Unpopular 250-home development on outskirts of Eastbourne approved

At a virtual meeting held on Thursday (September 10), Wealden District Council approved an outline application from  Wates Developments for the Friday Street Farm site in Stone Cross. 

The decision follows an earlier refusal of the same scheme in May, on the grounds it falls outside the council’s agreed development boundary. 

While some councillors maintained this as grounds for refusal (as well as concerns around flooding and highways), the wider committee’s feelings appeared to have shifted. 

Proposing the scheme be approved, Johanna Howell (Con, Frant and Wadhurst) said: “Whatever we say we need the housing. We have to provide thousands of houses in Wealden and this is one of our strategic sites.

“If it doesn’t go here where does it go? Nobody wants housing, none of us. We would all love to live in our splendid isolation, but unfortunately everybody wants a home to live in and we are duty bound to provide them.”

Cllr Howell’s proposal was backed  Neil Waller (Con, Crowborough South West), who argued that he could not see a reason for refusal which would stand up at appeal.

He said: “If I were an inspector and this committee chose today to reject or refuse this application on the basis it is outside the development boundary, drainage issues and highways, what information would I rely upon to make my decision? 

“We have a history of the council approving applications outside the development boundary. There is precedent. I know people don’t like precedent but if I were a planning inspector that is what I would look at.  

“I’d also look at the fact there isn’t a five-year [housing] land supply and that would weigh heavily in my mind.

“Neither the local flood authority nor the Environment Agency – two expert contributors to this debate – have objected. That would weigh heavily in my mind as well. [East Sussex] Highways haven’t objected either, they are also experts in this field.

“I feel that if the committee were to choose to refuse this application on those grounds that the inspector would find against that refusal.”

A very different view was put forward by Gavin Blake-Coggins (Lib Dem. Hailsham East) who highlighted the number of public objections the application had attracted.

He said: “It is commendable that so many people have written in voicing their concerns over this. 

“I’m finding the whole thing exceedingly difficult. I have read again everything which I have received over the last 24 hours.

“As we are more than well aware, Friday Street is overloaded with traffic and we are proposing probably an additional 400 car movements a day. How many times a day is that going to take place with the school runs and so forth?

“Are the roads in and out of this estate going to be sufficiently wide enough? There is no evidence in front of me today saying that this traffic is going to move without cause for concern.

“What about the green issues? The climate change issues? We are talking about extending [and] building beyond the agreed boundaries.”

He added: “It is beyond comprehension frankly that the validity of our decisions is being brought into question with this as we have already once said no.”

Meanwhile Cllr Waller’s comments came in for criticism from Bob Bowdler (Con, Horam and Punnetts Town). He said: “I am extremely disappointed to be in the position I am today looking at this again. 

“We had an extremely emotional debate back in May when a decision was made. If a planning inspector had found against us then I could have held my head up and be proud I had done what I thought was right.

“Cllr Waller speaks of speculating on what a planning inspector might think. Well we are quite often told at these meetings that we can’t speculate on what may happen, yet here we have a seconder who is doing exactly that.”

Cllr Bowdler went on to raise concerns about the impact of the development on a nearby caravan park and other amenities.

Following further debate, however, the scheme was eventually approved with six votes in favour, three against and three abstaining.

Part of the site – including its main access via Pennine Way – falls within Eastbourne’s planning boundaries, with a duplicate application going to that authority as a result.

The separate application has yet to go before Eastbourne planners.

A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton:

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news, I am asking you to please purchase a copy of our newspapers.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspapers.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Stay safe, and best wishes.