Unlocking Housing Delivery Across East Sussex

In September, DHA Planning secured four major housing approvals across the County. Isabella Mash and Mark Bewsey from DHA's Gatwick office highlight the importance of these decisions in helping to unlock much needed housing delivery in a constrained wider geographical area, and the various ways in which sites are unlocked given that these successes came via appeal, committee and under delegated authority.

 

For a number of years, planning for housing delivery has posed challenging questions to local authorities and developers alike across East Sussex. The county is subject to a number of geographical, environmental and political challenges which have constrained each authority’s ability to plan for and meet their housing and local planning requirements, and these challenges are likely to increase given the new Government’s proposed changes to the planning system which will see a 16% increase in housing requirements across the County when implemented.

 

Nevertheless, in September of this year DHA Planning secured four positive decisions for major residential developments across the county, with decisions made at appeal, at committee and under delegated powers in Eastbourne, Lewes, Rother and Wealden. These decisions have come about through hard work and engagement between developers and officers at each of the local authorities and other stakeholders.

 

The presumption in favour of sustainable development currently applies within each of these four authorities, none of which are able to meet their five year housing land supply requirement with only Lewes passing the Housing Delivery Test requirement for 2022, the latest reporting year. Each of the four authorities also have out of date local plans and the county has some of the lowest housing delivery figures across the whole country, including 3 of the worst 10 performers in the latest Housing Delivery Test figures.

 

The successes in September, which are detailed further below, were therefore particularly pleasing as DHA looks to play its role in helping to address the housing crisis in the county.

 

1.  Mornings Mill Farm

 

Firstly, Wealden District Council’s Planning Committee South gave the go ahead for the construction of the ‘Phase 0’ onsite infrastructure at Mornings Mill Farm. This decision came exactly two years after the Public Inquiry was held into the outline application. Mornings Mill is a twenty-hectare mixed use-scheme by Tarn Homes which will ultimately deliver 700 dwellings, 8,600sq.m of employment floorspace, a medical centre, school, playing pitches and pavilion.

 

 

2.  Untold Living's Extra Care Retirement Community

 

DHA were also pleased to have secured a resolution to grant planning permission from Eastbourne Borough Council's Planning Committee for Untold Living's proposed extra-care retirement community. This landmark development comprises 126 residential apartments and extensive coastal landscaping, which will complete an important gateway into Sovereign Harbour.

 

 

 

3.  Reserved Matters Approval for 53 dwellings and Employment Floorspace, Ringmer

 

Lewes District Council granted reserved matters approval for 53 dwellings and employment floorspace space on behalf of Akehurst Homes Limited on the site of a former garden nursery on the outskirts of Ringmer village. The outline planning permission had been allowed at appeal in March 2023. After a thorough pre-application process, Council Officers were able to determine the application under delegated powers.

 

 

4.   89 new residential dwellings, Bexhill-On-Sea

 

Finally, a decision at appeal in Rother, saw planning permission granted for a scheme in Bexhill-On-Sea for 89 residential dwellings, which will be delivered by Bellway Homes. The application was originally refused at Rother District Council's Planning Committee in December 2023, contrary to the officer’s positive recommendation. The appeal was considered by a Planning Inspectorate at an Informal Hearing held over two days in August 2024, where DHA led by Hashi Mohamed of Landmark Chambers were able to demonstrate to the Inspector that the proposals would not result in unacceptable living conditions for future residents with regard to the agent of change principle.

 

 

DHA are very pleased to have played a role in unlocking the delivery of these 968 new homes collectively across these four sites. This is only a fraction of the new annual requirement of 4,543 dwellings required across the county (additionally including Hastings but excluding Brighton & Hove as a unitary authority).  We are additionally actively promoting in excess of 2000 units across the County on sites at various stages of the planning process.

 

If you would like to talk to us about any other opportunities please do not hesitate to contact Jonathan Buckwell, Mark Bewsey or any other member of DHA's Gatwick office.