On Thursday (May 21), Wealden District Council’s Majors Planning Committee is due to consider an application, which could see as many as 292 homes built on sites around the village.
Local residents and the parish council have raised concerns around the scale of the potential development.
In a statement submitted in response to the application, a parish council spokesman said: “East Hoathly with Halland Parish Council strongly objects to the proposed development and requests that planning permission be refused.
“The parish council acknowledges the wider national planning policy context, including the [district] council’s inability to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, but considers that the scale and location of the proposal would result in unsustainable development and unacceptable impacts on the village.”
The spokesman added: “The parish council accepts that, should the application be approved, it is willing to engage constructively with the local planning authority and the applicant to seek improvements to the scheme and appropriate mitigation.
“However, it maintains that, as submitted, the proposal would result in significant and demonstrable adverse impacts that outweigh the benefits and therefore should be refused.”
Within a report to the committee, the application, submitted by Hesmonds Stud Ltd, is described as a “hybrid” scheme because it seeks outline and full planning permission from the council.
The outline element seeks permission to build up to 275 homes on land referred to as Site A and Site B.
Site A comprises around 37.7 hectares to the south east of the village centre. Officers described this as being set behind existing development “along and off South Street and the High Street.”
The application seeks permission to build up to 176 dwellings on this land, as well as a two-form entry primary school.
Site B, of approximately 6.8 hectares, is an arable field on the north-western edge of the village, to the south of London Road. The application seeks permission to build up to 99 homes on this land.
As outline proposals, the application only seeks permission for the principle of development and access to each of the sites (via South Street and London Road, respectively)
The application also seeks full planning permission to build 17 homes on land to the east of South Street. This is called Site C.
The council previously approved very similar plans to develop Site C in 2024, meaning there is an extant permission to build houses on the land.
Officers have identified areas of concern, including its impact on the character and appearance of the area.
However, officers consider these issues to be outweighed by the benefits of the development, as long as appropriate mitigation measures are in place.
In a report to the committee, a council planning spokesman said: “The proposal would deliver up to 292 dwellings, including 35 per cent affordable housing and five per cent serviced plots for custom and self-build housing.
“In the context of the council’s significant housing shortfall, this represents a substantial public benefit and attracts significant weight.
“The scheme would also deliver a range of additional benefits, including land for a new primary school, public open space, play facilities, sustainable drainage infrastructure and biodiversity net gain, together with associated economic benefits.
“The development would result in harm to the character and appearance of the countryside and less than substantial harm to the significance of heritage assets, including the East Hoathly Conservation Area and the setting of nearby listed buildings.
“In accordance with the NPPF, great weight has been given to the conservation of heritage assets, and this harm has been carefully weighed against the public benefits of the proposal. It is concluded that the public benefits outweigh the identified harm.
“Other matters, including highways, drainage, ecology, residential amenity and infrastructure provision, have been assessed and are considered acceptable or capable of being appropriately mitigated through planning conditions and a Section 106 legal agreement.”
A legal agreement would be expected to secure: highways works; a financial contribution to bus services; affordable housing; a serviced site for the construction of a primary school; and the provision of an open play space alongside a financial contribution towards its maintenance.
It could also include provision to enable the transfer of eight custom and self-build dwellings to the East Hoathly Community Land Trust, if this offer is taken up.
For further information on the proposals see application reference WD/2025/0376/MAJ on the Wealden District Council website.
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