Community benefits

The scheme would deliver a number of benefits to the local Land at community, including: Hill Place Farm • The delivery of much needed housing in the area, including affordable housing for local people. E a s t • A direct investment of almost £40 million into the local economy. Grinstead • The provision of a SANG on land to the north of the . • A New Homes Bonus payment of over £1.5 million to Mid District Council and nearly £400,000 to County Council. • As many as 315 new jobs created on site during the construction phase*. • Contributions to local infrastructure and services through a Section 106 legal agreement. • Opportunities for local people seeking apprenticeships in the building industry.

Application Reference: DM/15/0429 About Linden Homes

Linden Homes is the country’s fifth largest house builder, Following consultation with the local community and the housebuilding division of Galliford Try, one of the which included a public exhibition in September What’s proposed? UK’s leading construction companies. 2014, meetings with neighbouring residents, local Linden Homes has submitted a hybrid planning application With a reputation for bespoke and creative developments in councillors and third party groups and a presentation which seeks to establish the principle of residential prime locations, Linden Homes prides itself on its high quality to East Grinstead Town Council, Linden Homes has development on the site with an outline application for of design. It was named Best Sustainable Developer at the now submitted a planning application to Mid Sussex up to 200 homes, and a detailed application for the SANG Housebuilder Awards 2014 and Housebuilder of the Year at District Council. The application is in outline form and land. As such, details such as the mix and design of homes the Ideal Home Blue Ribbon Awards 2013 & 2014. seeks to develop up to 200 new homes and provide and the detailed layout would be determined at a later As a member of the Considerate Constructors Scheme we follow stage through a ‘Reserved Matters’ application, if outline new SANG land at Hill Place Farm, East Grinstead. planning permission is granted. a Code of Considerate Practice which commits us to respect the local community during the construction period. The discussions we have had with the community and the Linden Homes’ proposals comprise: feedback that has been received has helped to inform the proposals. All feedback was thoroughly reviewed, and responses • A mix of up to 200 new homes. Next steps to the most commonly cited queries are included inside. • Up to 30% of the homes would be classified as Contact the project team affordable housing, helping to address the need Linden Homes will continue working closely with the community in the district. over the coming months, prior to the likely consideration of the February – May 2015 On-going discussions with If you have any questions please feel free to contact the application in early summer. If you have any questions or would like • Areas of public open space, landscaping and children’s Council project team using the details below: playspace. and East Grinstead Town to discuss the proposals further, please contact the project team using Council. Email: [email protected] the details below: • The provision of a new area of Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG), an attractive area of public Telephone: 0800 298 7040 Telephone: 0800 298 7040 June 2015 Likely determination of open space for informal recreation. the planning application. Website: www.lindenhomes.co.uk/community/hillplacefarm Email: [email protected] • New car parking for the SANG. Website: www.lindenhomes.co.uk/community/hillplacefarm • Vehicular access to the site from Road.

www.lindenhomes.co.uk/community/hillplacefarm www.lindenhomes.co.uk/community/hillplacefarm Responding to feedback Linden Homes places great value on public consultation. Dialogue with the local community provides us with an opportunity to answer questions, respond to concerns and receive valuable feedback which helps inform the final proposals. We’ve provided responses below to some of the most frequently asked questions from the public consultation.

Principle of development Highways capacity and traffic

You questioned the principle of development You expressed concern that the highways of the site, suggesting new housing should be network is congested and would not be able restricted to brownfield sites. to accommodate the additional vehicular movements that the development would The provision of housing is a national generate. priority, reflected in Government planning policy. Mid Sussex District Council is required The planning application is supported at all times to maintain a supply of housing by various technical documents, including land equivalent to at least five years of the a comprehensive Transport Assessment overall provision. (TA) which assesses the capacity of the highways network. The current Mid Sussex Local Plan (2004) is out of date, and the recent draft Mid The TA demonstrates that the surrounding Sussex District Plan (2013) was withdrawn. road network will continue to operate Consequently, there is no up-to-date plan within capacity inclusive of development in place in Mid Sussex. traffic. A high level assessment has been carried out on the A22 demonstrating that In the absence of an up-to-date Local Plan, minimal development traffic will affect it. Government policy in the National Planning Irrespective of this, a financial contribution Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that will be provided to fund wider works on the applications should be determined in line A22 to the benefit of all users. with the presumption in favour of sustainable development. The site has previously been identified for Access and speed on Turners residential development as part of a larger Hill Road scheme in the 2005 West Sussex Structure Plan and the 2009 South East Plan. It is You asked whether the current speed limit situated in a sustainable location, well on Turners Hill Road could be restricted to connected to local services with schools, 30mph. shops and other facilities all within walking distance. The potential to reduce the speed limit in the vicinity of the site to 30mph has As such, Linden Homes believes that Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) Surface water drainage been raised with the highways authority development of the site would provide a at West Sussex County Council as part of logical extension to East Grinstead, helping pre-application discussions. to address the identified need for both You questioned whether development of the site could go ahead given its You asked whether the new development would increase the risk of flooding open-market and affordable housing in location within 7km of the (a Special Protection Area). in the local area. Linden Homes is willing to provide a financial contribution through the Section 106 a sustainable manner. Development can take place within 7km of an SPA provided adequate mitigation Linden Homes is committed to ensuring that surface water run-off from the agreement to help fund the necessary signage is put in place to offset any impact on it. Linden Homes is proposing to provide development is no greater than the current rate. This would be achieved through and speed reducing features subject to Local infrastructure a financial contribution towards Strategic Access Management and Monitoring the use of sustainable drainage techniques, which mimic the natural pre- agreement with West Sussex County Council. (SAMM) for the SPA itself, as well as Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace development arrangements, such as permeable paving, allowing water to You asked whether the existing infrastructure (SANG) land on its site in order to provide an alternative area of open space for drain through the surface. However, the final decision as to whether in East Grinstead could support more residents. people to use. to reduce the speed limit will be a matter Balancing ponds linked by swales would also provide storage during storms, for the highways authority and the Police, As part of the planning process, Mid Sussex You also asked who would own and maintain the SANG. releasing water back into the adjacent watercourse at a controlled rate. rather than Linden Homes. District Council will consult with all service providers. If there is found to be a deficit in It is currently proposed that Mid Sussex District Council would take on As part of the planning application, a comprehensive Flood Risk Strategy was You expressed concern over the capacity in any service provision, Linden Homes responsibility for the long-term management of the SANG and that this would be submitted. The Environment Agency will be consulted on this by Mid Sussex proposed access point being too near will be required to provide a suitable financial funded by a commuted sum of money dedicated to its maintenance, covering a District Council as part of the planning process, and would need to be satisfied to the existing roundabout. contribution through a Section 106 agreement period of 100 years from occupation of the first dwelling. with the proposals in order for consent to be granted. Following comments received through the or the Community Infrastructure Levy, to go In the event that this approach is not agreed with Mid Sussex District Council, public consultation, further technical work towards addressing it. a management company would be responsible for the implementation of SANG has been undertaken as part of the Transport This could include contributions towards any management, through the employment of suitably qualified consultants and Assessment, and the proposed access point infrastructure that requires improvements, contractors. Linden Homes would be responsible for securing the long term has been moved approximately 18 metres including education, healthcare and highways. existence of the management company and fulfilment of its responsibilities. further west along Turners Hill Road.