Burnt House Wood, Lewes Road, Blackboys Data via plota.co.uk

WD/2026/1492/FR - Full - Retrospective Refused

Proposal

Retrospective application for the retention of an upgraded internal access track over an existing deep world war II tank track footprint and proposed remedial entranceway works. Data via plota.co.uk

View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
23 Jul 2026
✓
Validated
6 Aug 2026
✗
Refused
18 Sept 2026
Appeal
Not lodged

Refused on 18 Sept 2026 · Delegated · Last checked 19 Sept 2026

Site constraints 5

Ancient woodland: Burnt House Wood
Irreplaceable habitat. Standing advice asks for a 15 m buffer from the boundary.
National policy refuses development that would cause loss or deterioration of ancient woodland or ancient trees unless there are wholly exceptional reasons.
High Weald National Landscape
Great weight to conserving the landscape; major development restricted.
Previously an area of outstanding natural beauty, which is still the designation in law. Since 2023 authorities must seek to further its purpose, not merely have regard to it.
Priority habitat: Deciduous woodland
A habitat of principal importance. It shapes the ecology work and the biodiversity net gain a scheme has to show.
Habitat network: Ancient Semi Natural Woodland
Where habitat is joined up enough to work as a network. Context, not a constraint on its own.
Also on the record
Natural England's Provisional ALC map (1:250,000, 1970s) had this area as grade 3, but it predates the buildings here and the current map does not class it as farmland.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 6 October 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

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Important details

Council
Wealden
Application type
Full - Retrospective
Postcode
TN6 3GR
Received
23 Jul 2026
Validated
6 Aug 2026
Ward
Framfield & Cross-in-Hand
Parish
Heathfield & Waldron
Case officer
Show
Target decision
1 Oct 2026
Decision
Refusal
Decision date
18 Sept 2026
Decision level
Delegated
Applicant
Show

How this decision compares

Decided in 43 days from validation, 9 days faster than Wealden's median of 52 for extensions. Refused, as 14% of extensions here are.

77%decided within 8 weeks
86%approved
645decided in the last year

Plota live figures for extensions decided by Wealden in the last twelve months, from validation. Wealden decision record →

Consultation & key dates

Consultation
24 Aug 2026
Comments by
15 Sept 2026
Site or press notice
24 Aug 2026
Wealden
Planning Authority Score
4.2/10
Below average
#188 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Householder decisions

Wealden ranks #132 out of 296 councils for householder decision speed. Householder applications are slightly less likely to be approved here (88%) than the national average (90%).

These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Wealden decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
84%
Overall approval rate
Below avg (87%) #231 of 296
88%
Householder approved
Below avg (90%) #227 of 296
69%
Decided in 8 weeks
Above avg (63%) #132 of 296
40%
Extended time limit
Below avg (41%) #156 of 296
66%
Minor dwellings approved
170 decided (1-9 homes)
78%
Major dwellings approved
32 decided (10+ homes)
74%
Change of use approved
82 decided
1,361
Total decisions
220 refused in the year to March 2026