Call to reduce number of Hailsham development homes due to ‘odour issues’ from wastewater treatment works

On Thursday (March 11), Wealden District Council’s Planning Committee South is due to consider an application seeking outline planning permission to demolish a property at 152 Battle Road and build a large-scale housing development to its rear.

The application, from developer Fernham Homes, seeks permission to build up 180 homes on the site, but planning officers say the council should only permit the construction of up to 141 homes due to ‘odour issues’ arising from the site’s proximity to the Hailsham North Wastewater Treatment Works.

But planning officers say these issues can be overcome by a smaller development and are recommending the outline permission be granted.

In a report to the committee, a planning officer said: “The council cannot demonstrate a four-year supply of deliverable housing land and there is a clear need for housing within the housing market area, including a need for affordable housing.

“The proposed development once amended, would provide up to 145 dwellings, 35 per cent of which would be affordable (51 units based on 145 dwellings being constructed), meeting the policy requirements of AFH1 and 5 per cent (7 units) self-build units meeting an existing demand for such accommodation on the council’s self-build register helping the council fulfil its statutory duties in this respect.

“In view of the government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes, this would clearly be a benefit of the scheme. In this context, the proposed housing constitutes a significant benefit that weighs very heavily in favour of the development in the planning balance.”

The report also notes how a different developer, Taylor Wimpey, was previously granted permission to build 135 homes on the same site in 2015. This earlier application was withdrawn before the completion of a legal agreement, however.

Even so, the scheme has seen a significant amount of local concern, with the council having received more than 740 letters of objection plus a petition of objection signed by more than 188 people.

Objectors have raised a wide range of concerns, including: the odour issues; highway safety; the loss of agricultural land; and flooding. Residents have also raised concerns about the impact of the development on local infrastructure, particularly the capacity of the wastewater treatment works.

Some similar concerns have been raised by Hailsham Town Council, which stressed its concerns about the site’s main access on Battle Road (where number 152 currently stands), saying the visibility splays proposed were ‘poor’.

In response, officers highlighted both how no objections to the access have been raised by East Sussex Highways and that other areas of concern would be considered as part of a reserved matters application at a later stage of development.

For further information on the proposals see application reference WD/2023/1684/MAO on the Wealden District Council website.