108 homes approved for brickworks near East Grinstead

The application for the West Hoathly Brickworks, in Sharpthorne, was given the nod during a meeting of the planning committee on Thursday (March 21).

The council received 368 representations from members of the public, with concerns raised including over-development of the site, harm to the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and a ‘lack of vision and imagination’ when designing the scheme.

The development will be accessed via Hamsey Road – which was another cause of concern for residents.

One speaker told councillors that the road – and neighbouring Station Road – were completely unsuitable for construction vehicles or the increase in traffic the new homes would bring.

West Hoathly Parish Council objected to the application from Ashill Regen Ltd, raising ‘major concerns’ about drainage and whether the New Coombe Wastewater Treatment Plant would be able to cope.

But most councillors felt it was an ‘excellent’ development on what was currently derelict land and approved it by ten votes to two.

They did ask for safety features, such as buoyancy aids, to be considered around a lagoon which sits at the centre of the site.

The new development will include 33 homes which will be classed as affordable and 75 to be sold on the open market.

The development will include a Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG).

A SANG is a recreational site created to attract residents away from sites that are protected for their ecology – such as Ashdown Forest – and are sensitive to activities such as dog walking.

There will be 272 parking spaces – six in a car park dedicated to the SANG – including allocated,unallocated, garages and visitor and disabled spaces.

Eric Prescott (Con, Handcross & Pease Pottage) said: “This is derelict land. Let’s be reasonable and realistic about this – there are no reasonable or feasible alternative economic proposals for this site.”

He added: “I think the site’s well laid out, I think it is imaginative and I think – getting towards net zero – it’s a good example of what can be done.”

To view the application, log on to pa.midsussex.gov.uk and search for DM/23/0827.