Page 1 - Microsoft Word - Letter to Steven King rev2

9 Ashbourne House
Lewes Road
Ashurst Wood
East Grinstead
West Sussex RH19 3TB
Telephone 01342 312050 email: comer@btinternet.com

9 October 20 18
th

Dear Mr King,

Application for Wealden House Sites (DM/18/1548)

I am concerned that the above application is the opening gambit of an integrated scheme for
the development of the Wealden House EDF (WH:EDF) and Wealden House Life
Improvement Centre (WH:LIC) which are “brownfield sites” outside the built-up area. If such
a scheme were approved, with an estimated 120 units, it would violate the vision of Ashurst
Wood and breach important policies, among other things, to “retain the distinctiveness and
character of the village by preserving its historic and environmental features”, to “provide a
sustainable future” and to “respect the scale and character of existing and surrounding
buildings”. In short, the integrated development would be a disaster for the village.

Would you please confirm that:

a) The Objectively Assessed Need (OAN) for new dwellings in Ashurst Wood – between
2015 and 2031 - was agreed by Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC) at 62 units:
b) You are aware of an intention to develop the WH:EDF and WH:LIC as an integrated or
linked scheme [see Attachment 1]. This was included, without a word of explanation, in
the Design and Access Statement of the current application and implies an estimated 120
units at a density of approximately 94 dwellings per hectare (DdHa) [Attachment 2]
against:
• an average of 1.2 DdHa in Category 3 villages, of which Ashurst Wood forms part;

• an average of 3.19 DdHa in Ashurst Wood: indicating that it is already over-
developed;
• an average of around 5.45 DdHa for all sites in the Ashurst Wood Neighbourhood
Plan (AWNP); excluding the WH sites;

• 25 DdHa for all new developments that comply with the National Planning Policy
Framework (NPPF) in the UK, including those in city centres and metropolitan areas;
• 72.4DdHa for the revised proposal for 58 flats on the WH:EDF site.

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