Planning Inspector Approves Buxted Homes

A Buxted housing development has gained the go ahead at appeal.

In a decision notice published on Friday (June 20), a planning inspector has approved proposals submitted by Brookworth Homes (Holdings) Ltd to build 49 homes on land to the north of the A272 in Buxted.

The scheme had been refused by a Wealden District Council planning committee in March last year, primarily due to concerns around its impact on Harrock House and Buxted Park — both Grade II* listed properties.

In reaching their decision, the inspector considered the development’s impact on seven individual properties, including the Grade II listed: Harrock House Lodge; Hogge House; Linden House; The Mill House; and The Old Mill.

These were addition to the Grade II* listed Harrock House and Buxted Park.

For each of these properties, except Hogge House, the inspector judged the development would result in some degree of “less than substantial” harm.

However, the planning inspector judged any heritage harms resulting from the development to be outweighed by the benefits of additional housing.

In their decision notice, the inspector said:

“The proposal would conflict with the development plan as a whole.

"This is because I have found that it would result in less than substantial harm to designated heritage assets, to varying degrees, although the harm identified is medium at most.

"Nevertheless, I attribute considerable importance and weight to this harm.

“In balancing this harm against the public benefits of the proposal, the totality of the benefits is more than sufficient to outweigh the identified harm to the designated heritage assets.

"Therefore, the heritage harm does not provide a clear reason to refuse the development under [the National Planning Policy Framework].”

The inspector added:

“The evidence indicates that there is a persistent shortfall in market housing and an acute need for affordable housing [within the district].

"The development would make a modest, and much needed, contribution to both.

“Bringing all of these points together, I consider that the adverse impacts of granting planning permission would not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against the policies of the Framework taken as a whole.

"This indicates that planning permission should be granted.”

While not listed, the inspector also considered the impact of the development on a pair of Second World War pillboxes, which sit within the appeal site.

The inspector noted how the development proposals included both a maintenance plan for these structures and the creation of new footpaths, which would “allow a greater understanding and appreciation of their heritage value.”

For further information on the proposals see application reference WD/2023/2157/MAJ on the Wealden District Council website.