Permission to have more time to build nine flats at the rear of Uckfield High Street has been refused by Wealden District Council.
The application for land behind 21-31 High Street was refused by the district council on a number of grounds.
These included:
- The site is within 7km of the Ashdown Forest Special Protection Area;
- The application was now within the threshold for the provision of affordable housing.
In 2010 the plan for nine contemporary flats, which would face Bell Farm Lane, was approved by the council but the planning permission has now expired.
The rules have changed since 2010. The site is not included in the Core Strategy Local Plan approved by the council in February 2013 and the Ashdown Forest 7km rule now applies.
The Core Strategy sets the limit above which affordable housing provision has to be made at five (it used to be ten) so the development would have to had provided some element of affordable housing.
See our original story, Developer hopes to extend time limit on town centre flats plan.
The Ashdown Forest Economic Development LLP has launched a High Court challenge to the council over its Ashdown Forest rule. See here
