Plans Submitted For Major Bexhill Housing Scheme

A developer has submitted plans for a major housing scheme in Bexhill.

In an application validated by Rother District Council, Gladman Developments Limited is seeking outline planning permission to build up to 98 homes on greenfield land to the east of Watermill Lane.

The land, which is described as agricultural grazing land, has previously been allocated for housing within the council’s Development and Site Allocations Local Plan (DaSA). This allocation is for “some 150 dwellings”

In documents submitted as part of the application, a spokesman for the developer said:

“The vision for the site is to create a sensitively designed and high quality new residential development of up to 98 new homes that maximises the opportunities for integration with the existing settlement of Bexhill.

“The new homes will be set within attractively landscaped areas of public open space, which will provide a green edge to the development and ensure that the rural views of Bexhill from the north and east are retained.

“The new open spaces will encourage community interaction, healthy lifestyles and a strong sense of well-being with the provision of new traffic-free walking routes, ensuring that the new neighbourhood will be an attractive and desirable place to live.”

At this stage, Gladman is only seeking outline permission for the development, with all matters other than access being left to future planning applications.

The application seeks permission for vehicular access to take the form of a priority controlled-junction from Haven Brook Avenue.

This is significant as the DaSA allocation sets out how access to the site should be made via Watermill Lane. For its part, Gladman says “detailed traffic analysis and survey work” has shown access from Watermill Lane would not be “safe or viable”.

While the details are being left to a later stage, Gladman says the final scheme would feature a mix of housing types and sizes. The developer also says 30 per cent of the overall development would be classed as affordable housing, in accordance with Rother District Council planning policy.

The application goes on to state how a significant proportion of the site would also feature an “accessible network of green spaces”. Gladman says the overall “green infrastructure” would equate to 45 per cent of the total site area, which the developer says would “provide a high quality and attractive setting for the new homes.”

For further information on the proposals see application reference RR/2025/699/P on the Rother District Council website.