Hundreds of homes planned for hospital site

Developer Charles Church has submitted a new planning application.

It wants to create two areas called Upper Hellingly and Lower Hellingly.

A mixture of houses could be built and some existing hospital buildings converted into homes.

Gill Hesselgrave, chairman of Hellingly Community Hospital Park Trust, has looked at the plans.

She said: 'I think the general feeling at the trust is that they have done a good job at this stage.

'They have used a lot of the research we have done.

'I haven't looked at the housing details but it looks as though a community park will be created.

'That will be good for residents and Hailsham as well.'

Mrs Hesselgrave was glad to see a new cricket pavilion included in the plans.

Other community facilities would include a community hall, landscaped areas and 'commercial space'.

New access roads, parking spaces and landscaped areas would be installed.

Mrs Hesselgrave said: 'There has been a lot of talk about traffic

calming but I think they have to produce a management plan for the park.

'At the moment it looks like we are going to get everything we wanted.'

Mrs Hesselgrave, vice-chairman of the parish council, said the council would review the application on March 12.

The park trust is also discussing the plans on March 26.

It is not clear at this stage whether a new school would be built.

Hellingly Hospital closed in 1994 and various developers submitted applications for building homes.

Developer Charles Church bought the 63-acre site for development.

Wealden District Council will decide on the application by May 15.