the harm we can see. My view is we should be refusing this application.”

He added: “Three large dwellings in Crowborough is not a significant benefit. It is only three and it makes minimal difference to the housing supply.

“The housing need says we need small homes and it doesn’t provide any affordable homes.”

Following further debate the application was refused on the grounds it was an unsustainable location, within the AONB and outside of Crowborough’s development boundary. 

If approved the development would have been built out in phases, starting with the access then one house at a time.

For further details of the proposals see application reference WD/2021/2200/F on the Wealden District Council website.