OPPOSING
HIGHFIELDS FARM, NEW ROAD 2025
GO TO ‘LIBRARY’ FOR OUR OBJECTIONS GUIDE
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Developments We Oppose
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Court Farm - APPLICATION REFUSED BY WDC
Click on the link to RPG’s Objection to Court Farm November 2023
About the Site:
An extensive area of open farmland on the western approach to Rotherfield. It is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). It has a sweeping and typical landscape circling the edge of the village and sits directly in sight of the settings of the ancient church of St Deny’s and the Conservation Area
This Developer Aims To:
Remove a 106 agreement onto another piece of land to be able to build 75 houses. The 106 application must be disallowed. If it is successful there is nothing to stand in the way of 75 new houses being applied for. It is the gatehouse for protection.
The second application is for the 75 houses.Object to both. We need appropriate housing in appropriate places. This is not the place people of Rotherfield!
The developer will we believe, opt to build on a further 50+ acres if the 75 are successful.
They intend to go to Appeal irrespective of the grounds of rejection.
They will sell on the ‘option to build application’ to the highest bidder and may not do it themselves
Not make any further contribution to the village outside the legally required community levy(CIL) paid to Wealden District Council (WDC) and this will not necessarily come to the village and if it does it will be a small contribution.
Its Effects Will Be:
If the 106 is swopped to another area it will devastate ancient hedgerows and habitats for Great Crested Newts; Dormice; Red-listed Bird Species to name but a few. The Environmental Impact Assessment has been done for the current land requested not on the proposed space.
Major traffic generation and all the aspects that we all suffer from daily due to poor thought and management.
Poor Road Safety and visibility at the entrance on the bow of the hill
Major increased pressure upon the infrastructure of local services ie GP Practice; Schools and our Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Our Achievement So Far:
Despite the Secretary of State determining no expensive and time-consuming environmental assessment was needed - we have persuaded SOS Gove to insist upon this (which will be on the wrong piece of land if the 106 agreement is swopped over.)
This development will materially affect Rotherfield and provide a burden on so many aspects of our lives. Please object and remain vigilant to what you can continue to do.
NOVEMBER 2023 OBJECTION LETTER
LINK TO 106 OBJECTION LETTER by 21/5/23
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Millwood Homes (Glebe Land) - Mayfield Road -UNSUCCESSFUL APPLICATION & APPEAL
This application has been refused by WDC. The deadline for an appeal passed on 10th February 2023. It was stated that our Consultant’s objection aided a negative decision.
This site sits at the junction to Mayfield and Five Ashes near Dewlands Golf Course.
This land can be seen from many directions. It has the Powdermill Trust Nature Reserve behind it which will be severely affected by dwellings adjacent to it.
Millwood Designer Homes (now owned by Elivia Developments) are the applicants and have been given the option to submit from the Diocese of Arundel & Chichester who own the land. This land was, up until notice given was used by a local farmer for grazing.
We and others such as AONB, ESCC have submitted comprehensive objections relating to:-
1. Failing to conserve landscape & scenic beauty in an AONB
2. Danger to Road Safety due to access & calming measures
3. Dependence on cars & poor accessibility by non-car modes
4. Design & appearance out of keeping with the setting
5. Sewerage system unable to accommodate foul water & discharge to local water courses
6. Dependence on surface water discharge piped to third party land
7. Loss of ‘important’ hedgerow species
8. No ecological assessment of harm to Nature Reserve behind
9. Absence of assessment of impact on local services.
We are planning an appeal currently in case.
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St Peter's Mead
This site near Millwood’s plan has already been granted 9 houses to build. We were unable to intervene on these. An additional house was submitted; objections submitted and application withdrawn.
The demolition of the church and 4 further houses will be undertaken. The Developer - however, also had permission for 9 houses (2 Affordables - 2-bed) on land to the rear of the church but has now reapplied for 8 houses this month - 4 x 3 bed and 4 x 4 bed and NO AFFORDABLE HOUSES.
DEADLINE FOR OBJECTIONS IS 4th JUNE 2023 - WD/2023/0998.
This site has a very narrow entrance and will add to excessive & speeding traffic movement.
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Highfields Farm, New Road Opposed
A 10-Dwelling Application in the National Landscape of Rotherfield
Application Ref: WD/2024/2956/MAJ
SEE OUR OBJECTION GUIDE IN ‘LIBRARY’
This application was unanimously voted for a refusal recommendation from Rotherfield Parish Council. The demolition of large barns at the top of the site will be replaced by 9 Dwellings and the house retained for expansion.
We oppose it as inappropriate and overly-expansive development because:
It conflicts with National & Local planning policies and harms the landscape & rural character of that area - obliterating a view of our ancient church & other views.
It is highly detrimental to neighbouring properties - being overbearing, over-looking and loss of privacy
Road safety will be seriously compromised due to additional traffic in an area that cannot sustain without danger
It would add significantly to already considerable surface water flooding along New Road
It would cause pollution and a health risk due to inadequate foul sewerage provision - the road already suffers from influx
It would place even greater pressure on already overloaded local services.
SEE THE FULL PRESENTATION TO RPC IN LIBRARY
Our Campaigns
What is happening?
A truly devastating and disproportionate number of developments are being proposed and applied for Rotherfield currently with new and mostly inappropriate housing numbers in excess of 130 - exceeding a quarter of current houses in the village.
Due to the lack of a Local Plan from Wealden District Council there is no guidance for where houses may be built. Despite certain places being designated as ‘not developable’ and the strict regulations around an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) developers are still applying to build (and some succeeding).
We do not wish to stop all build projects but wish all to be appropriate to the size, heritage and need in the Village. We need truly affordable housing; smaller housing; retirement homes and we need a strong infrastructure such as school places; medical provision; road capacity; water; drainage and sewage management to sustain such development.
This is not happening and developers are trying to build with little thought for these and are even proposing to build next to dangerous junctions, nature reserves and larger, more expensive housing.
This is a very big challenge and we are aware, as a small group we must focus our efforts where we may have the greatest effect and can use our resources accordingly.