New plans to build homes in Cooden, near Bexhill

Residents of Clavering Walk, Cooden, protesting in February 2019 over Bellway's plans.

Pictured at the entrance of the proposed site. SUS-190220-103633001 — Residents of Clavering Walk, Cooden, protesting in February 2019 over Bellway's plans. Pictured at the entrance of the proposed site. SUS-190220-103633001

Bellway Homes Ltd has put forward a reserved matters application to consider appearance, landscaping, layout and scale in respect of the building of 70 homes on land off Clavering Walk.

Last February the developer won an appeal against Rother District Council’s refusal to grant it permission to build up to 85 houses on the land following its first submitted application in December 2018. The council turned down this original proposal in June 2019.

Bellway Opposition Action Group (BOAG) said it remains opposed to the latest application.

A statement from the group said: “This is a uniquely sensitive site. It lies immediately adjacent to the European and internationally protected Pevensey Levels, one of the most important wetland areas in the UK, and home to many rare species. The developer has to prove beyond reasonable scientific doubt to Rother District Council there will be no adverse effect on the levels in perpetuity.

“We all understand the need for housing. But it is very frustrating and disappointing that we are still fighting against this speculative development application for a site outside of the development boundary, while land set aside for housing on the link road remains undeveloped. This cannot be right.

“The final decision on this planning application will be made by the Rother District Council Planning Committee. We urge them to reject the application, and we hope that all local residents will take the opportunity to make their views known.”

In a design and access statement, developers said: “The development has been planned positively in order to embody high quality and inclusive design, following a considered appraisal of the identity of Bexhill and the site’s setting, and will provide a lower density neighbourhood which is landscape led in this sensitive location.”

To comment on Bellway Homes’ plans people can access the documents on the Rother website under planning reference RR/2020/2260/P.

They can also send a comment by post to: Head of Planning, Rother District Council, Town Hall, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN39 3JX, or email [email protected] (including the planning application reference RR/2020/2260/P and the sender’s full name and street address.

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