Permission has been granted for the next phase of a significant residential project in Hellingly.

During a meeting on March 26, Wealden District Council’s Majors Planning Committee reviewed a reserved matters submission connected to the Park Farm estate on New Road, which will eventually comprise 360 dwellings.

Outline consent for the scheme was previously awarded in October 2023, establishing the acceptability of constructing on that location.

The latest submission sought endorsement of specifics concerning the final configuration of the project, encompassing its arrangement, dimensions, visual aspects and planting.

Members were informed that planning staff continued to anticipate negotiating modifications to certain design features with the applicant.

Officers had advised approval on the condition that further revised proposals be provided.

Documentation presented to members outlined expectations that these revised proposals would: alter or eliminate designs for multiple garages; incorporate additional parking bays for those with disabilities; adjust building placements to suit the plot more appropriately; and eliminate a play space for youngsters to create a nature buffer zone.

However, members also learned that updated plans had been filed just prior to the meeting, which officers stated had resolved the majority of unresolved design issues.

Only a small number of reservations persisted, according to officers, including the proposed treatment of what the planning documents termed defensible semi-private spaces — referring to elements such as front gardens and courtyard areas.

In granting approval, the committee empowered officers to address their remaining objections prior to issuing the consent.

Further details can be found under application reference WD/2025/1954/MRM on the Wealden District Council website.

Although members voted to approve the scheme, worries were expressed regarding the traffic implications of the development in relation to Park Farm West — a comparable-sized nearby residential scheme that also links to New Road.

These concerns originated from what officers labelled a tolerated breach of a legal covenant associated with the adjacent housing project.

Through comments initially put forward by ward councillor David White (Ind), members learned that the outline consent for the neighbouring development had included a section 106 agreement.

This binding agreement prohibits any resident from moving in until the external road improvements are constructed — these involve upgrading the crossroads of Featherbed Lane, Park Road and New Road (the A271) through installation of a new roundabout.

Despite this roundabout remaining unbuilt, officers confirmed that certain residences at Park Farm West have already been taken up.

In his submission, Cllr White highlighted how a comparable obligation exists within another covenant attached to Park Farm East and urged the committee to enforce the agreement rigorously.

Officers indicated they were cognisant of the circumstances at Park Farm West but were tolerating the breach following guidance from East Sussex Highways.

The council’s head of planning Stacey Robins explained that during October of the previous year, a small number of units on the western site had been occupied, and at that stage, East Sussex colleagues had determined that the volume of occupants, without the external road improvements, had not reached a point where resulting traffic would create a highway safety concern significant enough to justify intervention and enforcement action to halt further development.

He stated this assessment remained valid despite subsequent occupations, and that regular weekly discussions with East Sussex counterparts were ongoing. If East Sussex informed him that this threshold had been crossed, enforcement measures would be implemented to stop the development and prevent any additional occupations.

However, he noted that the highway authority possessed the necessary expertise in road safety matters and had currently confirmed that this severity threshold had not been reached. Should that change, different measures would be implemented to prevent further residential occupation of that neighbouring site.

Mr Robins also clarified that the roundabout’s absence was not attributable to the developer’s unwillingness to proceed. He said the developer — which he declined to identify but which the LDRS understands to be Taylor Wimpey — was actively collaborating with the relevant authorities but encountering temporary obstacles preventing the works from advancing.

Mr Robins further suggested that the off-site works would most likely be finished considerably before any dwellings at Park Farm East become ready for residents. Should this not prove to be the case, he noted, the council retained the authority to prevent further occupation of either or both developments.