A proposal to demolish four aging poultry structures and construct residential buildings has faced pushback.

During a recent gathering, Wivelsfield Parish Council rejected the initiative to convert these barns into a four-property residential scheme.

The planned dwellings would sit on a designated residential area along North Common Road, near the entrance to Wivelsfield Green.

The planning paperwork characterizes the existing structures as ‘worn-out and partly fallen-in poultry buildings’.

They have also been described as ‘gradually decaying, with portions of the roof already caving in’.

The council expressed worry regarding the size of the residences proposed for construction.

The neighbourhood is gradually shifting from mostly farming land scattered with agricultural structures toward more housing developments.

The plans include one ground-level residence, with the remaining three being two-story buildings.

The planning documentation explains that the design draws influence from the surrounding agricultural landscape.

The planning submission states: “The local landscape character of the Low Weald and the rural context have formed the design influence for the proposed scheme.”

The planning assessment supported granting permission because the project’s size and visual character would complement the local surroundings and the living conditions of nearby residents.