Page 198 - MJC submissions

The fact that you suggested that circumvention of the AWNP was possible and that “other
District plan policies (particularly design) were also relevant” is worrying. You had already
told Mr Panesar that the AWNP was definitive.

Notwithstanding the above, you were willing to accept the totally irrelevant pre-application
discussions as justification for not referring the current application to AWVC for consultation
and to hyperbolise them as authority for excessive scaling. This was a serious breach of
process (and obvious bias towards the developer) for which you, as lead officer, should be
held accountable.

My letter to you of 9 October 2018 (http://online.flipbuilder.com/Cobasco/maee/) – which
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anticipated your meeting with the developers on 15 October 2018 - asked for your
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clarification and confirmation of many important points. As usual, you failed to respond.

My letter also urged you to;

 Assess the WH:EDF and WH:LIC sites as an integrated scheme and require full details
to be disclosed to you and Ashurst Wood Village Council. It is critical that you
understand the viability, achievability and deliverability of the schemes: individually
and jointly;
 Confirm that the WH:LIC (as disclosed in the Design and Access Statement) site was
not assessed, nor included in the referendum or AWNP. There is no presumption in
favour of its development;

 Insist on scaling for the WH sites which is compatible with the 14 flats on Ashbourne
Park. This means a density of no more than 28DdHa and sympathetic design rather
than a “starkly urban” or “urbs in rure”, as admitted in the current application.

 Update the market survey and housing registers to take account of the glut of one and
2-bedroom flats in East Grinstead and adjoining areas. Existing developments are not
selling, despite expensive promotion and discounting;

 If there is any prospect of the integrated scheme for WH:EDF and WH:LIC going
ahead, commission a detailed junction survey for entrances onto the A22;
 Review all infra-structure demands and especially sewage and waste disposal;

 Review all section 106 and offset payments and especially the demand for school
places;

 Review the supposedly associated pre-application consultation (DM/16/2845) which
recommended a far higher ratio of car parking spaces than proposed and underground
garaging;
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 Upgrade pavements on the A22 to assist disabled residents and families with push
chairs;

 Consider creating a pedestrian crossing (or traffic lights) on the A22, somewhere near
the accesses to Brambletye School. This would provide a separation in otherwise
continuous traffic flows and assist residents and parents to turn safely onto and from
the A22;