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About the WDC Local Plan withdrawn

WDC Local Plan Withdrawal

What Could Change with a New Local Plan?

WDC Local Plan Withdrawal

 Wealden District Council will vote on 19th February to withdraw the WDC Local Plan.  
This is following an adverse report by the UK Gov't Planning Inspector, Louise Nurser BA (Hons) Dip UP MRTPI.    
Here is an extract from WDC's response to the Inspector ...  

 'The Council is disappointed with your conclusions concerning the failure on

 Wealden District Council will vote on 19th February to withdraw the WDC Local Plan.  
This is following an adverse report by the UK Gov't Planning Inspector, Louise Nurser BA (Hons) Dip UP MRTPI.    
Here is an extract from WDC's response to the Inspector ...  

 'The Council is disappointed with your conclusions concerning the failure on the Duty to Co-operate and that you consider our approach to the air quality issues within the Habitats Regulations Assessment was not justified and lacking in “scientific credibility”... I can inform you that the Council will not be challenging the outcome contained in your letter, nor will we require a further detailed report.  We will be recommending the withdrawal of the WLP at our Full Council meeting on 19 February 2020. Yours sincerely Isabel Garden Director & Deputy Chief Executive Planning, Policy & Environmental Services ' 

Some High Level Points

What Could Change with a New Local Plan?

WDC Local Plan Withdrawal

 

The  WDC Local Plan recognised that over 50% of the Wealden District is  taken up with protected landscapes of the AONB and Pevensey Levels plus  there is need to protect the Ashdown Forest Secial Area of Conservation  from the effects of rising Nitrous Oxide levels which would increase  with more housing and traffic movements.


The  Plan 

 

The  WDC Local Plan recognised that over 50% of the Wealden District is  taken up with protected landscapes of the AONB and Pevensey Levels plus  there is need to protect the Ashdown Forest Secial Area of Conservation  from the effects of rising Nitrous Oxide levels which would increase  with more housing and traffic movements.


The  Plan stated that 14,228 houses would be built for the period 2013 to  2028  with the majority of the development in  allocated sites in the  Hailsham, Stone Cross and Polegate areas (designated the South Wealden  Growth Area) but proposed minimal infrastructure  improvements to  accommodate the level of growth.
The Ashdown Forest Special Area of Conservation and the Pevensey Levels  as well as the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty were all  laid down in the plan as being areas which should be protected from the  development and its environmental and ecological effects.
 

There  was much in the Plan for Wealden residents to feel reassured about. But  there was uncertainty about how WDC would implemet their Plan and  whether they would honour their committment specifically for Heathfield  to protect the AONB espcially the Vines Corner fields.  Conflicts of  information in the Plan and in the SHELAA text regarding Suitable and  Unsuitable Sites for Development further contributed to uncertainty.


All  things considered we hoped that the WDC PLan would be given the green  light by the Insector - because withdrawal of the Plan would lead much  greater risk and uncertainty.


However...  by the time that the WDC Local Plan was being examined by the Gov't  Inspector in May 2019 it became  apparent that landowners, developers  and other  Councils (Eastbourne, Lewes, South Downs National Park and  Tunbridge  Wells) were all driving for a considerable increase in the  number of houses to be built in the Wealden District. 

What Could Change with a New Local Plan?

What Could Change with a New Local Plan?

What Could Change with a New Local Plan?

The WDC Local Plan (withdrawn) proposed a total of 14,228 homes for Wealden to be built at 950 per year.


A new Local Plan would be almost certain to propose a total of over 20,000 homes for Wealden to be built at 1250 per year.


The potential impact of a new plan is that  WDC could require Heathfield and Waldron to deliver many more homes  t

The WDC Local Plan (withdrawn) proposed a total of 14,228 homes for Wealden to be built at 950 per year.


A new Local Plan would be almost certain to propose a total of over 20,000 homes for Wealden to be built at 1250 per year.


The potential impact of a new plan is that  WDC could require Heathfield and Waldron to deliver many more homes  than the 400 required in the WDC Local Plan withdrawn.


Time is also a major issue. It will take years for WDC to build a new plan (based on the last taking 5 years to produce).


During that time the only documents which can relied upon for determining planning applications are the adopted plan for Wealden1998 and the Wealden Core Strategy dated 2013. 


Whether these will carry great weight in planning decisions and appeals remains to be tested. 


 In the meantime - developers will be keen to capitalise on WDC’s weakened position - and without a current Local Plan and their lack of a 5 Year Housing Land Supply - we can expect to see more applications for housing developments


Developers may not be looking consider local communities wants and needs and they will no doubt feel confident to challenge WDC and Appeal any applications which may be refused.


A Neighbourhood Plan for Heathfield & Waldron is now vital. 






WDC Local Plan and Heathfield & Waldron

Important points which a Neighbourhood Plan could draw on:

'The Heathfield of today acts as a service centre to a wide rural catchment of a number of small villages and hamlets. It has a number of firms established in several business areas and the town centre has undergone environmental improvements within the main shopping street'. 


'The town is surrounded by the valued landscape of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and its elevated setting provides long distance views out into the surrounding countryside, including views towards historic Mayfield to the north and towards the South Downs National Park to the south. Heathfield Park, a registered Historic Park and Garden, lies to the east of the town'.


The Vision Statement for Heathfield included:'
Housing will be provided in appropriate locations to meet the needs of the town and the most valued landscapes including those within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty will continue to be protected to contribute to the existing historic and attractive character of the town. Heathfield will be promoted as a tourist destination to attract visitors and the better promotion of the Cuckoo Trail will contribute to the tourist draw'. 

Concerns for Heathfield and Waldron

Infrastructure & Services

 

The WDC Plan misrepresented that Heathfield is well served by infrastructure and local service - when:

  • the Bus services are inadequate to support people using them to get to work in nearby towns 
  • the Police Station is unmanned and is listed in the Plan and SHELAA for re-development
  • the Fire Station serves a far greater area than just Heathfield – it covers Horam where there has been a great increase in housing numbers and other outlying areas, the Ambulance Station is a parking facility and is listed in the Plan and SHELAA for redevelopment
  • the Doctors Surgeries are full with no plans for any further facility
  • the Waste Water Treatment Plant at Horam is ‘full’ with the ‘upgrade’ now delayed to 2023 - new developments are typically approved with SUDs  sustainable urban drainage systems which output into a watercourse
  • Broad Oak School is threatened with closure so that the land can be used for 50 houses


A Neighbourhood Plan needs to take account of these things. 

 

Local Green Space

The WDC Local Plan misrepresented that Heathfield is ‘well served’ in availability of open space - when:


  •  the Wealden Green Infrastructure Study section 4.4.1 (commisioned by WDC) by Chris Blandford Associates points out that Communities in Heathfield do not have access to the larger open green spaces .


 A recent nomination for the large field 259/1210 at Vines Corner to be designated Local Green Space per the NPPF para 77 was turned away by Wealden District Council because it had not come via a Neighbourhood Plan. 


A Neighbourhood Plan should include nomination/s for open green spaces so that  our communities can have the opportunity to protect treasured local landscape/s and bring the land back into public use.

Green Infrastructure

The WDC Local Plan (in the section about Heathfield) made many statements about the high value that WDC puts on Green Infrastructure - when:


  •  Heathfield is already becoming ‘urbanised’ by concentrations of housing developments which are approved and will line both sides of the A265 from just after the Battle junction to the Tower Street crossroads
  • Wealden District Council has shown itself unwilling to protect important trees and groups of trees even in areas such as the Cuckoo Trail which the Plan highlighted as an important Tourist draw. 
  • Wealden District Council refused a recent proposal  - which was supported by an independent assessment of the trees, shaws and hedgerows by a Landscape Architect  - that TPOs should be put onto important groups of trees and hedging from the head of Marklye Lane and along the A265 Burwash Road in front of the Fairground  Field, The Cart Barn and the Old Dairy. 


Trees and hedgerows make important contributions as visual amenties and wildlife habitat – and currently most of them lack protection thus leaving them open to being damaged or felled before any preventive actions can be taken.


 A Neighbourhood Plan should  include nominations for irreplaceable mature trees, shaws and historic hedgerows to be protected.  


Heathfield Dev't Boundary

New Boundary Shown in Pink

 

The extracts from the plan below are still included - however there are worrying implications for Heathfield in the form of the many qualifying and mitigating statements scattered throughout the plan which do not rule out housing development outside the Development Boundary and inside the AONB surrounding Heathfield.

The (new) development boundary generally follows the line of existing development on the northern edge of the town.... Further outward encroachment of development into the wooded slope of the AONB would be inappropriate and visually intrusive.  

Closer to Vines Corner, the boundary excludes land below the ridge and either side of Marklye Lane which is exposed and highly sensitive in the AONB landscape.

To the east, the development boundary follows the built up edge to the town where it adjoins Heathfield Park. The Council considers that any development beyond Park Road would be detrimental to the character and setting of the Park and should be firmly resisted.

Heathfield Park is a registered Historic park and garden and a designated SSSI and Ancient Woodland. Any new development will need to consider its proximity to Heathfield Park, taking into account its designations, and its High Weald AONB location.

Vines Corner & Heathfield Park

The above extracts from the WDC Plan cannot be relied upon to protect either the Vines Corner fields or Heathfield Park from development applications.  

The respective owners can put in Planning Applications at any time.


Please see ACV Page for more information. 

See & Read For Yourself

See Downloads below to read: Local Plan Extract for Heathfield  which includes the Development Boundary Map, the latest SHELAA Map and the associated commentary document. 

Downloads

Click on a file to download.

Heathfield Development Boundary (jpg)Download
Wealden Local Plan June 2018 - Public reports pack 05072018 1430 Local Plan Sub-Committee (pdf)Download
Heathfield SHELAA Maps (pdf)Download
Heathfield SHELAA Maps Commentary (pdf)Download
WLP_19_Consultation_representation_form (pdf)Download
WDC Infrastructure Plan August 2018 Heathfield (pdf)Download
WDC Local Plan 2018 - Text of Response by Mike Gadd (docx)Download
WDC Local Plan 2018 - Text of Presentation to HWPC by Mike Gadd (docx)Download
WDC Local Plan - SVC Group Response - Key Points (docx)Download
WDC Local Plan - SVC Group Response on Protection & Conservation of The High Weald 011018 (docx)Download
WDC Local Plan - SVC Group Response on Green Infrastructure & Local Green Space 011018 (docx)Download
Comments and WDC responses to Statement of Community Involvement Consultation July 2020 (pdf)Download
inspectors letter (pdf)Download

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