Decision due on replacing Eastbourne garages with new homes

On Wednesday (May 26), Eastbourne Borough Council’s planning committee is set to consider an outline application to demolish a house and row of garages in Broomfield Street and build a group of eight houses in its place. 

The scheme has proven to be controversial among local residents, with 65 letters and a petition with more than 215 signatures opposing the proposals. 

The petition reads: “We the undersigned wish to record our strong objections to the proposed redevelopment of this site for housing, on the grounds that the site is too small and will cause many problems due to unsightliness, congestion, nuisance and loss of privacy for neighbours. [There will also be] an overbearing impact of parked cars.”

Objectors also argue the development would be out-of-keeping with the area. This view is at least partly shared by council planning officers, with a previous version of the application being refused on the grounds of its “unsympathetic street frontage and layout when viewed from Broomfield Street”.

While planning officers still have concerns around the design on one of the proposed buildings, the scheme is now recommended for approval.

In a report to the committee, an Eastbourne planning officer said: “Notwithstanding the amendments made to this submission, the conclusions reached in the previous refusal in respect of prevailing visual and spatial characteristics of the surrounding area have not been adequately addressed. The form and scale of the property would not align with that of other properties in the streetscene.

“However, the harm attributed to this aspect must be assessed against the context of the presumption in favour of sustainable development. The harm attributed to this element of the proposal is not considered to outweigh the benefits provided through the provision of housing within the wider site. 

“Therefore, it is not considered that an objection to the scheme could be sustained for the design reason alone for plot 1 when assessed against the policies in this framework taken as a whole.”

The eight houses proposed in the scheme would be made up of six three-bedroom dwellings and two semi-detached two-bedroom dwellings. The houses would be set up in cul-de-sac with an expanded access from Broomfield Street.

For further information on the proposals see application reference 210108 on the Eastbourne Borough Council website.