70-home housing scheme at Main Street - Land Off Peasmarsh

What was proposed

The application proposed demolishing The Garden House and building 70 dwellings with access, parking, landscaping, open space and infrastructure.

“The Planning Committee had visited the site. The proposal sought to demolish The Garden House and construct 70 dwellings with access from Main Street, including parking, landscaping, open space and infrastructure. The site was located within the HWNL, adjoining the development boundary, and was identified in the Peasmarsh Neighbourhood Plan (PNP) as a potential long-term residential site.”

Minutes

What officers recommended

Officers recommended permission subject to resolving the great crested newt licensing issue, conditions and a Section 106 agreement.

“RECOMMENDATION: RESOLVED to GRANT (FULL PLANNING PERMISSION) SUBJECT TO: i) DELEGATE AUTHORITY TO OFFICERS TO SATISFACTORILY RESOLVE THE OUTSTANDING DISTRICT LICENCE ISSUE IN CONSULTATION WITH NATURESPACE; AND SATISFACTORY FINALISATION OF ii) PLANNING CONDITIONS (INCLUDING ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS AND INFORMATIVES IN RESPECT OF GREAT CRESTED NEWTS) AND THE COMPLETION OF A SECTION 106 AGREEMENT WITH THE INTENTION TO SECURE: • PROVISION OF OFF-SITE HIGHWAY WORKS AS REQUIRED BY…”

Officer report

Officers’ main assessment

Officers considered the housing, affordable homes, biodiversity and other planning benefits would not be significantly and demonstrably outweighed by adverse impacts.

“Taking all the above into account and in accordance with Paragraph 11 (d) ii) of the National Planning Policy Framework, it is considered that the planning benefits of the development proposal would not be significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the adverse impacts, when assessed against the National Planning Policy Framework as a whole, having particular regard to key policies for directing development to sustainable locations, making effective use of land,…”

Officer report

Who spoke

The committee heard objections from a parish council representative and reservations from the applicant’s agent and the local ward member.

What members debated

Members discussed flooding, sewage, drainage evidence, design, density, landscape harm, traffic, infrastructure, access, gardens and the proposed attenuation pond.

“Members asked a series of questions in relation to several issues and commented as follows: site susceptible to potential severe flooding and sewage issues; gardens of the surrounding properties were currently susceptible to flooding in adverse weather conditions; current discharge of raw sewage into the River Rother; disappointment was expressed by the limited evidence received from Southern Water (SW) and the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA), and by the lack of comment…”

“Regarding the increased number of properties, Members were advised that the PNP requirement was for smaller units (1 and 2-beds), therefore the number of dwellings was increased to help toward achieving this and to maximise the use of the site.”

Minutes

The committee votes

Members voted to treat the proposal as major development in the High Weald National Landscape, then unanimously voted to defer it.

“4 After a thorough and robust debate, the Planning Committee agreed the site was suitable for redevelopment but could not support this application in its current form. They resolved to defer the application so Planning Officers could discuss a revised scheme with the Applicant, reducing the number of dwellings and improving property design, including the layout and density.”

“RESOLVED: That planning application RR/2025/1499/P be designated as major development in the High Weald National Landscape for the purposes of Paragraph 190 of the National Planning Policy Framework.”

Minutes

What the committee decided

The committee deferred the application for a smaller, better-designed scheme, further sewage information and possible delegated refusal if the applicant did not amend it.

“DECISION: DEFERRED TO CONSULT WITH THE APPLICANT TO DISCUSS A REVISED SCHEME, REDUCING THE NUMBER OF DWELLINGS AND IMPROVING PROPERTY DESIGN, INCLUDING THE LAYOUT AND DENSITY IN LINE WITH THE HIGH WEALD HOUSING DESIGN GUIDE, AND FURTHER INFORMATION TO BE RECEIVED FROM THE ENVIRONMENT AGENCY, SOUTHERN WATER AND LEAD LOCAL FLOOD AUTHORITY ON SEWAGE ISSUES.”

Minutes