Planning win in Haywards Heath

CPRE Sussex is happy to report that a contentious planning application in Haywards Heath has been rejected by the Mid Sussex District Council Planning Committee.

Michael Brown, long-term CPRE Sussex planning volunteer, said:

“At CPRE Sussex we campaign for, and support, the building of needed new homes, especially affordable and social housing to help local people maintain vibrant local communities on sustainable locations in rural parts of Sussex.

Sometimes, however, we find ourselves having to say no to opportunistic car-dependant development in environmentally sensitive spots. So we are pleased (and a bit surprised) to be able to report that Mid Sussex District Council’s District Planning Committee has (by a six to five majority and against planning officer recommendation) rejected a planning application by a commercial developer to build 80 homes on a set of long undisturbed fields and hedgerows backed by ancient woodland on the fringes of Haywards Heath. The site is particularly ecologically precious, with no local services safely accessible on foot, bicycle or convenient bus. The town’s neighbourhood plan had designated the area as a green corridor for wildlife and a local gap.

CPRE Sussex has worked with a nearby home owner (a CPRE member and financial supporter) to oppose this application. CPRE Sussex opposed the application on ecological grounds, and on its locational unsustainability, car dependency and safety hazards – all of which in combination meant that, in our view, it would be wholly inappropriate for the proposed location of this opportunistic application.

We applaud both our local member’s cogent arguing of her case and the Council’s planning committee for having the courage to recognise the great importance of recognising that the need for new homes has to weighed against inevitable serious loss of special biodiversity that would occur in this case if the developer’s scheme were to proceed. We trust that the Council will stand behind its decision, and vigorously defend it, in the event of an appeal by the developer.”