Land Adjacent Grovewood House, Sheriffs Lane, Rotherfield, TN6 3JE

1. 1.The application site occupies a highly unsustainable rural location outside any defined development boundary, where new housing is resisted and where there is very limited access to local and day-to-day services other than by private car. The proposal would thereby fail to support more walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport use and the provision of one self-build dwelling would not outweigh this harm. The site does not therefore constitute a sustainable location for housing, contrary to Saved Policies GD2, EN1 and DC17 of the Wealden Local Plan 1998; Spatial Planning Objectives SPO7, SPO13, WCS2, WCS6 and WCS14 of the Wealden Core Strategy 2013; and Policies S5, TR3 and CC2 of the National Planning Policy Framework.
2. 2.Insufficient evidence has been submitted regarding the proposed method of surface water drainage, such that the application has failed to satisfactorily demonstrate that the necessary drainage infrastructure for the proposed dwelling exists or would be workable, or that the development would not increase surface water runoff. This is in direct conflict with Saved Policy CS2 of the Wealden Local Plan 1998 and Policies F8 and CC3 of the National Planning Policy Framework.
3. 3.The application site lies within 7km of the Ashdown Forest Special Protection Area (SPA) and is likely to have a significant adverse impact upon the SPA as a result of recreational impact caused by intensified residential occupation within the zone of influence of the SPA. The application has not demonstrated through an appropriate mechanism that it can achieve the necessary mitigation measures in respect of the increased recreational pressures it is likely to bring on the SPA. In the absence of such committed measures to offset the impact of the development, the proposal is contrary to Saved Policies EN1 and EN15 of the Wealden Local Plan 1998; Core Policy WCS12 of the Wealden District Core Strategy Local Plan 2013; and Regulation 63 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (as amended).

From the council's decision notice.

Postcode

TN6 3JE

Parish

Rotherfield

Date validated

3 August 2026

Target decision date

28 September 2026

Case officer

Michael Taylor