Ardingly Road
You may recall that Reside submitted another application in the spring for the Ardingly Road fields.
Following objections from the West Sussex County landscape architect that the site was particularly sensitive, the prospective developers have yet again revised their design and resubmitted. The recent changes:
· They have reduced two further 2 storey houses into bungalows,
· They are planning to carry out extensive earth moving on the southern boundary to construct terraces in order to lower the roof line by two metres.
However, as the WSCC landscape architect highlights in her latest consultation response –
“Any development proposals would therefore have potential for creating a significant detrimental impact on locallandscape character” and “this would significantly alter the local character in the location of the proposed entrance road where currently there is a continuous field boundary”
This further application will continue to have a significant, adverse impact on the landscape and local character.
IT IS CRUCIAL THAT AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE WRITE AGAIN AND OBJECT TO THE NEW, NEW APPLICATION! CLOSING DATE IS WEDNESDAY 25th JULY, SO JUST A FEW DAYS LEFT!
The Parish Planning committee is discussing the application on Thursday 26th at 7.30 at the Queens Hall
Mid Sussex Council reference is 12/01153/OUT. Link to MSDC website for direct responses (use reference to search and then click ‘comments’ tab) is: http://pa.midsussex.gov.uk/online-applications.
Or email the planning officer, Steve Ashdown, direct at steve.ashdown@midsussex.gov.uk
The new key issues are:
· The southern boundary will be a sequence of up to 2.5 metre (8.2 ft) deep terraces – this is completely uncharacteristic of the local area. It will require an unsustainable major material moving exercise for up to 1000m3. That’s over 100 wagon movements onto our roads to landfill.
· Terraces are unsuitable and unsafe for elderly residents, who will be the main attraction as occupiers. Steep slopes are shown, which are well above the required 1 in 12 for disabled access.
· Bungalow design - on the southern boundary these will be only 4.5m high to the ridge line. Whilst this may allow more of a view above them, they will be very small internally, with barely any height above door frames. Or they will have extremely shallow roof slopes. The ridge lines are shown as flat. These issues indicate completely unsuitable, inappropriate and unsustainable design, not characteristic of the local area, and against Cuckfield’s Village Design Statement policies.
· The photo montages included in Reside’s application are inaccurate, and are not representative of what the development will actually look like – they are shown too low, in the wrong position and are missing properties.
· The view to the Downs from the south of Ardingly Road will continue to be significantly altered (with only ‘glimpses’ through the buildings available). This goes against Mid Sussex’s own Urban Designer recommendations.
· The view from the north of Ardingly Road will be degraded. The developers have included bungalows along the southern edge, which they say will allow a view over the top of to the Downs. However, you will see houses and a roofline instead of trees and there will be a disconnect between the field and surrounding countryside, blocking the near view.
Previous raised issues
· The planning inspector insisted that the view and surrounding landscape connections and character was crucial to the distinctiveness of the whole village. In fact, even more important than the over-riding ‘5-year housing supply’, which MSDC cannot demonstrate and which has caused lost appeal after lost appeal.
· This field is crucial to the development of all the other surrounding fields, as it provides access. We know that landowners are already in discussions with developers and there will be a likely further two applications (see below)!
· The site is outside of the current built up boundary.
· The site is within a Coalesence Gap, designed to prevent Cuckfield and Haywards Heath from converging. Unless stopped, this is likely to mean that the village becomes just another suburb within a few short years.
· Cuckfield already has in the last few years, or will soon take, 164 new houses at several sites. This must be given a chance to be incorporated into the character of the village before more is permitted, as MSDC have themselves recognised in their own Rural Issues Background Paper.
· Significant social housing (30 new dwellings) is already being incorporated into other new developments in Cuckfield to meet current need. There is therefore no ‘urgent’ need for further affordable housing in the village.
· The loss of the site will lead to further losses in biodiversity, including badgers, bats and birds. Properties are now located within 10 metres of badger sett, with the access road within 5m. The developers state this will be enough to protect them. The new terraces will destroy the existing environment.
· Holy Trinity Primary School is currently turning local children away. A new development is likely to prevent even more children from the village from obtaining a place.
· Traffic continues to rise on Ardingly Road, and a further 40 cars will exacerbate this further (along with potentially a further 1000 from Penland Farm!). Adding another turning on Ardingly Road will significantly increase risks for school children walking to school
· Cuckfield Parish Council is currently drafting its Neighbourhood Plan (it has received funding from the government as a ‘front runner’ project), which will assess development needs and aspirations for the next 20 years. It is therefore highly premature that further development is granted before residents have decided if, and where, new development should go.