Controversial plans for a new housing development have been approved at appeal.
In a decision notice published on Wednesday (April 29), a planning inspector gave the go ahead to build 27 homes on land south of Allington Road, Newick.
The scheme, by B. Yond Homes Ltd, had been turned down by Lewes District Council in February last year.
In a written decision from the time, a council planning spokesman said: “The proposed development would result in the loss of open green countryside on the southwestern edge of Newick village outside of its formal planning boundary.
“It is an area that is fundamental to the design and character of the settlement and its village feel, and while boundary landscaping is proposed by the application, it would not, even over time, adequately compensate for the proposed loss of the intrinsic character.
“Newick’s design character is a small tightly knit village, tightly bounded by countryside that also moves into the village to give it its special character, a characteristic exhibited by the application site.
“Therefore, this loss of open green countryside would be contrary to [planning policies].”
Councillors had also raised concerns — put forward by Newick Parish Council and other objectors — that the scheme would result in ‘coalescence’ between the village and its neighbouring settlement of North Chailey.
However, in their decision notice, the inspector said: “In my view, the site does not play an important role in preventing the coalescence of the settlements.”
They added the scheme would result in landscape change, but would only result in “localised visual effect … [which] would not, in any event be significant”.
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They noted the district’s housing land shortage compared to government targets resulted in a “presumption in favour of sustainable development” through national planning rules.
The scheme is expected to consist of: six one-bedroom flats, nine two-bedroom homes, eight three-bedroom homes and four four-bedroom homes. All six one-bedroom flats, three of the two-bedroom homes and two of the three-bedroom homes should be classed as affordable housing.
The inspector turned down a costs application submitted by the developer,
It argued the council had caused considerable delay by taking so long to determine the application and had acted unreasonably in relation to the weight given to the policies in the application.
The inspector said: “While I have not agreed with the council in its decision, I have not been provided with substantive evidence that the planning committee following hearing representations and an open discussion on the merits of the case did not show reasonable planning grounds for its decision or that it did not provide sound, substantive or defensible evidence in the appeal.”