Little Horsted Parish Meeting Meeting Minutes March 12th 2014 Opening The regular meeting of the Little Horsted Parish Meeting was called to order at 19:30 on 12/3/14 in the hall of East Sussex National Golf Club by Simon Autie, Chairman. Present Simon Autie, Parish Chairman Liz Salmon, Parish Clerk Speakers Kelvin Williams – Head of Planning and Environmental Services Roy Galley – ESCC Wealden District Council Agenda 1. Introduction 2. Speaker explaining :- a. Who is responsible for maintenance b. Final planning 3. Questions from floor 4. Questions from committee 5. Committee Meeting In attendance 33 People Open Issues Simon outlines that early last autumn 90 acres proposed purchase was accepted by landowner as a green area for Suitable Area of Natural Green Space (SANGS) for the Ridgewood development. Roy Galley said Wealden District Council eventually admitted not all to be fitted onto original site. A lot of meetings but no communication to Little Horsted. Site has been purchased, planning would occur but still Wealden District Council – nothing agreed. Kelvin Williams – gave an overview of the application. Gave a greeting to the local people from little Horsebridge? Jo Pointing: Little Horsted!! He explained that it was a large site, identified Page 1 of 5 principal core strategy adopted by Wealden District Council and the issues re Ashdown Forest, careful of level of nitrogen, in north of district and Crowborough (Walshes Manor Farm) and Maresfield. See map supplied: A22 spine, 1,000 houses to be built, school and employment space, several access points from A22 to facilitate. Must mitigate SANGS and SAMS of forest (monitoring) and monitoring on forest, walk onto forest etc. – natural landscape, fields at moment, planting started, some earthworks, screening of A22 etc. to deliver SANG. Policy team: part SANG on site, overspill to south but not to be included now. SANG on Little Horsted side – no building at all. Moving forward earliest planning 11th June. Provisionally booked for committee. After election, all residents time to respond – objections, reservations, consultation etc. Questions Clive Berry (Acorns) – Who will be maintaining the land and for how long? Kelvin Williams - Council intend to take over and maintain in perpetuity for 100 years here to ensure enough funding from developer to keep as green space for 100 years. If permission in June, section 106 with developer. Reserve matter application, Wealden District Council control, community trust but control with council. Ring fenced money. Not affected by budget cuts. Question – Dyer Horsted Pond Lane security and restricted access? No, shutdown but no lighting. Open heathland, gravel path under tunnel to allow access for wheelchairs or elderly. No lighting in car park – to be resisted. Tunnel lit perhaps yes to make attractive on site. Trevor Nash (Old Coach House) – Develop fewer houses then no needs for SANGS. 2.4km walk with this size SANG. Crowborough scheme 170 houses. Part side for employment and school so still need same size SANGS. Gina Summers (Oakwood) – Car park and purposes other than parking. The land is totally unsuitable for two way traffic, adjustments to cars and extra traffic. Kelvin Williams – Didn’t envisage large number of cars. The tunnel will be available for housing residents to walk dogs from the house. If capacity in SANGS then other development: Barn conversion – contribution to SAM and SANGS, Natural England requirement to have car park. Might in early stages have car park, longer term when site developed housing and A22 that car park will be located to other side of A22 – it’s not known how long the development would take. Wellback development company (may sell off in parcels to Barretts etc.) in meantime large redundant lane cannot collect may say tie in legal agreement. If access formed then de-bunk south A22 car park and reallocate permanent car park to north side. Council anxious to acquire as soon as possible. SANGS before housing free small windfalls SANGS earlier helpful to council. Page 2 of 5 Paxton (Oakwood) SANGS not required until development finished. Needed for windfall: all other development stopped because not enough SANGS. 700 capacity releasing pent up small scale development freeing up planning system. Can’t mitigate if no SAMS and SANGS delivered. Council keen to deliver SANGS in small windfall developments. Nick Bowman (Owlsbury Farm) – Market research for estimated use? Site 3,000 people, what about other people using it. Access Horsted Pond Lane, add different access from planned site near tunnel? Kelvin – Not 5 min job. Ability to access, Nick – children use lane, cyclists, verges used not enough room. Kelvin – Highways report due - outline application. Only SANGS in district. Clive Berry – Want us to provide SANGS for other people’s development? Size of Area? Zone to be determined. Council strategy: important development can make points known to Roy Galley. Link comments to legal agreement to re-located car park. At this stage subject to highways – might have to re- look. What size area? North of Crowborough. Any development? No zone 4km around SANGS. Attract people not to go to forest, to help visitors. Main development to use mainly dog walkers to other people’s SANGS and forest? Viewed by Natural England as natural developments. Simon Autie – Any chance for negotiation before formal planning. Several outlines, various processes, lot of walk on site, visiting environment. Clive – What’s wrong with agricultural fields? Kelvin – Good environment to walk in. Dawn Berry (Horsted Pond Lane) – Hospital has open field, Harlands estate lots of dog walkers. Problem to plant treets? Clive – yes view across fields to forest. Trees to block view but seat to look at Clive’s house. Kelvin – farmer could plant a forest, need to provide good quality landscape. Simon – possible the trees and planting – to determine what trees. Kelvin – natural indigenous tress, not alien or oaks, beech etc. view not material consideration. But nearer time detailed plans to be commented on. Material considerations – daylight and sun lighting etc. Buildings of concern but not trees in application. Michelle Coates (Wicklands Farm House) – for residents near the SANGS – only fences for screening? Who will pay to screen? Developer or resident. Cattle and dogs stray, boundary conditions and effecting residents view. Plant hedges or post and rail but what about woodlands unfenced, civil matter Wealden District Council to control. Assurances that residents will be consulted. Only residents to comment on website so far. No response or dialogue to date. Page 3 of 5 Kelvin – getting feeling for residents re SANG. Need to make comments known ie., boundaries, parking, safety etc. to debate. Get points of view over. Graham Goudie – 4km zone, rural area. Uckfield development creeping into parish. Significant developments in area – sub division of properties 50 – 60 houses in fields. Little Horsted becomes suburb. Michael Pont: existing vehicle access via A22 very busy A road. Dual carriageway eventually. No request for increased capacity on bypass. Severity test for congestion – government – nothing in Wealden. Occasional pinch points but traffic issues not ‘severe’. Reality – a national test – no difficult traffic jams. No congestion. Governments take on growth – driven by housing. Four years ago balance on appeal decisions 30% allowed 70% dismissed. Then 70% allowed and 30% dismissed, housing drives economy. Agenda for growth, Wealden reduced housing re environmental constraints from proximity to forest grappling with duty to co-operate. Wealden District Council fortunate – 2 areas forest and pevensey drainage levels, cap on housing. Originally 11,000 reduced to 9,600 but pushed back up but forest – brake. 7km zone – pressure to look for other housing areas. Central band less protected. Village allocations, 2015 core strategy unhappy 9,600 – how can meet housing need after review period. Forest – monitoring for nitrogen. Solar monitoring of 5-6 years for data. Kim Clark (Crumps Cottage) – What to stop allocation say in Isfield 7km zone – also area 15km away means a lot of difficulty putting new settlements – direct effect on forest. Applying to Lewes to resist 15 developer appeals – won every appeal because of forest. Committee questions – Michelle Coates SANGS area – 72 acres, meets criteria. Bought from Pitts Family retained one field (was 90 on other). Bought already by developer – usually an option. Shows think planning certain? Kelvin – Wealden District Council makes decision. Graham Goudie – Wealden Duty of care and highways – how split safety”? responsibility – planning has none – take views from highways safety. Will take into account for any application. Residents safety and pedestrians – material consideration. ESCC statutory consultee – await formal response. Simon Autie – Football playing pitches not in spirit of SANGS – not supported. Clive Berry – Mown area by carpark – natural? Kelvin Williams – Sheep grazing is natural, cattle etc grazing rights not locals. Forest not local habitat or natural environment – trees chopped down previously. Look at management strategy – can’t comment on details at this stage. Page 4 of 5 Kim Clark – Mown, wild flower, grass etc. grazing difficult if access dog walkers etc. strong fences to protect animals Simon – SANGS definition omits riding of horses. Kelvin Williams – not designated for riding might have by-laws for no horses. Also stop mountain bikes. Outline drawings, green areas north of A22