Page 393 - All files for Planning Inspectorate update

This application seeks planning permission for the demolition of the existing
buildings at EDF Energy, Wealden House, Lewes Road, Ashurst Wood and a
residential redevelopment consisting of 54 units.

Planning legislation requires the application to be determined in accordance with
the Development Plan unless material circumstances indicate otherwise. In this
part of Mid Sussex the development plan comprises the District Plan (DP) and the
Ashurst Wood Neighbourhood Plan (AWNP). The National Planning Policy
Framework (NPPF) is an important material planning consideration.

As the site is allocated for redevelopment in the AWNP, the principle of the
development is acceptable. The application is seeking to overcome the reasons
why the previous scheme for 71 units on the site was refused.

It is considered that given the existing building that occupies the site, the proposal
would conserve the natural beauty of this part of the High Weald AONB. Also
weighing in favour of the scheme is the fact that the proposal would bring about a
redevelopment of a previously developed site. There would also be economic
benefits from the scheme associated with both the construction phase and also the
additional spend in the economy from new residents. The provision of 54 dwellings
would make a positive contribution to the Councils housing land supply and this
weighs in favour of the application

It is considered that the scheme would not cause a significant loss of residential
amenity to the occupiers of The Barn, which is the closest residential property to
the site. It is also considered there would not be a significant adverse impact on
North Lodge to the east of the site.

It is considered that in their own right, the elevations of the proposed buildings are
reasonable. The elevations are well ordered and the detailing, choice of materials
and set back of upper floors helps to break down the scale of the buildings.
Nonetheless the buildings will clearly be of a different scale to the domestic scale
buildings around the site. This is a function of the applicant's interpretation of the
Ashurst Wood Neighbourhood Plan and the supporting text to its housing section,
which refers to the approximate capacity of this site as being 50+. It is
acknowledged that it is challenging to reconcile this assessment with criteria a) of
policy ASW9 which requires schemes to 'reflect and respect the predominant
character of the area with particular regard to unit type, scale and massing'.

One of the reasons why the previous application was refused was that the scheme
for 71 units was an over development of the site and this was evidenced by the
lack of car parking on site and the hard edged nature of the scheme. Whilst the
current scheme is less hard edged and not so dominated by car parking, there is
still a significant shortfall of car parking against the District Councils standards and
a larger shortfall against the Neighbourhood Plan's car parking standards. Given
the location of the site the alternatives to the private car are more limited
compared to central locations in East Grinstead and it is therefore reasonable to
expect that the likely car parking requirements of the development are met on site.