Social Value Ideas for Wealden District Council

Ninfield application refused

The committee refused the Ninfield housing application after concluding that the site, local plan context, neighbourhood plan, water supply, landscape, access and cumulative infrastructure impacts mad…

“Right, that's it. Members are done. Officers are done. One proposal on the table that is to refuse this application on the grounds put forward to the …”

Snatchells Farm deferred

The committee deferred the major residential application at Snatchells Farm, Crossing Hand Road, Heathfield, because members wanted further consultation responses and more evidence on drainage, landsc…

“I would recommend a deferment at the very least, a deferment on the basis that I would like this committee to endorse the comments that have been made…”

High Weald scheme refused

A major outline housing application at Snatchells Farm / Cross in Hand was refused after extensive debate about landscape harm, drainage, contamination, access, traffic signalisation and the legal bas…

“This application is fundamentally opposed to the principles of the Crowe Act and jeopardizes the integrity of the high -willed national landscape. It …”

Refusal motion and vote

A refusal motion was moved and seconded after an adjournment to formulate reasons, then carried unanimously by recorded vote. The committee agreed the reasons should focus on EN27, DC19, overbearing s…

“Thank you. So as you know if we were to have a refusal we would need to just take an adjournment to put together the planning reasons for that and jus…”

Application refused on vote

The committee formally voted to refuse the application contrary to officer recommendation. The recorded vote was five for refusal, none against and none abstaining. This is a completed decision rather…

“Speaker 1: Thank you, chair. So, as mentioned, the motion is to refuse contrary to officer recommendation. When I call your name, state whether you're…”

Refusal of tall fence screen

The committee refused retrospective permission for a boundary screen at Springfield House because members considered it too high, too oppressive, and harmful to the rural setting and neighbouring amen…

“So, Councillor Benton, could I just ask you to begin to outline them. Thank you. Yes indeed, or primarily I advance EN 27 -2 in respect of the degrada…”

Barn conversion refused

The committee refused the Blake's Farm barn conversion proposal after lengthy debate about rural sustainability, site isolation, access via narrow lanes, and whether the proposal met countryside conve…

“The site is not a sustainable site. There is no access to services without using a private car. For those members who have been to the site, and I pre…”

CIL income and local share

The planning service reported collecting £96.7 million in CIL since 2016, with over £16 million passed to parish and town councils and the usual 15% local share rising to 25% where there is a neighbou…

“A little bit about the CIL, members will know since April 2016 we introduced a community infrastructure levy. Since then we've collected 96 .7 million…”

Planning performance agreements

The service has introduced planning performance agreements to fund extra processing capacity on major applications. Two live examples were cited: Ridgewood Farm Reserved Matters at £50,000 and Owlsbur…

“Since I last presented to a version of this committee and our breakdown of the service, we have introduced planning performance agreements. As they in…”

TENs refused on nuisance grounds

The sub-committee refused both temporary event notices after finding that the proposed late-night hours in a residential area would undermine the prevention of public nuisance licensing objective. The…

“The subcommittee's decision is that both 10s are refused. The subcommittee made their decision for the following reasons. No effective mitigation has …”

New Tesco Express licence

Tesco sought and obtained a new premises licence for a proposed Tesco Express store that has not yet been built. The application was for alcohol off-sales and initially late-night refreshment, but the…

“This subcommittee has been convened to determine the premises licence application for a new Tesco Express store. The store is yet to be built. The loc…”

Premises licence granted with alcohol hours

The sub-committee approved a new premises licence for Local Choice Retailers Limited at 29 High Street, Heathfield, authorising off-sales of alcohol only during the specified hours. This is a licensin…

“The subcommittee grant the application to allow sales by retail of alcohol off sales on Monday to Saturday 7 a .m. to 2200 hours and on Sundays 8 o 'c…”

Decision to be issued later

The sub-committee adjourned without reaching a decision during the meeting. Members said the outcome would be confirmed in writing within five working days, making this an open follow-up action rather…

“Speaker 3: Thank you. Well, thank you everyone. This part of the meeting is now coming to a close and with the support of our legal advisor we will no…”

Local Plan Reg 19 publication

Cabinet agreed to recommend the proposed submission Wealden Local Plan for publication under Regulation 19, alongside supporting documents including the sustainability appraisal and habitats regulatio…

“The recommendations are that we, that the proposed that we recommend to full council is page five and six of the agenda. The proposed submission wille…”

Draft Local Plan moves to consultation

Council approved the draft Wealden Local Plan at Regulation 18 stage so it can go out to public consultation. The plan sets the district’s spatial strategy, housing and site allocations, infrastructur…

“So here we are rather later than had been hoped to hopefully go through to the next stage of the new Wield and Local Plan, which will set out how the …”