26-home residential development at Keymer Road, Burgess Hill

What was proposed

Outline permission was sought for up to 26 homes, accesses, footpath links, landscape amenity space, ecological enhancements and associated infrastructure.

“Proposal: Outline Planning Application with all matters reserved (except the means of access from the public highway) for residential development and the construction of up to 26 dwellings, with vehicular accesses, and new footpath links to Keymer Road, the provision of new landscape amenity space, areas of ecological enhancements, together with associated Highways, Drainage and Utilities works associated with the proposed development.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The 1.35-hectare site is overgrown pasture outside Burgess Hill’s built-up area, beside a nature reserve and about 450 metres from the national park boundary.

“The application site comprises a total area measuring approximately 1.35 hectares in size and is located on the western side of Keymer Road as it passes to the south of Burgess Hill, en-route to the village of Keymer.”

“Part of the site is land previously associated with Batchelors Farmhouse and is currently overgrown pasture bounded by various lengths of hedging and screening - interspersed with trees. There are several larger trees on the site, in particular a large oak that sits a little way into the site, that is an important feature on the site and in the street scene.”

Officer report

Earlier planning history

Earlier permissions covered two homes and related access works, while a 37-home outline application was withdrawn in 2018.

“Planning ref: DM/21/0056: Variation of condition 4 relating to DM/15/3955 to re-word Condition 4 to read as “No part of the development shall be first occupied until such time as the vehicular access points serving the development have been constructed in accordance with plans and details submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority”.”

“Planning ref: DM/18/3823: Outline application for 37 new dwellings including 30% affordable housing, with vehicular and pedestrian access via Keymer Road. The provision of public open space, associated infrastructure and landscaping, following demolition of an existing dwelling. Withdrawn 22nd October 2018.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended permission subject to a legal agreement and conditions, saying the housing and other benefits significantly outweighed the adverse impacts.

“Your Planning Officer considers that the proposal would have a neutral impact in respect of impacts on air quality, the public right of way network, the landscape infrastructure provision and drainage, where planning conditions and the legal agreement will mean that the impact of the development is mitigated. There would be additional vehicular movements on the highway network, but these would not result in a severe impact.”

“It is recommended that permission be granted subject to the completion of a s106 Agreement to secure the affordable housing and the requirement infrastructur contributions, and the conditions set out in Appendix A.”

Officer report

Consultation responses

Highways, drainage, ecology, housing, water, archaeology and other consultees raised no objections subject to conditions or mitigation.

“MSDC Housing Officer No objection subject to seeking the appropriate level of affordable housing splt 25% First Homes (2 units) and 75% Social Rented or Affordnable Rented housing (6 units) Lead Local Flood Authoroty No objection subject to conditions MSDC Contaminated Land No objections subject to conditions requiring scheme for acousiocs and ventilation limits on construvction hours deliveroes no burning of matertials MSDC Envirnmental Protection No objection subject to…”

“WSCC Highways No objection When considred against the existing vehicle movements on nearby road network, the development is not anticipated to result in a ‘severe’ impact to the operational capacity of the road network Southern Water No objection subject to conditions Nature Space No objection district licence obtained to address any potential impacts on Great Crested Newts.”

Officer report

Objections received

Fifty-two objections raised concerns about countryside character, traffic, flooding, infrastructure, ecology, landscape, the nature reserve and housing need.

“- Adverse impact on Batchelor farm nature reserve. - Planning history includes refusal for 33 houses on grounds of being development in the open countryside non allocated site nothing has changed. - 26 houses will create an inappropriate high density of development out of keeping with the local vernacular local vernacular of large houses in larger plots. - Create an unacceptable precedent for future development.”

“- Development generates unacceptable levels of traffic creating highway danger and congestion on the surrounding highway network. - Development will place undue pressure on existing infrastructure namely education heath surface waterfowl sewage drainage. - Development I this location will be visually intrusive in the landscape will be out of character and result in urbanization of the countryside. - There is no demonstrable need for additional housing in this location.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The Team Leader for Applications introduced the application and highlighted awaited health-service comments, update-sheet amendments and revised conditions.

The committee vote

Members approved the recommendations as amended, with eight votes in favour, one against and one abstention.

“The Chairman took Members to a vote on the recommendations as contained within the report and as amended in the Agenda Update Sheet. These were approved with 8 in favour, 1 against and 1 abstention.”

Minutes

The decision

Planning permission was approved subject to the conditions in the appendix, as amended by the agenda update sheet.

“Planning permission was approved subject to the conditions outlined at Appendix A as amended in the Agenda Update Sheet.”

Minutes