APPEAL WITHDRAWN!!

In a surprising move we have learnt today 18/10/2012 that Gleeson have withdrawn their Appeal.

 

 

From

Councillor Mrs. Sylvia Tidy

and

Councillor Richard Stogdon

 

County Councillors for the Crowborough Division of East Sussex County Council

 

14th September 2012

 

The Planning Inspectorate,

 

 

Dear Sir,

 

Planning Appeal – Ref: APP/C1435/A/12/2181260

 Land North of Stone Cross Road, Alderbrook, Crowborough, East Sussex TN6 2SR

 

We write in our capacity as County Councillors for Crowborough in response to the appeal by Gleeson Developments Ltd. against the decision by Wealden District Council made on 5th April 2012 in respect of the Appellant’s application WD/2011/2085/MAO.  Alderbrook falls within the Crowborough Division of the County Council.

 

We would wish to bring the following matters to the attention of the Planning Inspector. As serving members of East Sussex County Council, which Council has specific responsibility for the relevant roads and footways serving the general location surrounding Alderbrook Farm, we have detailed knowledge of the factors affecting the area, having participated in “walkabouts” in Alderbrook, organised on a quarterly basis by the Alderbrook Community Association over the past six years.

 

It is noteworthy, that in the Grounds of Appeal stated by the Appellant , little account appears to have been taken of the Report issued to the Head of Planning at Wealden District Council on behalf of the Director of Economy Transport & Environment  of East Sussex County Council (the Highway Authority) dated 06th December 2011.

 

Firstly, in Paragraph 2.1 iv, the Applellant refers to the allocation of the proposed housing land in Policy CR4 of the Wealden District Council’s Non-Statutory Local Plan (“published as an interim development control measure in December 2005”). The attention of the Inspector is particularly drawn to the context in which the relevant land was allocated, based on the entirely transparent supposition that access from any development at Alderbrook Farm would be by way of Brooklands Avenue and thence onto Fermor Road, Crowborough.  It was certainly not contemplated at the time of the relevant land allocation that vehicular access to and from Alderbrook Farm should be by way of Stone Cross Road, or, for that matter, by any other road bounding Alderbrook Farm.

 

Secondly, the report issued by the Highways Department of East Sussex County Council raises overriding concerns relating to road safety issues on Stone Cross Road and the adjoining roads on the Alderbrook Estate. These concerns arise in regard to the Appellant’s access and egress proposals to and from Alderbrook Farm. As the Inspector shall, doubtless, see, the road network in and around the proposed development is wholly unsuited to cope with significant increase in traffic volumes on road safety grounds.

 

Thirdly, for the entire period during which we have been elected County Councillors (7½ years), Alderbrook residents have been consistently raising their very real concerns regarding the absence of safe footpath provision along Stone Cross Road between Alderbrook Close and Aldervale Cottages. Increased traffic volumes, arising from the development proposed by the Appellants would be absolutely unacceptable. 

 

Finally, it is particularly noteworthy that Wealden District Council has entirely properly omitted the Alderbrook Farm site from its draft LDF, currently under review by the Planning Inspectorate.  In this regard the attention of the Inspector is particularly drawn to representations made by Crowborough County and District Councillors in regard to inappropriate housing provision in this part of Crowborough having regard to the inadequacy of the road network generally.

 

We very much hope the Inspector shall give most careful consideration to these vital factors in dealing with this Appeal.

 

Yours faithfully,

  

Councillor Mrs. Sylvia Tidy                                         Councillor Richard Stogdon