Winchelsea Beach housing development set for green light?

The plan for three buildings on Kennel Cottage, Dogs Hill Road, or ‘the shack’ as it’s affectionately known, will be discussed by Rother District Council’s planning committee on Thursday, January 21.

Nine objection letters have been received by the council with many concerned about the buildings’ design and size.

Neighbour Hazel Clark was furious about the proposal when she spoke to the Observer last year as it will potentially block her sea view.

“It will set a precedent to erect other buildings further along this stretch,” she said.

“If we are to preserve this unique area any development must be discreet.

“This proposal is nothing short of insensitive – it’s a blot on the landscape and it must never go ahead.

“Once the land is built on, it is lost forever. A compromise has to be made all round.

“I am not unrealistic enough to hope that building on the site be forbidden but what is being proposed is a gross over-development of the site.

“Obviously the financial gain for the recent purchasers would be much diminished and let’s not kid ourselves that is the only motivation for buying the shack in the first place – make a great profit at the expense of others.”

The officer’s summary says the development would ‘raise the standard of design’ of the area and is at no risk of flooding. The initial proposal by developers Strand Gate was for four buildings but this was scaled back to three through pre-application advice.

“The planning case officer confirmed that development of the site would be acceptable in principle dependant on detailed design and confirmed it is within the development boundary plan,” the application said.

“The feedback highlighted the overall scale and mass of the development and as such the proposed plans have been substantially reduced and one of the four proposed units has been removed entirely.”

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