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Buxted Parish Council
Clerk: Mr. C. M. Reed
Longways, Inkpen Lane,
Forest Row, East Sussex
RH18 5BQ
Phone: 01342 824522 Fax: 01342 824577
Email: colinreed@buxtedparishcouncil.fsnet.co.uk
The District
Planning Officer
Wealden District
Council
Pine Grove
Crowborough
East Sussex
TN6 1DH
27 February 2003
Dear Sir,
Wealden Local Plan First
Deposit Draft – Objections from Buxted Parish Council
Please find enclosed
objections to the Plan from Buxted Parish Council. There are four separate
Objections Forms, one each for Policies V1, V2, V5 and UC1.
The Plan has
profound impacts on Buxted Parish and local residents are very concerned about
the adverse impact that the Plan, in its current form, will have on the
communities and character of the villages within the Parish.
The Parish Council
has consulted widely and at length with local residents. It has organised two
public meetings to which residents, local representatives and involved agencies
(including, of course, your own) have been invited. Both meetings have been
filled to capacity – some 100 residents attended the first meeting in November
at the Reading Room Buxted, and over 200 at the second meeting at a Buxted
school earlier this month. The Parish Council has taken care to reflect the
views of the residents when formulating its representations on the Plan and is
confident that the views expressed are those of a substantial majority of the
Parish. We would ask you to consider them carefully and give them due weight in
your deliberations.
I am copying this
letter to Buxted’s MP, Wealden District and East Sussex County Council
representatives, who have been very supportive during the consultations, and
also to involved agencies.
Yours faithfully,
Colin Reed
Clerk to the Council
Copy:
C Hendry Esq. MP, Cllr. N A D Buck WDC, Cllr. Mrs. P A Kennedy WDC, Cllr.
A G Read ESCC
Environment
Agency, Director Education Services ESCC, Director Transport & Environment
ESCC, Southern Water, CPRE, Uckfield Railway Line Parishes Committee
Policy
number: V1 page 188
Site: Land off Nursery Field Buxted
Q8. Please state here the full grounds on which your
objection or representation of support is made. If there is not enough room,
please continue on a separate sheet
1. The Wealden Draft Local Plan
is not a fair allocation of housing in Wealden District in that it
seeks to concentrate housing in the Low Weald part of the District and
excludes the part of the District designated an Area of Outstanding Natural
Beauty.
2. The Wealden Draft Local Plan is not a fair allocation of houses
between the villages of Wealden District in that it seeks to concentrate housing
in only six of the District’s villages despite identified housing need in
other villages and seeks to put three sites in Buxted Parish.
Wealden District Council has not fully explored other sites for housing
in the District. There are other towns and villages that either want more
housing (for example Polegate Town Council would welcome an additional 2000 –
2500 houses in the town) or have better facilities for new residents, for
example Jarvis Brook that has a better range of shops, a post office (unlike
Buxted) as well as a railway station.
3. There is no evidence that the allocation of this site will be
consistent with the Wealden Strategy of achieving a more balanced and
sustainable community in the village of Buxted that will:
3.1. ‘provide the
appropriate infrastructure’. There is no evidence that the water supply
infrastructure is to be upgraded, it is inadequate and constantly requires
repair. There is no evidence that the sewage system is to be upgraded. It is
inadequate, the sewers in the vicinity of the proposed access to the site
frequently collapse and require constant repair.
3.2. ‘provide the appropriate community services and facilities’. The
proposals do not contain any proposals for community facilities for the greatly
enlarged village population that will result from the development of the sites
in the village. For example there is no proposal for a community centre adequate
for the larger population, no proposals for a central play area or facilities
for young people.
3.3 ‘maintain or improve
the level and range of local services’. The proposals contain no proposals to
improve the range of local services to meet the requirements – there are no
proposals for improved bus or train services, no proposals for medical services
that will be adequate for the enlarged population, no proposals for additional
business or shop units.
4. The Wealden Draft Local Plan does not indicate how this site will be
made available as it is believed that part of it has been assigned as an
extension to the graveyard at St. Mary the Virgin Church Buxted and the
remainder assigned to a rural conservation trust.
Q9. If objecting to a policy or proposal, please
indicate what change you are seeking to the Plan which could resolve your
objection.
1. The site V1 should not be allocated for housing purposes.
2. Notwithstanding point 1 above, should the site be developed, the
following points should be actioned.
2.1. Wealden District Council should develop or commission a full
Rural Need Study and fully consult the community and the Parish
Council on its outcome.
2.2. Wealden District Council should prepare a
full Development and Design Brief for the site and fully consult
the community and the Parish Council on its provisions.
2.3. Wealden District Council should commission a full Transport Impact
Assessment and fully consult the community and the Parish Council on its
assessment and proposals. The Assessment should take into account not only
impact of the new housing proposed for Buxted, but also developments proposed
for surrounding towns and villages – Uckfield, Maresfield etc.
Specifically the Assessment should consider:
2.3.1. the impact on the overall traffic volumes and foreseen accident
rates on the A272 and other roads connecting to major centres in the area, for
example Crawley and Brighton.
2.3.2. access to the main road and the impact on traffic volumes and
foreseen accident rates in Buxted Parish
2.3.3. the requirements for safe pedestrian and cycle access throughout
the village, nearby village facilities including schools. This should fully take
into account the needs of parents and children, the elderly and the disabled.
2.4 Wealden District Council should ensure that the requirements for
education services are fully and properly assessed and that the local
communities and Parish and Town Councils are fully consulted.
2.4.1.As well as educational needs the assessment must consider access to
local educational facilities given dangerous roads with fast moving traffic and
frequent accidents, limited footpaths – access to Buxted C of E Primary school
is particularly difficult by foot – and little lighting, particularly in the
winter months, due to the rural nature of the village.
2.4.2. Provision of secondary school places should be reassessed to
ensure that enough places will be provided. For example the places at Uckfield
Community College will need to be not only sufficient for children of residents
of the new 500 homes planned for Uckfield but also for the 250 + new homes in
villages in the Colleges catchment area.
Policy
number: V2 page 189
Site: Land West of Church Road Buxted
Q8. Please state here the full grounds on which your
objection or representation of support is made. If there is not enough room,
please continue on a separate sheet
1. The Wealden Draft Local Plan
is not a fair allocation of housing in Wealden District in that it
seeks to concentrate housing in the Low Weald part of the District and
excludes the part of the District designated an Area of Outstanding Natural
Beauty.
2. The Wealden Draft Local Plan is not a fair allocation of houses
between the villages of Wealden District in that it seeks to concentrate housing
in only six of the District’s villages despite identified housing need in
other villages and seeks to put three sites in Buxted Parish.
Wealden District Council has not fully explored other sites for housing
in the District. There are other towns and villages that either want more
housing (for example Polegate Town Council would welcome an additional 2000 –
2500 houses in the town) or have better facilities for new residents, for
example Jarvis Brook that has a better range of shops, a post office (unlike
Buxted) as well as a railway station.
3. There is no evidence produced that explains how the extension of
Buxted village development boundary is compatible with the Strategy of
conserving village character in Wealden District.
4. There is no evidence that the allocation of this site will be
consistent with the Wealden Strategy of achieving a more balanced and
sustainable community in the village of Buxted that will:
4.1. ‘ensure that the development conserves the established character
of the village’ when the development is of such a large size and so positioned
on the outskirts of the village beyond the current development boundary that it
will not be integrated and will not conserve, but rather destroy, the character
of the village. That such a development on the western edge of the village would
be intrusive is recognised in the current Wealden Plan dated December 1998. The
density of the proposed development, once allowance for adequate screening has
been made, would be far in excess of the current density in the village which is
an important contributor to the character of the village. Buxted has taken
considerable development in recent years that is yet to integrate into the
community – this level of development could destroy social fabric of the
village.
The Buxted Inn, the only public house within the development area
of the village, is threatened by the proposed access to the site. It is a
significant, much loved and long standing feature of the Buxted village street
scene.
4.2. ‘provide the
appropriate infrastructure’. There is no evidence that the allocation of this
site has followed from a fully adequate assessment of increased flood risk of
surface water discharged into the River Uck thereby affecting existing
properties and Parish allotments in Buxted and properties downstream in Uckfield. There is no evidence that the water supply infrastructure is to be
upgraded, it is inadequate and constantly requires repair. There is no evidence
that the sewage system is to be upgraded. It is inadequate, the sewers in the
vicinity of the proposed access to the site frequently collapse and require
constant repair.
4.3. ‘provide the appropriate community services and facilities’.
Although the proposals provide for amenity space and a play area for the
residents of the housing site itself, they do not contain any proposals for
community facilities for the greatly enlarged village population that will
result from the development of the site. For example there is no proposal for a
community centre adequate for the larger population, no proposals for a central
play area or facilities for young people.
4.4. ‘ensure that the development conserves established character’ of
the village’s ‘surrounding countryside and landscape setting’ and will
‘minimise the impact of development on the landscape setting of the
village.’ The proposal will reduce surrounding countryside and will damage the
landscape setting of the village given that the site is adjacent to, and within
sight of, the surrounding AONB landscape.
The development would be visible from Grade 2a listed Buxted
Country Park and SSSI – and greatly enhanced light pollution likely.
The proposal would destroy the existing flora and fauna of the
site. The standing deadwood tree is a significant landmark tree in the village
and is believed to provide bat roosting. Nearby land is known to sustain
badgers, bats, slow worms and newts and it is believed that this site is
similarly rich in wildlife.
4.5. ‘improve the level and choice of
employment opportunities’ given that the proposals for access to the
site put at risk one or more businesses – Weald Packaging, Buxted Inn and
George Rose that provide a considerable number, and the greatest proportion of
employment opportunities, in the village.
4.6 ‘maintain or improve
the level and range of local services’. The proposals for access to the site
put at risk three village businesses, Weald Packaging, The Buxted Inn, and
George Rose that provide local services. The Buxted Inn is the only public house
within the development boundary of the village and within in easy walking
distance of the village. The proposals contain no proposals to improve the range
of local services to meet the requirements – there are no proposals for
improved bus or train services, no proposals for medical services that will be
adequate for the enlarged population, no proposals for additional business or
shop units.
Q9. If objecting to a policy or proposal, please
indicate what change you are seeking to the Plan which could resolve your
objection.
1. The site V2 should not be allocated for housing purposes.
2. Notwithstanding point 1 above, should the site be developed, the
following points should be actioned.
2.1. Wealden District Council should develop or commission a Rural Need
Study in Buxted and fully consult the community and the Parish Council on its
outcome.
2.2. Wealden District Council should prepare a Full
Development and Design Brief for the site and fully consult the
community and the Parish Council on its provisions. To ensure that the
development is in accord with Wealden Strategy in protecting the character of
the village the proposed housing densities should be reduced to match current
densities. Densities along the High Street and Church Rd boundaries should be
reduced to be no greater than existing densities on those roads. To ensure that
the development protects the character of the surrounding countryside and views
from AONB land the proposed site landscaping should be enhanced. The landscape
buffer should be extended and include a bund to mask the site.
2.3. Wealden District Council should, in liaison with the Environment
Agency, do a proper flood risk assessment and implement its provisions before
the site is released for development. Planning Policy Guidance/ ESCC Structure
Plan requires planning activities to minimise impact on the environment
including residential areas, and avoid development that would increase the risk
of flooding elsewhere. The Structure Plan requires that development will not be
permitted before the infrastructure is available or provided. The Environment
Agency has yet to publish or implement a catchment plan for the River Uck
and Buxted residents still in regular threat of flooding
2.4. Wealden District Council should commission a full Transport Impact
Assessment and fully consult the community and the Parish Council on its
assessment and proposals. The Assessment should take into account not only
impact of the new housing proposed for Buxted, but also developments proposed
for surrounding towns and villages – Uckfield, Maresfield etc.
Specifically the Assessment should consider:
2.4.1. the impact on the overall traffic volumes and foreseen accident
rates on the A272 and other roads connecting to major centres in the area, for
example Crawley and Brighton.
2.4.2. the impact on traffic volumes and foreseen accident rates in
Buxted Parish
2.4.3 the feasibility and desirability of the proposed roundabout access
to the new site. The proposed roundabout, which would need to be developed to
industrial standards to allow for the passage of articulated and heavy goods
vehicles to the adjacent industrial sites, would be land hungry, have obtrusive
high level lights causing light pollution in the village and visible from AONB
Grad 2 a listed park and SSSI
and be contrary to the established character of the village.
2.4.4. the replacement of the roundabout referred to in 2.4.3. above with
a set of traffic lights. Properly sited and designed the traffic lights would
provide adequate access to the industrial units and station and the new housing
development, would use less land, require no overhead lighting, slow traffic
through the village more effectively than a roundabout and potentially reduce
accidents on the A272 through the village
by
providing a safe crossing.
2.4.5. the requirements for safe pedestrian and cycle access throughout
the village, to nearby village facilities including schools. This should fully
take into account the needs of parents and children, the elderly and the
disabled. The Parish Council would urge Wealden District Council to work with
East Sussex Council Transport and Environment to implement Government road
safety initiatives, ‘Safe Routes to School or ‘Home Zones’ where
appropriate in the area.
2.4.6. the traffic impacts of the new junction, whether traffic lights or
roundabout, and the proposed Bird in Eye Hill Uckfield site. There will be an
increase in vehicles rat running throughout rural roads around Buxted village
and this will increase risk of serious accidents to walkers and riders. High
speed rat running already poses serious dangers. Again the Parish Council would
urge Wealden District Council to work with East Sussex Council Transport and
Environment to implement Government road safety initiatives, ‘Safe Routes to
School or ‘Home Zones’ where appropriate in the area.
2.5 Wealden District Council should ensure that the requirements for
education services are fully and properly assessed and that the local
communities and Parish and Town Councils are fully consulted.
2.5.1.As well as educational needs the assessment must consider access to
local educational facilities given dangerous roads with fast moving traffic and
frequent accidents, limited footpaths – access to Buxted C of E Primary school
is particularly difficult by foot – and little lighting, particularly in the
winter months, due to the rural nature of the village
– and to date ESCC Highways and Police have ignored Buxted Parish
repeated requests for extension of speed restrictions to take account of the
stretch of road between the main village and the school.
2.5.2. Provision of secondary school places should be reassessed to
ensure that enough places will be provided. For example the places at Uckfield
Community College will need to be not only sufficient for children of residents
of the new 500 homes planned for Uckfield but also for the 250 + new homes in
villages in the Colleges catchment area.
2.6 Wealden District Council to commission a full Environmental Impact
Assessment of the proposed site and implement the recommendations to reduce
adverse impact in consultation with the local community and Parish council.
Policy
number: V5 page 190 Site: Land to
the West of Oakleigh Five Ash Down
Q8. Please state here the full grounds on which your
objection or representation of support is made. If there is not enough room,
please continue on a separate sheet
1. The Wealden Draft Local Plan
is not a fair allocation of housing in Wealden District in that it
seeks to concentrate housing in the Low Weald part of the District and
excludes the part of the District designated an Area of Outstanding Natural
Beauty.
2. The Wealden Draft Local Plan is not a fair allocation of houses
between the villages of Wealden District in that it seeks to concentrate housing
in only six of the District’s villages despite identified housing need in
other villages and seeks to put three sites in Buxted Parish which includes Five
Ash Down.
3. Wealden District Council has not fully explored other sites for
housing in the District. There are other towns and villages that either want
more housing (for example Polegate Town Council would welcome an additional 2000
– 2500 houses in the town) or have better facilities for new residents, for
example Jarvis Brook that has a better range of shops, a post office (unlike
Buxted) as well as a railway station.
4. The proposals do not take into account the need, as set out in the
current Wealden Local Plan dated December 1998, to prevent outward encroachment
into the surrounding countryside, specifically into the long rear curtilages
where significant development is now proposed. The Parish Council considers that
the proposed development is an inappropriate backland development which be
detrimental to the character and setting of the village.
5. There is no evidence that the allocation of this site will be
consistent with the Wealden Strategy of achieving a more balanced and
sustainable community in the village that will ‘provide the appropriate infrastructure’. There is
no evidence that the current inadequate sewerage system is to be upgraded. The
sewerage system in the Five Ash Down and Coopers Green areas of Buxted Parish is
inadequate for current demand including additional demand from recent infilling.
The sewers frequently collapse and require constant repair. Householders have
reported frequent influxes of raw sewage to houses and land. There
are currently and have been for many years adverse impacts from trade effluent
being discharged into to the existing sewerage system.
The system is not capable of coping with the demand that would be put on
it by any new housing
– it cannot cope at present level. The relevant authority,
Southern Water, is unable to remedy the situation and ask for no development to
take place until adequate sewerage can be provided
to current level of development.
6. New housing on the site will add to traffic congestion in Buxted
Parish and Uckfield.
7. The development should not take place because there is a badger set on
the land.
8. There is no evidence to indicate how so much development is to take
place on the site as it is understood that part of the site has recently been
assigned to the owners of the Grade II listed Coopers Green House and is being
reinstated to garden.
Q9. If objecting to a policy or proposal, please
indicate what change you are seeking to the Plan which could resolve your
objection.
1. The site V5 should not be allocated for housing purposes.
2. Notwithstanding point 1 above, should the site be developed, the
following points should be actioned.
2.1 No development should take place until adequate sewerage is provided
in the Five Ash Down and Coopers Green area
for current level of development.
2.2. Wealden District Council should prepare a full Development and
Design Brief for the site and fully consult the community and the Parish Council
on its provisions.
2.3. Wealden District Council should commission a full Transport Impact
Assessment and fully consult the community and the Parish Council on its
assessment and proposals. The Assessment should take into account not only
impact of the new housing proposed for Five Ash Down, but also developments
proposed elsewhere in Buxted Parish and in surrounding towns and villages –
Uckfield, Maresfield etc.
Specifically the Assessment should consider:
2.3.1. the impact on the overall traffic volumes and foreseen accident
rates on the A272 and other roads connecting to major centres in the area, for
example Crawley and Brighton.
2.3.2. the impact on traffic volumes and foreseen accident rates in
Buxted Parish
2.3.3. the requirements for safe pedestrian and cycle access throughout
the village and Parish. This should fully take into account the needs of parents
and children, the elderly and the disabled.
2.4. Wealden District Council should ensure that the requirements for
education services are fully and properly assessed and that the local
communities and Parish and Town Councils are fully consulted.
2.5.1.As well as educational needs the assessment must consider access to
local educational facilities given dangerous roads with fast moving traffic and
frequent accidents, limited footpaths – access to Buxted C of E Primary school
is particularly difficult by foot – and little lighting, particularly in the
winter months, due to the rural nature of the village.
2.5.2. Provision of secondary school places should be reassessed to
ensure that enough places will be provided. For example the places at Uckfield
Community College will need to be not only sufficient for children of residents
of the new 500 homes planned for Uckfield but also for the 250 + new homes in
villages in the Colleges catchment area.
2.5 Wealden District Council to commission a full Environmental Impact
Assessment of the proposed site and implement the recommendations to reduce
adverse impact in consultation with the local community and Parish Council.
Policy
number: UC1 pages 177 to 179
Site: Bird in Eye Uckfield
Q8. Please state here the full grounds on which your
objection or representation of support is made. If there is not enough room,
please continue on a separate sheet
1. There is no evidence that effective traffic management is being
planned or developed that:
1.1 will deal with current congestion along Framfield Road Uckfield
1.2 will deal with new traffic from the proposed Bird in Eye sites
driving through – rat running – through Framfield Road and other adjacent
roads to Buxted village and Buxted Station in order to avoid the congestion from
Bird in Eye to Uckfield town centre and minimal parking at Uckfield station. It
is not believed that all current or new residents of the Bird in Eye, Framfield
Road, New Town residents will walk or cycle to Uckfield town centre rather than
use cars if there are opportunities to do so. Currently Uckfield residents drive
to Buxted and Buxted Station and it is believed that a significant number will
do so from the new housing site. This will have a significant adverse impact on
Buxted by reducing available parking at Buxted Station for Buxted residents and
increasing parking on roads in Buxted village which will damage the
infrastructure and endanger pedestrians forced to walk in the road to avoid an
even greater number of parked cars on Buxted roads.
The increased traffic through the rural lanes between Uckfield and
Buxted will increase risk of serious accidents to walkers and riders. High speed
rat running already poses serious dangers. The Parish would urge Wealden
District Council to work with East Sussex Council Transport and Environment to
implement Government road safety initiatives, ‘Safe Routes to School or
‘Home Zones’ where appropriate in the area.
Q9. If objecting to a policy or proposal, please
indicate what change you are seeking to the Plan which could resolve your
objection.
1. Ensure that there is a fully adequate traffic management plan
developed and fully deployed before the Bird in Eye sites are developed. The
traffic management plan to deal with the impacts on Buxted as well as Uckfield.
Buxted Parish Council as well as Uckfield Town Council to be fully consulted
during the development of the traffic management plan.
2. Ensure that more, better sited, parking places are available adjacent
to Uckfield station.
3. Consider alternative sites for development, for example Downlands
Farm.
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