What you need to know about Wealden’s draft Local Plan
Ian Tysh, Councillor for Maresfield ward, Lead Councillor for Planning & Environment
Wealden’s draft Local Plan is a major project which establishes a framework for development for the district for the next 15 years. Here are some important things to know about the plan, its intentions and its limitations.
Top-down targets in a flawed system
The housing target for Wealden are set by central government and governed by a national planning framework – a strong, well-founded local plan can nonetheless afford the area some protection. Wealden hasn’t had an up-to-date local plan in place for many years, which has made it easier for developers to get their way. And we are all living with the results of that.
District Council planning powers are limited – and can be taken away
A district council cannot simply turn down or reject a planning proposal it doesn’t like or that is strongly opposed by a community. If there is no basis in planning law for a refusal, the council will likely lose on appeal and be required to pay the developer’s legal costs on top of their own. If a council loses too many appeals, the government can remove its planning powers, as has happened to Lewes District Council.
A coherent Local Plan can help
Unfortunately, the current planning system is strongly weighted in favour of developers and against communities. A well-founded, coherent local plan with good community support is an important tool a council can use to argue against inappropriate development.
There was a good response to the public consultation for Wealden’s draft local plan and the next step is revise the plan based on the consultation. After that, it will go for what is known as Regulation 19 consultation, where the legal basis for the plan is interrogated. Assuming it passes that stage, the plan then goes to a meeting of Wealden’s Full Council. If the council approves the plan, the final draft is then sent to the planning inspectorate for examination at a public hearing.
If all goes well and the plan passes through those stages, then the local plan should come into force by the end of 2025.
Here are some key points about Wealden’s draft Local Plan:
Stopping the development free for all
- 80% of the 600 sites put forward for assessment were deemed unsuitable
- At least 93% of the land area in Wealden’s land area will not be built on
- Over half of the proposed new dwellings already have planning permission
- Development on brownfield sites is prioritised, but Wealden doesn’t have enough – there’s only space for about 500 dwellings
Radically improved environmental standards and design for new buildings
The plan sets out much higher standards for new buildings.
- The aim is to make a step change in our response to the climate emergency and our journey towards net zero
- Higher standards will reduce energy consumption and cut people’s bills
- Lower energy consumption is a way we reduce carbon emissions and respond better to climate change
- The plan promotes use of renewables and reduced water consumption
Greater protection for nature
The plan aims to provide much greater protection for green spaces and nature, including:
- enhanced buffers to protect ancient woodland
- greater protection for trees, woodlands and hedgerows
- enforce the highest levels of protection for the AONB (National Landscapes) and Pevensey Levels to the highest degree Wealden can
- biodiversity net gain requirements of 20% (which is twice the national requirement)
- 400m buffer zone for Ashdown Forest, which will now be calculated from edge of the property boundary, not from the dwelling
- We are proactively seeking sites for more biodiversity net gain – this is a very exciting prospect, a tangible way we can help nature and mitigate climate change
Housing which responds better to local need
The plan prioritises the houses that people need, not the houses that developers want to build and sell, which are typically large 4 and 5 bedroom ‘executive’ homes where the profit margins are highest.
- more homes with 2 or 3 bedrooms
- Only 25% of market homes 4+ bedrooms
- Highest percentage of affordable homes we can manage within the system
- support for community land trusts and specialist and older person housing.
Why we hope this local plan will succeed – and end the free-for-all
- We have learnt the lessons for the previous administration’s failed plan. We have cooperated fully with our neighbouring councils – and have proposed a housing number 25% lower than the central government’s target for Wealden. We have used the national rules for environmental protection, to the fullest extent we can, to make the case for this lower number.
- We hope with the plan approved, it will end the developers’ free-for-all which has meant really tough battles at planning committees and extremely costly fights at appeals. The Downlands Farm application is a good example of a costly victory for Wealden.
We are facing a housing crisis, and the Greens in the Alliance for Wealden are not against building homes. We want to the right homes, built in the right places, and sold for the right price.
You can read more in the Green Party manifesto summary here.