Page 274 - MJC submissions

~ MSDC claims that it was not involved in the density calculation but persists in
accepting the erroneous figure in the AWNP as though it were inviolable. IT IS NOT!

~ Also, great play has been made of a pre-application consultation (in 2016 by a
different developer). As you know such consultations are informal, non- binding and
are largely irrelevant; Page | 3

~ Mr Will Dorman, MSDC’s Urban Planner has stated “If it was not for its NP allocation,
the density and scale would normally be considered too much for this type of
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location ”. Amazingly, Mr Dorman appears to have made no attempt to resolve the
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discrepancy but is driven by the error in the AWNP.
Even AHL’s designers admit that the development of the EDF site is what they bombast is an
“urbs in rure”. It means the creation of a “town in the country” of Soviet style flats for which
there is little demand except for council housing suitable only for out of area applicants and
to maximise the Community Infrastructure Levy. If the phrase is not an admission that the
proposed development is obscene, nothing is.

The stayed integrated development of the EDF and LIC sites would make matters even worse
and turn the area into an urban ghetto.
The LIC Site
You are well aware of the defects in the AWNP and that the current application to develop
the Wealden House EDF site – if approved - will be used as a precedent for an application
for LIC site and would result in an estimated total of over 100 units. This would be totally out
of character with the village and violate the NPPF, the PPGs and virtually every important
planning policy. It would also create massive and dangerous problems at the entry to the site
from the A22 .
9
AWNP did not allocate the LIC site for development. AW policy 10 - which refers - was
included to allow access to the EDF site and for no other reason. There was no sustainability
appraisal and there is absolutely no presumption in favour of any development of the LIC
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site or demolition of the Victorian Manor House . YOU MUST KNOW THIS and should
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make the facts clear to the existing owners and potential developers.
Possible Consequences
Your current course, of tantalising AHL with Mr Dorman’s “approval” - while placating
objectors through ambiguity and lack of information - is likely to lead to disastrous publicity
for the Council and costs to ratepayers resulting from;

• Residents and others forcing a Judicial Review, taking action for Misfeasance in Public
Office AND/or
• Ashgrove Homes Ltd (and possibly its high-powered American owners) seeking
damages as a result of MSDC’s incompetence and deliberate ambiguity.

7 Of 54 units
8 Email from Mr King 21st January 2019 at 18.05
9 But no junction survey/evaluation has been carried out
10 Except for 0.08 hectares of the Northern Car Park which was specifically excluded for allocation
11 The plans released (inadvertently?) by AHL shows that the Victorian Manor House would be
demolished and overbuilt with “utilitarian” flats.