CONTROVERSIAL plans to build on land off Battle Road have been approved after a long battle by residents and a nearby business.
More than a thousand letters of objection were sent to Wealden District Council, most of which were in an attempt to protect the future of the nearby Hook and Son business, which says the development will have a huge impact on its business.
The family-owned farm, Hook and Son, has been battling the plans for the development and said its business would become unviable if the plans were to be approved. The business produces organic dairy products and employs 26 staff.
In April, a separate application for 180 homes on the land was refused due to the close proximity of some of the planned homes to the nearby water treatment works. The developers then lodged an appeal on 1 October, but submitted a new application for a reduced number of homes, due to the odour issues.
In a statement read by Councillor Draper, on behalf of Councillor Cleaver, said: “My concerns are around the existing infrastructure issues which are currently under severe pressure and quite frankly, failing.
Within the past year, there have been two burst water pipes in close proximity to this site resulting in ongoing road closures and chaos. The major road Network (the MRN Funding Bid for East Sussex), is still very much a work in progress and remains today, very uncertain, especially with the present government’s upcoming Budget.
Additionally, there is a significant risk of increased sewage and flooding on our roads. The land is great quality organic soil and we must prioritise the will of our Farmers and our local food producers.
Many of you on this Committee promised in your campaign materials at the last election to combat over-development. Yet, Here we are again today. I urge you to refuse this planning application based on our development concerns.
This will inevitably cause further damage and we must protect our environment and the community within it.”
There were concerns from councillors that a public space is now planned for the area which had odour concerns, but officers implied that it wouldn’t be an issue to people using the space.
The plans will see the demolition of a home just off Battle Road to make way for the main entrance to the development and a new pedestrian crossing on the main road will be installed.
Councillor Everitt said: “The application in front of us has been substantially modified and has addressed the issues that had been previously raised, it has a large number of amendments comparing it to the previous application and is sensible in design. I’m going to propose an approval of this application.”
It was seconded by the chair of the committee Councillor Wilson, and the committee then went on to vote and approve the application.
