East Sussex village 'would not be able to cope' with new housing development

Thakeham Homes’ plans to build houses on a site off Bishops Lane was unanimously refused in August 2021 by the Lewes District Council Planning Committee.The developer has since taken their application to the Planning Inspectorate on appeal.

The appeal inquiry opens this week (October 3) at Kings Church in Lewes. Once again, the proposals faced strong opposition from local residents and politicians across all parties.

Lewes District councillor Johnny Denis said: "These proposals fly in the face of the Ringmer Neighbourhood Plan, which includes several key principles, such as the need to improve Ringmer’s sustainability, reduce Ringmer’s contribution to climate change, provide more local employment and reduce the need for the high rate of commuting out of the village. It is also contrary to the key principles and policies of the Lewes Local Plan, the South Downs National Park Local Plan, and the wishes of many Ringmer residents.”

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The proposed site in Ringmer would include three blocks of three floor flats as well as a series of 30 new houses with between 3 and 4 bedrooms.

In their application, Thakeham Homes say their will be 27 affordable homes on a site that is well connected, with local pedestrian routes to nearby facilities including schools, shops, open spaces and bus stops.

The plans were originally rejected as the council felt the development would harm the character and appearance of the surrounding countryside.

The local authorities also said it was unclear whether the local highway, Bishops Lane, and the junction at Earwig Corner has the capacity to accommodate a development of this scale.

Mrs Brigid Du Plessis, a Ringmer resident, told the appeal committee: “Ringmer has been developed extensively over the last few years. The facilities are not able to cope with more people, and we do not want to lose our village feel through overcrowding.”

Maria Caulfield, Conservative MP for Ringmer, supported the residents concerns over the development and said the current building of homes in the village was not ‘sustainable’.

Ms Caulfield said: “It was good to see so many residents at Kings Church in Lewes at the Thakeham planning appeal I was happy to speak out against this development as were the parish council and local district councillor. The key issue for me is that Ringmer has taken more than its fair share of housing which will be close to 900 extra homes in the village. The infrastructure, particularly sewage and roads, cannot take the sheer volume of houses being built.

“I am pleased there is cross party agreement against these plans. No one is against building housing but the sheer volume being built in Ringmer is not sustainable. With residents, the parish council and the local Green district councillor speaking out against this application, we are united that this greenfield development is a classic case of greedy developers rather than being housing Ringmer needs. I hope the planning inspector listens to residents.”