Business park outside Uckfield could provide up to 700 jobs

Moves have been made towards developing a 'high quality prestige business park' providing up to 700 jobs at the former army camp off the A272 outside Uckfield.

An outline planning application is recommended for approval by the Wealden Council planning sub-committee, north, which meets on Thursday.

This comes 20 years after the site, known as the Ashdown Business Park, was first allocated for office and high-tech uses.

There are about 33 acres of land at the former army camp at Maresfield and about 16 of these are available for development. The base of old army buildings and a network of concrete tracks remain. Some buildings survive and are part of the training centre for the fire service.

To the south of the site is an area of ancient semi-natural woodland, known as Calves Shaw. This covers nearly ten acres and would remain a wildlife habitat.

Trees are planted on the A22 and A272 frontages.

Nearby are a new waste transfer station, the fire training centre and an established permanent site for gipsy caravans.

The site is owned by Wealden Council and Summerthorne Estates and the application has been submitted by Summerthorne Estates on behalf of both landowners.

The proposal is to provide about 22,300 sq m of office or light industrial floor space, in three distinct areas, and about 250 sq m for use by a cafe or restaurant.

A new roundabout access to the A272 is proposed along with internal access roads, pedestrian and cycle ways, bus access and a bus stop.

The report to Thursday's committee says: "The application site has long been identified as a strategic site for business use which will be suitable to attract inward investment and allow for the expansion of local businesses.

"The emphasis is on a high quality development which is expressed in the planned environment of the site and the low density development envisaged.

"The development brief estimates that (based on the original 20,000 sq m floor space) the overall business park could be capable of providing 600-700 jobs. This proposal of approximately 22,300 sq m is likely to achieve the upper end of this estimate, if not more, however it is important to note that at outline stage without future occupants, buildings sizes and types and specific use classes identified it is difficult to be precise."

The full report to the sub-committee can be seen by following this link to the Wealden Council website.