Controversial plans for a major housing development in Ringmer are set to go back in front of Lewes planners next week.
Earlier this month, Lewes District Council’s planning committee considered proposals, from developer Thakeham Homes, to build 95 new homes on land to the north of Lewes Road.
While recommended for approval by officers, committee members had been concerned about the scheme’s location and its potential to erode a ‘green gap’ separating Ringmer and the nearby village of Broyleside.
In light of these concerns, the committee opted to defer their decision, with a back up position of refusing the scheme. Since then, the council has taken outside legal advice on the strength of a refusal based around the loss of the ‘green gap’. The application is now coming back for further consideration in light of this legal advice.
The advice has been included as part of the meeting papers. In it, Clare Parry, of specialist law firm Cornerstone Barristers, said: “Although there are landscape and heritage harms to the proposal it is likely an inspector will regard those as being outweighed by the benefits of the provision of the supply of housing, particularly in the case of landscape where the decision would be made on the tilted balance.
“I think that a reason for refusal based on cumulative harm to Ringmer or on surface water harms would be very unlikely to succeed and given the lack of evidence to support such a reason for refusal would give rise to a risk of a costs award against [Lewes District Council].”
The legal advice also touched on the erosion of the gap in the context of another development on the other side of Lewes Road. That scheme, which sought outline permission for up to 100 dwellings on land adjacent to the Broyle Gate Farmhouse, was granted planning permission through an appeal lodged on grounds of non-determination.
The law firm noted how the appeal inspector had concluded that the erosion of the green gap had limited weight given the district’s “acute housing shortfall”.
In light of this advice, council planning officers have reiterated their recommendation to grant planning permission.
Prior to the previous meeting, the scheme had seen significant pushback from local residents. In all, the council received at least 146 letters of objection, raising concerns around design and location, as well as infrastructure pressures.
Objections had also been lodged by Ringmer Parish Council, which argued the scheme’s design did not comply with policies set out in the village’s neighbourhood plan.
The loss of the ‘green gap’ had been another common concern for objectors.
The proposed scheme would comprise 18 one-bed flats, 14 two-bed flats, nine two-bed houses, 31 three-bed dwellings and 23 four-bed houses. Of these, all the flats and six of the three-bed houses would be classed as affordable housing.
For further information on the proposals, see application reference LW/23/0752 on the Lewes District Council website.
Ringmer has had more than its fair share of housing in the past few years and there has been no additional infrastructure for schools, doctors , water and sewerage to cope with it all . Ringmer says
“no” to the current plans !
Ringmer cannot take anymore residents, as mentioned, no infrastructure has been supplied, or Victorian systems cannot cope with more, our roads are falling apart, the schools, doctors and dentists are over subscribed. This particular field floods every year, including the land occupied by the Green Man public house and it is the last remaining field that separates the two settlements. All Ringmer residents are against this plan as can be seen by the number of signs outside homes….Ringmer is against urbanisation
How would the village cope at present the main road suffers with watet leaks which due to this we suffer with legonella in the system the roads could not cope with more traffic lack of shopping facilities doctors schools over crowded. This not fair on local community. Ringmer will soon become a town.
Please STOP!! We don’t want this as a village. Our children won’t know what ‘villages’ are if you keep building in them the way you do! We don’t want to be a small town with no infrastructure. We want our green spaces, we want our small community! Build in the towns that are towns. PLEASE LEAVE OUR VILLAGE ALONE
The fact that these lands are essentially flood plains seems to have been ignored. Anyone who lives around here knows that. Plus there seems to be no consideration of the fact that the Broyle and Ringmer are historically separate communities. Add to that the lack of infrastructure and it is clear that this development is wholly inapproriate.
Brighton & Hove buses and the Council refuse to increase public transport provision in line with increased population growth. We have about half the number of buses compared to much smaller populations (e.g Saltdean). Ringmer has high car ownership due to this, despite being very close to Lewes. Of course the arguments re: poor infrastructure, schools, medical provision, site flooding etc are strong ones. We cannot continue to have Ringmer viewed as inner city for planning purposes and rural for public service provision