HeathfieldGreen.Space is the new name for StopVinesCorner
HeathfieldGreen.Space
Dedicated to protecting and enhancing green spaces in and around Heathfield
KEYNOTE Letter to Residents of Heathfield & Waldron
Dear Residents in Heathfield, Cross In Hand, Waldron, Broad Oak and Punnetts Town
There are three things that Mike and I wish to highlight to you .... and we hope that you will bear with us as this KEYNOTE Letter is rather long.
Firstly ... we have written to our MP Huw Merriman about Planning for the Future explaining our 12 Points of Objection to it and asking him to be a strong voice for Wealden and to oppose it when it comes forward for the meaningful debate and vote. If it is not opposed by a majority of MPs it will be made law possibly as early as December 2020.
You can find a copy of our letter to Huw Merriman MP under Downloads at the end of this letter.
WE URGE NOW YOU TO WRITE TO YOUR MPs Huw Merriman MP for Bexhill & Battle and Nus Ghani MP for Wealden ... and tell them what you think about Planning for the Future , the Housing Figure of nearly 25,000 it will demand from Wealden District Council over a plan 20 years.
Secondly ... we are now less than 2 weeks away from the survey close date of 29th OCTOBER 2020 ...for the Government new proposals called 'Planning for the Future'.
You can access 'Planning for the Future' in full and respond to the proposals here: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/mhclg-planning-for-the-future
WE URGE YOU to help us defend our precious High Weald AONB and Pevensey Levels from what will be rampant development ... PLEASE TAKE PART IN THE SURVEY and submit YOUR RESPONSE before 23:45 29th October 2020.
Thirdly... and with thanks to www.WASP2020.org (Wealden Alliance for Sustainable Planning) ... we have received Hot off the press the new Wealden District Council SHELAA (Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment).
You can find a copy of the Heathfield SHELAA 2020 under Downloads at the end of this page.
This follows WDC's most recent ‘Call for Sites’ ... and WDChave just circulated the resulting maps to Parish Councils.
This map looks much the same as the Map issued with the WDC Local Plan August 2018 (withdrawn) ...in the WDC Wealden District SHELAA Report 2018 and includes all Unsuitable and Suitable sites as at 2018.
WHAT'S NEW ? The orange shaded areas in the 2020 SHELAA Map are new parcels of land offered to WDC ... following their call for land earlier this year ... so the parcels in Cross in Hand, Broad Oak and Maynards Green) are more recent submissions.
WHY SHOULD WE BE WORRIED about the Housing Numbers ?
It is now clear that Wealden will be planning to build a MINIMUM of 1231 houses PER ANNUM - which over 20 YEAR PLAN equates to 24620 and you can find the explanatory information from WDC in the SHELAA Methodology June 2020 document ... in the Downloads section following this letter.
This would increase the number of houses in Wealden by about 37%. The figure may be higher if Wealden are forced to build extra numbers for neighbouring areas such as Eastbourne. This is in spite of ONS (Office of National Statistics) figures which show Wealden population would only expect to rise by about 10.5% in the same period.
Since May this year Planning Applications have been granted for 2634 new properties. This means Planning Permission has already been granted for over 8,800 houses which are as yet unbuilt.
Developers continue to plan homes which are not the kind of housing we need in Wealden. In South Wealden, assessed housing need states that the area ideally requires about 80% 1 and 2 bedroom properties to balance the housing stock, whilst developers submit plans for developments with 70-80% 3 and 4 bedroom homes.
In North Wealden, development has been creeping onto the AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). In fact over 50% of Wealden is protected as High Weald AONB, Pevensey Levels and Ashdown Forest Special Area of Conservation.
So where will all this development take place? ... it's self evident that the remaining greenfield unprotected land is being targeted and that more land from the High Weald AONB will be taken despite its protected status.
The Heathfield SHELAA has almost exclusively AONB sites.
It's also calculated that Wealden can only supply about 25% of the required jobs for new population - meaning that new residents will either be remote workers or commuters. So where is the infrastructure, and how do we accommodate thousands of commuters in an area which has declared a Climate emergency?
So ... you might be asking yourself ... WHAT CAN I DO ?
We urge you to write to NOW your MPs .. Huw Meriman MP for Bexhill & Battle huw.merriman.mp@parliament.uk and Nus Ghani MP for Wealden nusrat.ghani.mp@parliament.uk
TELL THEM WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT 'PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE' and WDC's stated intention to build nearly 25,000 HOMES over 20 Years.
We hope that you will understand why we are so concerned about the proposals. We are on the cusp of unprecedented changes to the Planning systems and The High Weald AONB needs our support more than ever before.
Yours sincerely,
Sarah Bushnell, Secretary to HeathfieldGreen. Space and StopVinesCorner Group
Michael John Gadd, Statistics and Local, National Government Coordinator
Our Objectives
Green Spaces
Give Heathfield a Voice
Give Heathfield a Voice
We will strive to protect all the Green Spaces in and around the Heathfield & Waldron Parish.
For more information on Green Spaces click the picture
Give Heathfield a Voice
Give Heathfield a Voice
Give Heathfield a Voice
We will respond to the Consultation which is being held for the Government White Paper called 'Planning for the Future' ... we will encourage as many local people to respond as well.
Continue the Dialogue with our MPs
Continue the Dialogue with our MPs
Continue the Dialogue with our MPs
We will continue the dialogue that we have maintained over the years ... about Planning and Green Space ... with Huw Merriman MP for Bexhill & Battle and Nus Ghani MP for Wealden.
New Local Plan Examination
Continue the Dialogue with our MPs
Continue the Dialogue with our MPs
We will work to ensure that Heathfield is represented at the discussion table when the new Wealden District Council Local Plan is examined by the Government Inspector.
UK Government White Paper
Big Changes are Coming to Planning !
There is a UK Government White Paper which is as yet not 'law' seeking to radically change the Planning process.
We are in the process of endeavouring to understand as much of this as we can and we will share what know with you on this website HeathfieldGreen.Space.
Here are links to the White Paper and the consultation:
The White Paper "Planning for the Future" Can be found here
The White Paper "Planning for the Future" Consultation can be found here
There is a great deal in this paper which if made law could affect the new WDC Local Plan in terms of the planning process being 'short cut' to presume approval for housing development, where homes could be built, and crucially for Wealden and Heathfield the numbers of homes could be very significantly increased.
HeathfieldGreen.Space will be responding to the consultation and we will be encouraging as many people in and around Heathfield to respond as well.
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE !
We must respond to the consultation by 23:45 29th OCTOBER 2020
A Little Background
The Wealden District Council Local Plan
As a brief recap: you may recall that the Wealden Local Plan was withdrawn in February this year … this was after 4 years of effort using a great deal of 'manpower' (and cost) both from Wealden Planning, the District Councillors and technical expertise many experts such as Chris Blandford Associates … all of which were drawn upon in the assembly of the Plan.
The UK Government Planning Inspector Louise Nurser BA (Hons) Dip UP MRTPI criticised the WDC Local Plan 2019 …. citing that: WDC failed in their Duty To Cooperate with surrounding Districts … failed take on the unmet housing needs of surrounding Districts ... and (she considered) WDC's approach to the air quality issues within the Habitats Regulations Assessment was not justified and lacking in “scientific credibility”.
The withdrawal was a huge blow for all because although the WDC Local Plan 2019 was not 'perfect' it was supportive of need to protect our High Value landscapes … The High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Pevensey Levels and the Ashdown Forest Special Area of Conservation.
Specifically for Heathfield and Waldron Parish which includes Cross In Hand, Broad Oak and parts of Punnetts Town … there was a recognition that Heathfield should continue in its role as a town centre serving quite a wide area around it while it's important location in The High Weald should underpin a continuing role in attracting Tourism.
Reassuringly the WDC Local Plan of 2019 outlined that smaller housing developments were more appropriate than the very large developments of over 200+ houses which Heathfield was threatened with in 2015/2016.
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO READ ABOUT THE BIG ISSUES ...
The BIG Issues
Housing Development in the AONB
Housing Development in the AONB
Housing Development in the AONB
While we fully appreciate that many people will not want to see any development in the AONB around us … the reality is that the 'rules' in the UK Government's National Planning Policy Framework are not 'black and white' nor 'set in stone'.
Developers and Wealden Planning
Housing Development in the AONB
Housing Development in the AONB
We have to also recognise that Developers are backed with generous investment and funding and WDC Planning department is tasked with achieving approvals for many thousands of homes in Wealden … both those parties are adept at arguing that some areas of the AONB are 'less valuable' than other areas … thereby allowing WDC to approve housing developments in the AONB.
Housing Numbers
Housing Numbers
Housing Numbers
So... where do things stand now … WDC is starting up a new WDC Local Plan and the production of the Plan is expected to take at least 2 years.
The numbers of homes for Wealden District which are circulating in the public domain are very worrying indeed... being:
- 25,000 homes to be built over ...
- 20 year Plan period, which means
- 1231Annual Build Rate
* These figures are based on the UK Govt White Paper which is open for public consultation - you can respond to this white paper and help us try to make a difference for Heathfield, Cross In Hand, Broad Oak and Punnetts Town.
The Impacts
Housing Numbers
Housing Numbers
No-one in Wealden District can possibly imagine that such a large number of homes to be built will not 'touch' the area where each of us lives … one thing we can be sure of is that new homes are coming, in very large numbers and they could well be arriving at a location in or near to Heathfield !
What can be done about this ? ...
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO READ ABOUT WHAT WE WILL DO ...
What We Will Do
Be Involved in the WDC Local Plan
Be Involved in the WDC Local Plan
Be Involved in the WDC Local Plan
HeathfieldGreen.Space group wants to be involved in the process of developing the new Plan.
(In 2019 members of the StopVinesCorner group were invited to attend the meetings held by the UK Gov't Inspector Louise Nurser when she reviewed the WDC Local Plan dated August 2018.)
Plan Vision for Heathfield
Be Involved in the WDC Local Plan
Be Involved in the WDC Local Plan
We wish to see the Vision for Heathfield re-confirmed as a service centre for the surrounding areas and re-affirmed in it's role of attracting Tourism due to its wonderful position in the High Weald AONB.
High Weald AONB Unit Design Guide
High Weald AONB Unit Design Guide
High Weald AONB Unit Design Guide
We wish to see the new WDC Local Plan
confirming that developments in the High Weald AONB will comply with the standards for design, layout and materials in the High Weald Design Guide.
We wish to see the WDC Local Plan confirming the strategy of only allowing small developments of homes in The High Weald AONB.
We will continue to challenge planning applications which do not comply with the standards in the HW Design Guide and WDC's own planning policies.
The High Weald AONB Unit Design Guide has been adopted by WDC planning …. however the standard of homes we see being approved for development and 'built out' rarely meet those standards.
We will lobby H&W Parish and WDC District Councillors on this matter
Neighbourhood Plan for Heathfield
High Weald AONB Unit Design Guide
High Weald AONB Unit Design Guide
We will continue to lobby H&W Parish and WDC District Councillors on the important matter of a Neighbourhood Plan for Heathfield.
In March 2020 we requested that Heathfield & Waldron Parish Council should start up a Neighbourhood Plan for Heathfield … because there is significant local interest in Heathfield (including Cross In Hand, Broad Oak and Punnetts Town).
The loss of the WDC Local Plan 2019 and the history of Heathfield being targeted by developers favouring high density inappropriate housing on AONB sites and along the A265 are powerful drivers.
But H&W Parish Council refused to start up a Neighbourhood Plan.
What We Will Do continued...
Green Open Space & Green Infrastructure
Green Open Space & Green Infrastructure
Green Open Space & Green Infrastructure
Heathfield is still lacking the larger areas of open green space advised as being very important for physical and mental well-being in the 'Wealden Green Infrastructure Study' by Chris Blandford Associates (commissioned by WDC for the previous WDC Local Plan now withdrawn).
We will continue to lobby H&W Parish and WDC District Councillors on this matter ... and we will feedback into the new WDC Local Plan at the consultancy stages about the need for public access to larger green open spaces and conservation of green infrastructure .
ACV for the Top Of The World field
Green Open Space & Green Infrastructure
Green Open Space & Green Infrastructure
In 2016 we gained the ACV for the large field known as the Top Of The World at Vines Corner … making it an Asset of Community Value …
However the landowner has ignored the requirement of Isabel Garden the WDC Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Planning, Policy & Environmental Services that he should provide continuing means of access … to what are widely acknowledged to be the finest views across the High Weald and Rother Valley.
Instead the landowner has prevented public access to that field which gives onto trails into the Ancient Woodland and leading to Millenium Green and the footpath network.
We will apply for renewal of the ACV for a further 5 years.
Local Farming Needs
Local Farming Needs
Local Farming Needs
Local Farmers are not considered or 'looked after' in the WDC Policies or the WDC Local Plan … yet they play a hugely important role in the provision of high quality meat and fruit as well as the management of vast tracts of the countryside, hedgerows, haws and woodland.
We will lobby the Farming organisation/s and WDC about this matter … local farming needs including transport by very large vehicles of Hay, Sillage and Animals must be considered and met as part of any housing development.
Affordable Homes
Local Farming Needs
Local Farming Needs
Developers frequently fail to honour the 35% Affordable Homes Condition attached to Major Developments … which can be as low as 10 homes in AONB locations.
Typically developers claim that provision of those homes will make the development unprofitable / unviable financially ... even when EDC has already conducted a Viability Assessment of the site and found it to be financially viable.
We will continue to lobby H&W Parish and WDC District Councillors whenever we are aware of a developer application to remove the Affordable Homes condition from their planning approval.
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO READ ABOUT THE UK GOV'T WHITE PAPER ...