Page 24 - MJC submissions

STEPS TOWARDS AN AGREED STATEMENT OF FACTS
And stipulations

5.1 Design and Access Statement (Continued)
Figure 5 shows adjoining properties:

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Figure 5; Wealden House and Ashbourne House
The description of “starkly urban” conflicts with the submitted Landscape and Visual Impact
statement provided by Land Management Services. This states that:

“the site is located within national character area: NCA 122--- an intimate, hidden and
small-scale landscape, rural, wooded character, with high proportion of ancient
woodland, mid Sussex landscape” and later refers to the site as “wooded, confined
rural landscape of intimacy and complexity, perceived as attractive, locally secluded
and tranquil”
The distinctive character of the village can summarised as follows;

Character of the Village The Proposed Development

Rural Starkly urban
Low density at 7.06 people per hectare Excessive density at over 168 people per hectare
Homes mainly occupied by owners Probably mainly rented
Mixed and interesting designs Utilitarian, standard and urban
Traditional design- Sussex style Utilitarian bordering on Soviet
Child friendly Repressive
Pitched roofs Flat roofs integral with accommodation
Mainly detached or semi-detached All flats
One or two storeys high Mainly 4 storeys
Gardens and green spaces No gardens, balconies and few green spaces
Spacious accommodation Box like and small
Low crime rates ??
Average price £600,000 Average value £250,000 - £300,000
Cohesive community Isolated ghetto
Table 5: The distinctive character of Ashurst Wood

5.2 Density in the Site
To achieve the starkly urban density rates proposed, the development pressurises both ancient
woodland and the boundaries of adjoining properties. In fact, the admitted intention is to
purloin the ancient woodland as a play area, gym et cetera to compensate for the absence of
gardens and amenity spaces within the development.