Further delays to Horsted Keynes Neighbourhood Plan
Examination of the Horsted Keynes Neighbourhood Plan is to be delayed, on the advice of Mid Sussex District Council, following objections raised by Wealden District Council due to concerns regarding the Habitats Regulations Assessment completed by MSDC and the potential impact of development on the Ashdown Forest. Wealden have also objected to the District Plan and a number of individual planning applications (including the "Sledging Field") for the same reason.
Police House Field Site – Larger development proposals announced
A presentation on development proposals by consultants for the Police House Field Site was made at the Parish Council meeting yesterday. This site was selected for 10 dwellings within the submitted Neighbourhood Plan but a larger development proposal is now being promoted for up to 40 dwellings.
Parish Council objects to Birchgrove Road Site
The Parish Council voted unanimously to object to the latest planning application on the Birchgrove Road Site (DM/18/0195).
See attached for details of how to submit your comments to MSDC on this Link
(the deadline is Friday 23 February)
Fairfax Letter on Affordable Housing
Fairfax have recently distributed a letter to residents on Affordable Housing but unfortunately, this appears to contain some misleading information. They suggest that the Neighbourhood Plan will not bring any affordable housing but this is not necessarily the case. A Community Land Trust scheme has the potential to provide up to 100% affordable housing and it need not be associated with a large development of market housing. However, this would be dependent on small sites in suitable locations being made available. Such sites would need to be currently within the ownership of the Local Authority or gifted (or sold at preferable rates) to the community by land owners. The government has allocated substantial funds with the specific aim of assisting rural communities, such as ours, to provide affordable housing because they have recognised that relying on developers to provide affordable housing, as part of large housing schemes, is not working.
Fairfax also suggest that we need a large housing scheme in order to benefit from section 106 payments but it should be noted that the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is due to be introduced shortly and this will apply proportionally to both large and small residential developments. Expectations around S106 and CIL payments should be treated with extreme caution. The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held in January helpfully set out the position on how Section 106 and CIL payments are likely to operate in practice (click on this link) Minutes
